Vent: A retired butcher in Cleveland walked me through a whole hog in 20 minutes and I've been second-guessing my way of breaking down ever since

Sean Cooper · 2026-10-20T05:25:03.907886+00:00

Stopped by a small processor on the west side of Cleveland back in March to pick up a half beef and the owner, Walt, was breaking down a hog with two guys half his age. He pointed at the seam between the shoulder and belly and told me to follow the fat line with my fingers before the knife ever moves. I've broken down hundreds of hogs and still went home and redid my shoulder cuts slower than usual. How many of you find the seams by hand first, or is that just an old-timer habit?

💡Thought Shares

Loading…

Vent: A retired butcher in Cleveland walked me through a whole hog in 20 minutes and I've been second-guessing my way of breaking down ever since | Butchers - Thought Shares