I would like some members views on what makes a Good Meat cutter.
Some of your replies will be used in a article I'm writing to a Georgia State Rep & Congressman that I'm trying to get help from in starting a Meat Cutting Course in a local college here in Dalton, Ga.
Like many other disciplines that has specialties within a title,(like a carpenter or an engineer) A meatcutter's strength depends on where he/she is working, whether it is at a processing plant, or a retail store. An ace meatcutter in a processing plant, may have a difficult time being a team player and dealing with customers at a retail store-two separate evirons and skill-sets. Since the majority of meatcutters employed work at retail, and with the public,(a retail store) lets take a look at the optimum skill set. A really Good Meatcutter is well-rounded, he/she has the technical knowledge, excellent hand/eye coordination, is a team player, a good trainer, is honest and dependable. and is so good at customer service, that customers will ask for this particular meatcutter for special orders. The meatcutter will portray an image of trust, professionalism, and accountability. A good meatcutter does not "fill" a meatcase, he/she strategically cuts/processes product based on product need and profit merchandising techniques. A good meatcutter has working knowledge and awareness of the meat department budgets, and how they are figured.
A good meatcutter is not only a master cutter, but can answer most of the customers' questions on how to cook and prepare the product you just processed. He/She is a saleman, suggestive selling products to customers.
A good meatcutter is a self-starter, his/her daily motivation is intrinsic, not depending on others , when the meatcase is filled with quality product, prepared by professional hands crafting cold muscle into delectable, top quality food/meals/entree's delighting customers with every purchase, then he/she holds his head high, brimming with pride and confidence of a job well done.
-- Edited by Mainemeatman on Wednesday 9th of May 2012 06:03:24 PM
The best meat cutters come from the repetitive cutting.The Best I have seen is the meat cutters start from clean up persons, to apprentaship,to journymen.How you get this way is learning it all.not like todays meat cutters.A Meat cutter(butcher) should now how to make brine for curing,to make corned beef (and other 's like ham,etc....)Meat cutter should know offal,(slicing liver,oxtails ,trimmed hearts,displaying of tongue's(all animals) honey combe tripe. Than he/she should know how to trim the animal(seemed) for burger.Must have the knowledge of Seeming beef down to the primal for better gross profit. With this said your meat cutter would have the following Knowledge. 1.Bone structure knowledge,(where he knows all the connecting tissue) 2.Knows how to handle a knife.(everything is knifed to perfection) 3.knows the contour of fat of the whole animal.so he/she does not over trim. 4.Can view a primal and tell if it was broke proper.when boxed beef is brought in. 5.Would know how to merchandise each piece of primal if needed. 6.would have the knowledge of cooking each piece of meat off the animal.(butchers make great cooks,cooks are lousy butchers) 7.Quality controll. 8.real customer service(cannot teach politeness and knowledge like chains stores want.) 9.work with sense of urgency.Knows he needs to get the job done.
I can go on and on here,But if your teaching a straight cutting class. Hire a meat breaker so he can explain what is being cut,where the primal came from,show the student how important it is to be neat and clean as you go.
BOTTOM LINE IS TEACH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE INDUSTRY. MAKE SURE HE/SHE KNOWS HOW TO HANDLE OF KNIFE.
Well said Mainemeatman. I attended Nait. In the 4 month course they taught us the basics. They brought in hanging beef, pork, and a few bison. Our teams would rotate tables every week. We would cut the sides down into subs and then seam out what we could until finally making retail cuts for our case. The school sold our cuts at a discount price and the cash went back into the program. Anything left on the counter at the end of the day went into the freezer and we sold freezer packs. We made sausage, bacon, smoked turkey breast , beef jerky we even smoked the bones and sold them as dog treats as well as the hide from the pork belly. It was a great experience as I never had the chance to learn what most of you guys know. One thing that there is no time for at school is working on your speed. This you learn from constant harassment from the experienced cutters when you start working in a real meat department. It doesn't take long to learn that you really did not learn the reality of working in a shop. School taught the technical info the old guys teach reality. Love them both
What makes a good Meat cutter? what was said above was excellent, just want to add my two cents:
someone who is a people person, customer satisfaction is a reward for them and you
taking pride in your work, someone bought, prepared, and loved that seasoned steak you prepared or that special recipe that you shared, makes your day
you must enjoy working with your hands, the job provides lots of physical activity, keeps you moving
learn what merchandising is and enjoy the process. why sell a boneless pork roast for no margin when you could make breaded cutlets or marinaded bbq thick cut chops and sell for $
being organized, prioritize what is needed first (weekly sale item, special order)
creativity: you want to make something new? maybe it becomes a hot seller!
you want to work locally and be home every single night and have some kind of social life, well this job provides it
