The butcher’s trade relies on having the right tools for the job. While some butchers still use traditional hand tools, there are also many modern advancements that make the job easier and more efficient. If you want to set up a butcher shop or work as a butcher, these are some of the essential tools you’ll need.
Knives
A butcher cannot work without a quality set of knives. These include:
- Boning knives: These have narrow, flexible blades that are perfect for removing meat from bones. Boning knives need to be kept razor-sharp.
- Breaking/Butcher Knives: Also known as scimitars, these rigid, curved blades are ideal for cutting through cartilage and joints when breaking down large cuts of meat.
- Fillet Knives: Fillet knives have long, thin, flexible blades that are perfect for filleting fish and trimming fat and sinew from meat.
- Cleavers: Cleavers are heavy-duty chopping knives. Butchers use them for hacking through meat and bones.
- Paring Knives: Small paring knives are useful for intricate trimming and cutting tasks.
Butcher Hooks/Meat Hooks
Meat hooks are an indispensable tool in any butcher’s shop. They allow the butcher to hang and move large cuts of meat. Butcher hooks come in a variety of sizes. They usually have a sharp tip on one end to pierce the meat and a loop on the other end to hang the meat from rails or hooks. The shaft of the meat hook is often covered in grips to provide a good handle when moving meat. Stainless steel butcher hooks are rust-resistant and stand up well to the demanding butcher shop environment. Modern butchers use high-quality butcher hooks for efficient meat handling.
Bandsaws
Electric meat bandsaws revolutionized the butcher’s job. Bandsaws allow the rapid breaking down of carcasses into primal cuts. A good butcher bandsaw has a large cutting depth, a powerful motor, and a mobile base for moving it around the cutting room. The blade should be flexible and long-lasting. Bandsaws do the hard cutting work, greatly reducing the need for manual sawing.
Meat Grinders
Electric meat grinders are essential for making minced/ground meat, sausages, and burgers. Commercial grinders have a worm drive, steel auger, and a motor powerful enough to chew through meat and sinew. The auger forces the meat into the cutting blade and through the holes of the grinding plate. Different plates allow the butcher to achieve the desired texture, from coarse to finely ground.
Vacuum Packaging Machine
Vacuum packaging extends the shelf life of fresh meat products. This equipment vacuum seals moist cuts of meat in plastic pouches. Removing the air prevents oxidative reactions. Vacuum packing keeps meat looking fresh for longer in the display cabinet. It also seals in flavor and moisture when meat is frozen.
Meat Tenderiser
A meat tenderizer or cubing machine uses sharp blades or needles to break down tough muscle fibers. This makes cheaper cuts more palatable and reduces cooking times. The tenderizer punches into the meat to break down connective tissue. Handheld models are available, but commercial operations usually use an electric cubing machine.
The modern butcher has an array of specialized tools at his or her disposal. Investing in high-quality equipment helps butchers work efficiently, safely deliver quality cuts and ultimately build a reputation for excellence. But while the tools have advanced over the centuries, the skills and expertise of the butcher remain indispensable.
