The mastery of this art entails selecting, slaughtering, deboning, cutting and respect of the lives of the animals during meat preparation and the techniques involved. Butchery is just one part of the entire chain of the journey from farm to table, and understanding this art provides greater insights for all the food service professionals in their respective areas.
‘Butchers help create unforgettable and excellent food experiences because they know the art of meat preparation.’
As part of the itinerary for Melbourne Trip 2022 organised under MLA program, the Butchery Masterclass greatly imbued a sense of appreciation for lamb meat and techniques for the Lambassadors. During the Masterclass, precise techniques for cutting and utilising the lamb’s full carcass were demonstrated and equipping the Lambassadors with greater knowledge on using the different meat cuts.
Primarily, the lamb carcass can be broken into four primals: front, leg, loin, and flank. The lamb front can be broken down further into four sub-primals: the lab shoulder, neck, foreshank, and breast. The primals and subprimals can also be subcategorized into retail and restaurant cuts. Being firm believers of ethical butchering, alternative cut usage solutions are incorporated, showcasing benefits for the red meat supply chain, including retailers, wholesale/foodservice companies, multinational hotel chains and restaurants.
Meet the meat man of the house, MLA Corporate Butcher Doug Piper. Over the past 15 years, Doug contributed greatly while working for the Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) program. With tremendous zeal, he educates red meat users and consumers in Australia and across the globe about the attributes of Australian lamb, beef, goat and veal.
With a diverse career in the meat industry spanning over 45 years, Doug has experience through and through the different elements of the industry. From owning and operating his own family retail butcher shops to managing high-volume retail meat outlets for a major supermarket chain. He continues his legacy of being involved in production/processing management and his calling as a true meat master specialist for wholesale and foodservice industry leaders.
