Even though being a butcher may not seem like a “dream job” comparable to those of a stuntman or movie director, as Catullo Prime Meats owner Danny Catullo explains today, the position has evolved to be much hipper and more desirable than it once was. And not just because you can eat as much Turducken there.
Daniel “Danny” Catullo. I am 29 years old. Born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio. graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in business communications I am currently operating a third-generation family butcher shop in Youngstown after the meat called me home. I’m happily married, have a son named Antonio, am trying for a second child, and have a boxer named Boom Boom in honor of the legendary Youngstown boxer Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini. I’ve been working at the shop for 15 years. Started at the age of 14 following my grandfather’s footsteps. I now handle everything, including making sausage, taking orders, serving customers, and handling all of the bookwork, finances, and back-end hassles. I run a business that hires 22 people year-round, but 34 people during the busy holiday seasons. I’m basically crazy, and loving what I do.
When I was younger, my grandfather served as my role model, mentor, and source of guidance. What he said was the golden rule. After all, there is really no point in disputing with an Italian man who is holding a meat cleaver. At first, I wanted to be just like him. Then came college, and I began to believe that my life might take a different turn. He passed away while I was finishing school. At that point, I realized that after I graduated, I would have to return home and assist my father and uncle in running the household.
All kidding aside, I think that for a long time this was an unattractive job because of the long hours, working in the cold, dealing with customers, and generally working your tail off during the times that others were off (holidays and weekends). The Food Network and other food related shows changed that. More requests than ever want me to demonstrate and instruct some aspect of my craft. Every time I teach a cooking class at our Culinary Arts Center, the room is packed. I adore being consulted by regional TV stations as the authority in my field. We are similar to celebrity chefs, but we swear more, have more facial hair, and never remove the fat from our chuck roast.
My father and grandfather knew that if I ever took over their business, I would need to be fully informed of every aspect of it. My grandfather used to make notes on how to properly cut hams and beef for cooking. My grandfather would yell that the meat cutters, two irate Italians named Jimmy and George, didn’t know anything, and then my father would eventually teach me a third way. Sound confusing? It was as a 17-year-old, too. However, (at least according to my mother) my roots have shaped me into the fine food artisan that I am today. One would need to work as an apprentice under a knowledgeable butcher to learn the art of meat cutting. They are knowledgeable and skilled enough to train students on the equipment as well as the various animal cuts.
My father and uncle both became disabled within three months of each other, and we were having financial difficulties when I took over the store. It was difficult to learn how to run a business on the fly, but I was fortunate to have wonderful mentors along the way. For instance, knowing about cost analysis, profit margins, and monthly expenses has improved my ability to cut, which has been crucial to our success. I consider myself a business owner first and a butcher second, as much as I enjoy cutting, especially at the 14th hour of the day the week before Christmas (don’t laugh; it’s an amazing high). Additionally, I have three store managers who assist me with business matters.
I believe that I have been so particular about quality and service that it is the main reason why we have been able to endure and eventually thrive. My son refers to my product as “good, fresh meat.” Fresh fish, all-natural free-range chickens, prime local beef, you get the idea. We still get in hanging beef off the rail. It’s harder work, but you can taste the difference. So much better than boxed cryovac beef.
My guys are the best of the best. When you enter the store, they treat you like royalty, yet we continue to offer to carry our products to customers’ cars. But isn’t that how it should be? In my opinion, poor service is the worst. I treat my employees like they are waiters. I feed them every day so they can sample what they are selling.
to hear from someone later that I prepared their holiday meal Nothing can replace the feeling of “we did it again,” especially during this stressful time of year when I work so much that my wife could bring home another man without me knowing (hopefully Antonio would give him “the look” with his plastic cleaver). ”.
Being apart from my wife and son is the most difficult part. I keep telling myself that the hours will decrease and earning money will be simpler. But then a compressor breaks or Thanksgiving is approaching, and I find myself working until nine o’clock at work writing emails and balancing the books. It’s still a work in progress, but if I hear my son crying on the phone this year, it might be considered a failure.
If not that, then it is failing to comprehend how much work goes into producing products. How to make sausage, for example. You must remove the shoulder, also known as the Boston butt, and bone it out. Grind it. Mix it with seasonings you measured. Stuff the machine. Clean out the casings. Stuff the casings and then sometimes even smoke it. Did I mention cleaning the machines?.
Commentary: America’s culinary habits are funny. After years of short ribs, beef brisket, and pork shoulders being derided, and the like, there has been a huge rise in cooking methods from the past (like those of my grandparents). Put those outdated recipes to use and prepare a meal for your family. No cell phones.
