Appreciation post: The old guy at the Portland farmers market saved my bacon last week

I was breaking down a whole hog for a big order and totally messed up the shoulder seam, was about to ruin a prime cut. This retired butcher from a shop in Seattle saw me struggling, walked over, and showed me the exact angle with his boning knife in about 30 seconds. How do you guys handle it when you're in a tight spot on a busy floor and need a quick tip?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_sam2mo ago

Breaking down a whole hog" is the part that got me lol, that's some serious work. Glad the old timer helped you out though, those moments are the best.

clark.morgan2mo ago

Ever think you could learn anything from a video? I used to be sure of it, but man, seeing stuff like what dixon.iris said about his uncle and the deer just hits different. There's a feel for it you only get from years of doing it, you know? I guess some things just need hands-on time, not just watching a screen.

dixon.iris2mo ago

Man, that reminds me of the time my uncle tried to butcher a deer in his garage. He had watched a bunch of YouTube videos and thought he was ready. Three hours later, he was covered in... stuff, and had about six weirdly shaped chunks of meat. My grandpa came over, sighed, and had it fully broken down in twenty minutes. You just can't beat that kind of experience.