Stopped into a slaughterhouse in rural Iowa last month and felt like I time traveled

The whole place still used bone saws from the 70s and the guys were breaking down sides of beef by feel instead of using any fancy guides. It made me realize how much we rely on electric band saws and computerized scales now. Anyone else miss working with just your hands and a good knife?

3 comments

3 Comments

marywilson1mo ago

I used to think old school was just being stubborn, but that "breaking down sides of beef by feel" part really got me thinking... maybe we lost something when we started letting machines do all the thinking for us.

jade_jenkins1mo agoTop Commenter

@marywilson - actually it's "breaking down sides of beef." One side, not two. It's a side of beef, a whole half of the animal. Small thing but butchers always correct you on it.

spencer7821mo ago

Small thing but "side of beef" actually refers to one half of a carcass. So if someone says "sides" they mean two halves, which would be a whole cow. Most butchers I know still say "I'm breaking down a side" when they're working a half.