Anecdote: I believed I was ready for the enormous number of turkeys we had to brine (soak in our mixture of water, brown sugar, apples, and spices) for Thanksgiving last year. We brined 10 of the 1300 turkeys in 2009 and 100 in 2010, so I believed 200 would be enough to cover the orders and still have extra for “off the street” sales. “When I did my count at 10 p.m. on the preceding Tuesday, we were 60 turkeys short. I had been there since six in the morning, but I had to see that every order was filled. I then shut the door, turned on some Adele, and started working. I thought I would be okay with never seeing another turkey when I returned home at one in the morning.
- Get your high school diploma or equivalent. …
- Find somewhere that offers butcher training. …
- Apply for an apprenticeship. …
- Obtain required certifications or licensure. …
- Get a degree in butchery.
Butcher salary
Being a quality butcher requires a variety of skills, some of which you bring to the job and others of which you learn through education and practice. These include:
What does a butcher do?
Alternatively known as a meat cutter, a butcher chops, portions, and grinds various types of meat. The butcher’s job duties may also include serving customers and packaging and labeling the meat if they work in a retail setting. In other occupations, a butcher might be in charge of killing the animals used to produce the meat. For the handling and preparation of meat products, butchers are expected to follow appropriate sanitary procedures as well as federal and state regulations.
The job responsibilities of a butcher include:
How to become a butcher
Here are some actions you can take if becoming a butcher is something you’re interested in:
1. Get your high school diploma or equivalent
Without a high school diploma, one can work as a butcher. However, you can perform some of your butchering duties using the basic math and literacy skills you learned in high school. Additionally, most schools typically demand a high school diploma or an equivalent if you pursue certification or another type of further education. Even some apprenticeship programs might require a high school diploma.
2. Find somewhere that offers butcher training
A training program is one of the best places to learn the fundamentals of butchery, including butchering skills. These programs typically teach you fundamental boning, trimming, and cutting techniques as well as hygiene and customer service techniques. Such courses give you the practical, hands-on training you need to find employment as a butcher or pursue further education.
3. Apply for an apprenticeship
Once you have mastered the fundamentals of butchery, you can begin looking for an apprenticeship position as a meat cutter. This can give you useful experience and the chance to use your newly acquired skills. You might learn additional abilities and methods from a professional butcher that you can apply to your career. Apprenticeships may be available at supermarkets or butcher shops. When attending butcher school, think about applying for an apprenticeship so you can begin looking for employment as soon as you graduate.
4. Obtain required certifications or licensure
Although it is uncommon for local authorities to demand certification or a license for you to work as a butcher, you might need it in some places. Before beginning your career, it’s a good idea to do some research to determine whether you need to take any required tests or exams. For instance, in some states, you might have to pass a test to prove that you comprehend the relevant health and safety regulations and to gauge your proficiency in butchery.
5. Get a degree in butchery
A college education is not required for a career as a butcher, but it is possible to expand your knowledge and increase your employment opportunities by enrolling in degree programs at the associates, bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels. You might learn business skills at the associates level in addition to honing your butchering skills, which you can use if you decide to start your own business.
You typically learn skills like how to evaluate the quality of meat as well as handling and curing meat in undergraduate meat science courses. Graduate courses focus more on research, and you can examine subjects like microbiology and food engineering there. If you want to teach, you might also want a master’s or doctoral degree.
How to Become a Butcher- An Interview by Jonathan
FAQ
How does someone become a butcher?
Although a high school diploma is necessary to work as a butcher, those interested in the field can also earn a certificate in meat science or meat processing. Courses in meat evaluation, meat animal processing, meat selection, and meat industry technology are available to students.
Is it hard to be a butcher?
David Zarling, a seasoned butcher at Rain Shadow Meats LLC in Seattle, claims that being a butcher has a very steep learning curve. “You need to cut through bone that is less than an eighth of an inch thick if you’re chiming* a rack of lamb with a ham saw.”
Is butchering a career?
How to Become One: Butchers acquire their knowledge while working. No formal education is required. Salary: The median annual wage for butchers is $36,050. The employment of butchers is expected to decrease by 5% over the following ten years.
What skills do you need to be a butcher?
- Knowledge of animal anatomy.
- Knowledge of meat cutting and techniques.
- Ability to use knives and other cutting tools.
- Knowledge of food hygiene and safety requirements.
- Manual skills.
- Precision and physical strength.
- Customer-oriented approach.
