Butchers, often called meat cutters, cut animal carcasses into smaller
pieces. They help prepare meat, poultry, fish and game for retail sale, as
well as for sale to restaurants and institutions like hospitals.
Butchers start by dividing a carcass into rounds, loins and ribs. Then
they divide those into smaller pieces, like roasts, steaks and chops.
Good butchers take many years to perfect their skills. In fact, meat-cutting
is an apprenticed trade, just like plumbing or masonry. An apprenticeship
is usually two to three years long.
While some butchers work for major supermarket chains and rarely deal with
the public, others work in specialty shops, cutting meat and advising customers
about cuts, cooking methods and even recipes.
"There is so much variety, from slicing to serving customers to packing,"
says Mary Krolizik, owner and operator of a meat market.
If you've got a weak stomach and a fear of hard work, this probably isn't
the job for you. Butchers stand almost all day long and have to lift lots
of heavy things. While most say they get used to the job, they do admit it
can be a bit disgusting at first.
If you're not careful, it can be a dangerous job too. You're regularly
working with saws, grinders and an assortment of very sharp knives.
"Meat cutters work with razor-sharp knives and often wear metal mesh suits
for protection. Many of them work with heavy power equipment and need to wear
eye shields," says Ron Smith, professor of meat studies at the University
of Idaho.
Warm clothing is also a must for butchers. Because you're working with
products that have to be refrigerated, you're in and out of the freezer all
day.
As people's dietary needs and concerns have changed, so has the butcher's
job. People have reduced the amount of meat they eat, and butchers have had
to diversify. These days they focus on leaner cuts, poultry and even deli
items like cheese and prepared goods.
There are two main types of butchers. There are butchers who work in meat
shops that sell meat, do specialty cuts and advise customers. Then there are
meat cutters who work for large meat production companies and supermarkets.
These workers rarely deal with the public and often work in an assembly line
style.
"It is a very manual job that involves lots of heavy lifting and repetition
throughout the day," explains Smith. "If you're the kind of person who likes
to be in the outdoors, you'd be unhappy doing this kind of work."