Can we talk about how a 70 year old butcher in Cincinnati changed how I break down a whole pig?

Robert Smith · 2026-09-24T10:35:03.897177+00:00

I was helping out at a shop over on Vine Street about a month ago and this older guy named Walt came in to pick up his order. He watched me splitting a hog for maybe 10 minutes without saying anything, then he asked why I was cutting the way I was. I told him it's how I was taught, work the seams, follow the fat, keep the knife moving. He just nodded and said 'that's fine if you're in a hurry, but you're leaving good meat on the bone.' He grabbed a scrap piece and showed me how he does it, going slower around the shoulder and the hock, and honestly it looked sloppy to me at first. Then he weighed what came off my way versus his way and his pile had almost a pound more usable trim. I've been doing this 14 years and nobody ever sat me down to explain why slow cuts around the joints save money. Any of you ever had somebody older show you a different way that felt wrong until you saw the numbers?

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Can we talk about how a 70 year old butcher in Cincinnati changed how I break down a whole pig? | Butchers - Pinecone Attack