Meat Cutting: Week 1

Today is Friday, and I was relieved to get off of work at 3:30. I worked about 50 hours this week and learned a lot about cows, cowboys and knives. I work in a cow town. Don't be fooled by the name Oregon. When most people hear the name of the state, they think Portland and the Pacific Northwest. If you drive to where I work, and block out the mountains around you, it would be easy to think you are in Texas or Wyoming. The Grande Ronde Valley is the heart of Oregon Cow country. It also houses lots of horses, cougars and bears. It is a frontier town.

Stafford's Custom Meats is a very small business that services the local cattle ranch community. The ranchers here reserve some of their cattle for their own consumption, and we do the cutting after they are slaughtered. We also butcher hogs, lambs and sometimes an elk or two. The ranchers offer this meat to their friends and families. Because the meat is not inspected, it is not for re-sale. They pay us to cut, package and freeze their meat, and then they either keep it for themselves or offer it to others they know. There is a mobile slaughter company that brings us fresh carcasses 2-3 times per week.

This week I learned several things:

1. Keep knives sharp always. Sharpen them daily and use the steel to keep the blade straight throughout the day.

2. How to break down a beef rear while it is hanging on a hook. First cut the fat from the back of the flank area. Next, cut off the flank and surrounding muscles. Then cut out the tri-tip (triangular cut popularized on the West Coast). After cutting out the tri-tip, the knuckle (joint including femur) needs removed. This creates the bottom round. Do a little cleaning of the fat around the top round and then remove the rear from the hook and put it on the table for more cutting. It is heavy, and there is a liquid that usually squirts onto my arm from the knuckle everytime I lift it. It is pretty gross...

3. How to clean the flank and the surrounding muscles to create either a flank steak, or London Broils.

4. How to de-bone all of the cuts that are discarded while cutting roasts and steaks. This is the hardest part so far. There are lots of different parts in all shapes and sizes. The goal is to remove all meat from bones and fat and place the meat into the meat grinder. This is where ground beef comes from.

5. How to hold my hands on my stomach while I sleep so they do not become completely numb. The knife work has destroyed the normal capability of my hands. They hurt. I hope a couple days off will let them heal a bit, so I can come back Monday with full range of motion.

Next week, I will continue to focus on above skills until I can work them a bit faster. I love the environment I work in. It is a truly a family business. The owner, Jeff, lives on site with his two daughters and his girlfriend. They all help out if needed. Our daily goal is 5 beefs. Sometimes we do more, sometimes we do less. Although the wages are paltry, when I leave for the day, I have learned something new, and I can put my phone away. It is nice.

Also, there is a Stampede just down the road from where I work in Elgin. It is a rodeo stadium. The lady that owns the land adjacent to our shop has several horses, and actually has an area set up to practice barrell racing. Seriously. Jeff's girlfriend has a few horses also. I get to say hello to them everytime I come and go.Hoping to visit the Kibbie Dome tomorrow. Here's some Bacon: