Appreciation post: My uncle's weird tip for breaking down a whole hog actually worked

My uncle, a retired butcher from Omaha, always told me to sharpen my knife after every single primal cut when doing a whole hog breakdown. I thought it was overkill and a huge waste of time, so I ignored him for years. Last week, I timed myself on a 180-pound hog, sharpening after each major section like he said. The whole process was 20 minutes faster, and my arm wasn't nearly as tired. The blade just glided instead of fighting. Has anyone else got a weird-sounding piece of advice that turned out to be gold?

2 comments

2 Comments

noahhernandez1mo ago

Yeah, that tracks. I read a thing from a guy who processes deer. He said a sharp knife is a safe knife because you're not forcing it and risking a slip. Makes total sense when you think about it. Fighting with a dull blade is how you end up stitching up your hand. Your uncle was right, it's not about the sharpness for the meat, it's about control and saving your own energy.

rivera.susan1mo ago

Totally get what you're saying, @noahhernandez, but I'd argue it's also about the meat. A sharp knife makes cleaner cuts, which actually helps the meat keep its juices better.