The day a whole hog changed my cutting style

Back in 2017 I was working a pig roast at a fairgrounds outside Des Moines. About 30 people were waiting and I had to break down a 200 pound hog in front of them. I was using my usual method but an old timer named Earl pointed out I was wasting too much shoulder meat. He showed me how to follow the natural seam instead of just hacking through. That day I switched my approach for good. Has anyone else had a stranger correct their technique on the spot?

3 comments

3 Comments

claire_hart5323d ago

Is it really that deep though? Like yeah, Earl showed you a better way to cut the shoulder, but you make it sound like you discovered fire or something. It's a pig, not brain surgery. I mean, I've had people tell me I'm holding a knife wrong or whatever and I just nod and move on. Unless you're competing for some kind of butcher trophy, who cares if you waste a little meat? The people eating it aren't gonna know the difference anyway. Maybe it's just me but this whole "life changing moment at a pig roast" thing feels a bit over the top.

elliot_patel23d agoMost Upvoted

About a year ago at a friend's barbecue, someone showed me a better way to break down a brisket. I had been doing it one way for like ten years, just hacking away at it. I didn't think it mattered either, but I tried his method and suddenly I wasn't fighting with the meat and it came out way more tender. I'm not saying you need a trophy for it, but small stuff like that actually adds up if you cook a lot. It's not about discovering fire, it's more like realizing you've been using a dull knife your whole life and finally grabbing a sharp one. Once you feel the difference, you kind of get why people get excited about it, even if it sounds silly on paper.

elliot_patel23d agoMost Upvoted

Nah man, that dull knife analogy is EXACTLY right.