Had a Tuesday a few weeks back where I only sold two pork shoulders and a pack of chicken thighs all day. Was so slow I cleaned the bandsaw twice and still left 3 hours early. Then Saturday hit me with a line out the door from 7 AM to 2 PM, sold through 60 pounds of ribeyes before noon. I see guys online saying they hate the slow days because theres no money, but honestly that quiet day gave me time to sharpen all my knives and organize the walk-in. Which do you guys actually want more, the steady money with the chaos or the easy afternoon with a lighter register?
I was real skeptical about dry aging in my household fridge, figured it was just internet hype. But after reading a guide from the Butcher's Guild I tried it with a whole ribeye subprimal for 21 days. The crust formed perfect and the flavor concentrated way more than I expected. Has anyone else tried this method or do you stick to a dedicated aging cooler?
I used to swear that dry aging bags were a waste of money compared to just hanging meat in a cooler. But then I got a bad batch of ribeyes from a local farm in Oregon last Tuesday that started growing mold on day 4. A buddy told me to try the Umai bags and I tossed a couple strips in there for 21 days. They came out with zero rot and a real nice nutty flavor I couldn't get before. Has anyone else switched to bags for small batches and seen a difference in waste?
Last Saturday I had 3 whole hogs come in for a wedding order and the walk-in cooler died overnight, temp was over 50 degrees when I walked in at 6am. Had to toss almost 200 pounds of pork because it was already turning green around the bones, lost about $1,200 in product and the customer was furious. Has anyone else had a cooler failure ruin a big order like that and how did you handle the customer?
Bought this expensive German steel boning knife from a specialty shop in Portland, and it chipped bad on a pork shoulder after just two days of use. Has anyone else had luck with cheaper knives holding up better for heavy daily work?
I was trimming a ribeye at the counter in my shop in Portland when this old guy walks up. He watched me for a minute, then said "you're cutting off too much of the fat cap, son." He told me his father was a butcher in the 50s and they always left a thick layer on because it kept the meat from drying out during a 30 day dry age. I told him modern customers want less fat, and he just shook his head. Has anyone else had an old timer give you advice that goes against what your customers ask for?
Had a health inspector come through my shop last Wednesday and he pointed out all these tiny grooves in my main cutting board from scrubbing too hard. He said those grooves trap bacteria no matter how much bleach I use. Looked at it closer and yeah, he was right. Switched to a plastic scraper and a light sanding every few months instead. Any of you guys deal with board maintenance different than what you learned starting out?
Over the past three weeks, I've had five different home cooks come in asking if they can buy the dry-aged fat and bones I usually toss. One guy said he wanted it for stock and another for rendering tallow. I used to just throw that stuff in the bin without a second thought. Made me wonder if other butchers are seeing the same trend or if it's just my area in Louisville.
So last week I was breaking down a whole ribeye primal at the shop in Portland and noticed the meat on my board was turning gray way faster than usual. My dad who ran a butcher shop for 40 years always told me to flip the steaks onto a fresh paper every 5 minutes and I never really questioned why. Turns out he was right because moisture pooling under the meat speeds up oxidation like crazy. I switched to his method during a busy Saturday rush and the display case stayed bright red for an extra 2 hours easy. Anyone else have a simple trick like that from an old timer that actually makes a big difference?
I was trimming a ribeye last Tuesday and noticed this funky smell coming from our dry aging locker. Turned out the humidity sensor was off by 12% and we had been ruining about 40 pounds of prime beef over two weeks. Now I check that gauge with my own eyes every morning before I start breaking down anything. Any of you guys had a similar issue with your aging setup?
Last Thursday was supposed to be a smooth shift, but I grabbed a knife I hadn't sharpened in a week. Tried to trim the silver skin on a $200 tenderloin and ended up gouging the meat so bad I had to turn it into stew meat. My coworker just shook his head and said 'dull tools cost you money.' Has anyone else had a costly mistake from skipping a basic sharpening session?
He claimed it pulls out the impurities faster than blanching, but I've been doing it the other way for 12 years (since I worked at a shop in Portland) and never had a complaint. Has anyone actually tried boiling first, or is this just some old-timer myth that needs to die?
I was struggling through breaking down a whole ribeye yesterday (like, really fighting it) and my coworker looked over and asked when I last sharpened it. Turns out I had been working with a dull blade for what felt like forever and just thought meat was getting tougher or something. Anyone else just forget to check their edge until something bad happens?
I keep seeing guys online trimming brisket down to bare meat. Last month at a shop in Austin I left a quarter inch of fat on and the owner told me I was doing it wrong. Nobody complained when they ate it though, so who cares what's popular.
I've been cutting meat for 25 years now, and I see guys fresh out of trade school using those pull-through sharpeners on their boning knives. That thing ruins the edge after a few passes. I learned from an old timer back in Kansas City who showed me how to use a whetstone at a 20 degree angle, and my knives stay sharp for weeks. Pull-through sharpeners take off way too much metal and leave a rough edge that tears the meat. Have you ever actually checked your blade under a light after using one of those things? The jagged line is obvious once you know what to look for. Anyone else stick to the old stone method or am I just being stubborn?
I spent $180 on a Victorinox Fibrox 10 inch boning knife six months ago and I was mad about it for weeks. My old knife from the restaurant supply store cost $25 and I figured it did the same job. But after breaking down three whole pigs last month I noticed way less hand fatigue and my cuts were cleaner. The handle actually fits my hand right and the blade holds an edge for days not just one shift. I used to think people were just showing off with pricey knives until I added up the time I saved. My wrist doesn't ache at the end of a long Friday and I'm not stopping to sharpen every hour. Has anyone else made the switch and found it made a real difference in their daily work?
Guy comes up to my counter last Saturday. Points at a tray of my center-cut chops. Says they looked dry and tough. I was mad at first. Then I looked closer. He was right. I was trimming too much fat off. Kept the cap but cut the rest too close. Now I leave a solid 1/4 inch of fat on the edge. Chops stay juicy. Nobody's complained since. What's your biggest customer complaint that actually helped you?
I was breaking down a side of beef at my first real job in a shop off Burnside in Portland, maybe 8 years ago now. This old butcher named Frank grabbed my wrist and said "slow down, you're fighting the animal instead of working with it" and made me stand there for a full minute before I made another cut. Anybody else have a moment like that where a quieter voice stuck with you way longer than any boss yelling ever did?
Spent 3 hours last Saturday fighting with a batch of bratwurst before I realized I wasn't letting the casings soak long enough, like 45 minutes minimum instead of the quick rinse I was doing. Has anyone else had a dumb little mistake eat up their whole afternoon like that?
I stopped by a place called Meats on Morrison last week and saw them using a band saw from the 1950s to split beef ribs. The owner said he keeps it because the blade speed is slower and gives him more control for tricky cuts. Anyone know if that's actually safer, or is it just an old habit?
The curve let me follow the bone contour way easier, and I saved about 15 minutes on a 60-pound batch. Anyone have a favorite blade shape for primal cuts?
It ruined two of my best blades before I gave up and just sent them out to be professionally sharpened, so what's the best sharpener you guys actually trust in the shop?
He said he runs a chunk of paraffin wax down the blade after every shift, not just oil. Tried it on my own saw and it cuts way cleaner now, less drag. Anyone else use something besides standard blade lube?
Honestly, it overheats after ten minutes and I'm back to my old hand saw. Anyone know a real heavy-duty brand that won't quit?