# butchery these days



## docajo11 (Dec 6, 2012)

Anyone know of a butcher/ classes relates to the breakdown of meat on Atlanta? I haven't been able to find much of anything so far.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Most schools do not offer it,because meat6 comes pre cut and boxed. Most of the instructors are to young and they do not know how to cut it either. They teach it through  a chart.and diagrams only. You may learn how to cut a chicken. Your best bet .In Atlanta apply to Buckhead Meat for a job. Although highly automated you will learn there. They are owned by Sysco Corp.


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

Contact the meat science lab at the university or check the extension catalog.


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## boudreauxcooks (May 16, 2012)

Wow...your post really hits home for me.  I realize the magnitude of the complete culinary education that I am receiving at JFCI in Thibodaux, LA.  The art of meat fab is definitely a dying art...shame because if you have someone who knows how to butcher you can save some money buying primal cuts...using scraps for stocks, sausages and the like...also offer unique menu items. I'm sure there have to be some establishments in Atlanta where there are true butchers, you could always try to get private lessons. Good luck.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

You are so right, it is not a dying art, it is dead except for a few. Did you know that in some meat plants sirloin steaks and portion control individual assorted steaks and chops are cut automaticly by laser.beam not by people with knives ?


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

Not sure about Atlanta but in Chicago we have many butcher shops and many of the pork focused restaurants offer butchery classes. CIA also has (like most culinary school) continuing ed classes and I am sure you could find something there.

http://www.ciaprochef.com/programs/

You could also find a local processing plant (small scale) and ask to work for them.


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## boudreauxcooks (May 16, 2012)

Yes, it's automated for speed and accuracy...I remember as a child, a local store where the men who owned the store were butchers and did all the butchering right out in the open behind the counter for all to see.  I was a beautiful sight, get out the hand saw to cut your chops to order.  Nothing like the feel of a sharp knife to meat...as our meat Chef would tell us in de boning chickens...clean machines LOL .... the advanced meat fab class is always filled, have a couple years left to snag that class before I graduate, but my concentration is patisserie


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## boudreauxcooks (May 16, 2012)

We have those same resources down here in Louisiana...I'm sure Atlanta HAS to have them also, pork is huge in the south.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Pork is gradually gaining and will eventually pass beef as the meat of choice.


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## rawredonion (Mar 13, 2012)

I guess I am fortunate to have had so much hands on practice during Meat Science when I attended Kieser University In Tallahassee FL.

For our final exam our teacher brought in a whole pig and cut it into primals and we each had to completely break down and prepare our portions; saving bones and everything "scrap" for stock, sausage and a slew of other practices that came with the following Garde Manger class. There are also some great butcher shops we got to tour in Monticello, FL (http://www.johnstonsmeatmarket.com/) and B&H meat market in Cairo, Georgia.

They are both clean and professional establishments that offer services to local farms, hunters, restaurants and hungry customers. Places like that want to become a synergy in local food production. They both carried a small selection of industrial meat products at the time by customer request. They have several butchers working at the same time in shifts mostly with knives and hand saws, a few larger electrical saws for whole beasts and whatnot. And the atmosphere as you walk in feels like Fresh Market and Cracker Barrel's Great Grand Father. All up to code apparently, both of them had AA ratings for health inspections. I know that they offer classes and paid apprenticeships depending on the season.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

You are fortunate , that's the right way and only way to learn by actually doing it.


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

chefedb said:


> You are fortunate , that's the right way and only way to learn by actually doing it.


I agree butchery can only be learned by doing it daily not in one three week class.


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## mmwineguy (Apr 22, 2011)

Is there a Great Western Meats in your area. They do custom cuts for hotels and restaurants. This would be a great Place to learn. Also other places that you can get started and learn the basic is Fresh Market and Whole Foods.


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## weforrest59 (Aug 26, 2012)

I am in school, now, and one of my instructors is a European (CIFAM) trained butcher.  There are no schools in the US which train butchery, any longer.  A few schools offer short classes in charcuterie, but the only way to get training as a butcher is at a European school.  Chef's training was three years, btw.  We are taught what he knows (butchered a pig for a luau and have learned how to debone fowl while leaving the bird "intact" for stuffed preparations (Turducken).  The best places to learn charcuterie in the US is at a local, traditional butcher shop which, sadly, are few and far between.


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## mmwineguy (Apr 22, 2011)

You are right about butcher classes in the US. I did learn a lot about butchering in school plus I went to work for Great Western Food for a little while. They sell custom cut meats to restaurants and hotels. If you can afford it I would suggest going to Germany and working for a few years. You will learn so much and would be well worth your time.


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## workaholic (Dec 17, 2013)

Not taking a proper butchering class is my biggest regret of my culinary school experience. It was offered as an elective class, but I took wine appreciation instead. HUGE mistake. Wine appreciation was an entertaining way to earn school credit, but it rarely helps me in my career. Get as much meat experience as you can in school, jump on every opportunity while you're there. Meat is pricey, and that means teaching yourself at home isn't always an option. I wish I had taken meat processing more seriously, because I would be a better chef if I had.


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