Resources for Learning Butchery page

[Benpercent]

Hello all. I might be getting quite ahead of myself in partaking in the community without an introduction thread, but as a brief intro: I'm a aspiring chef-to-be who went lacto-Paleo back in 2009 after reading most of *Good Calories, Bad Calories*, and it has brought numerous benefits to my life, including cleaner teeth, beautiful skin, a loss of about 20-30 pounds, and so on.

This lifestyle is also what has caused me to pursue a career in the culinary arts, as I never truly enjoyed food until I went Paleo; before then I was perpetually sick and made ill by what I ate, and even openly wished humans didn't have to eat to survive. My morning breakfast cereal, for instance, caused me to gag and nearly vomit given the amount I had to eat to feel satisfied. I'm never going back to the way I ate, though admit that I am a chocolate connoisseur who blogs reviews as a hobby (Capital Bean is my site).

Anyhow, dietarily I seem to perform best on a regiment in where the meat outportions the vegetables, though by all means I don't eat nothing but meat. (But have once before and felt fine.) Among another reason, which I might tell you of later, my ambition to become a chef has led me to the interest of performing my own butchery, as I'd like to specialize in meat dishes. And I mean TOTAL butchery: raising the animal on pasture, *slaughtering* it, skinning it, aging it, breaking it down, etc. In other words, I want to learn and become experienced at dealing with an animal from pasture to plate.

Ideally, I'd like to be able to find employment in this area, working with as wide of variety of animals as possible. Additionally, I'd like to learn more about the process with more hands-on requirements, minimizing, though not barring mechanical assistance.

Right now I'm perusing books, such as The Complete Book of Butchering, and have been doing some interviewing of meat processors and farmers, such as the local people around me and U.S. Wellness meats. Very shortly I intend to tour a culinary school to see if I can get more leads from them.

Given how surely endorsed by endeavor is by you primal carnivores, I thought it wise to tap your knowledge after being directed here by U.S. Wellness meats. So: What venues should I pursue? Who should I talk to? Where should I send my application? And so on.

Thank you for your time in reading this.

-Benjamin

[beachrat]

Very interesting post! I don't have any ideas for you but have taken a much more modest route myself in learning to butcher on a small scale from books and older cooking videos. Congrats on your health and good luck with your career! Keep us posted as I'm sure many will be interested to see how your path evolves.

[Adrianag]

Natures Harmony Farms in Elberton, Ga has offered interesting courses of this type in the past. It looks like they are done with classes for the year. I would get on their email list. Classes sell out fast when they are offered. Maybe send them an email to see what they have planned for next year. They run an awesome operstion.

Tours/Events - One of America's Most Sustainable Farms

[IvyBlue]

I've read some rave reviews of this book: Amazon.com: The River Cottage Meat Book (9781580088435): Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall: Books though I haven't read it myself.

I don't know where in Tx you are but this guy: Slanker's Grass-Fed Meats -- Meats you must eat for optimal health Ted Slanker sounds like a trip. I'd definitely talk to him.

[Benpercent]

Thanks for the suggestions, all. Given my current situation I am almost certainly going to be unable to move to another state to attend a class, but I will be able to contact the people suggested. The experts themselves ought to have some advice.

My research so far has been strange. I toured a culinary school and asked the counselor about it -- since, after all, chacuterie is a culinary subfield -- but he didn't know. Even weirder, he said his friend was involved in the business and just "found" himself there.

More work to be done.