How to Be a Butcher

Being a butcher is an important job requiring skill and strength.

Well-trained butchers are an important aspect of food production. In addition to learning how to safely use various cutlery tools, a butcher also needs to know how to cut different kinds of meats such as beef, chicken, pork and seafood. Formal education is not required, but there are training programs available at vocational colleges to help you get started. In addition, many butchers receive their training from independently owned and operated butcher shops. However, more often than not, you can simply apply for a job with any grocery store and receive paid training under an experienced butcher. It typically takes three years to become a fully experienced butcher.

Things You'll Need

• High school diploma or GED

Instructions

1. Start a strength-training program designed to build upper body muscles and leg strength. Butchers lift heavy sides of beef and cartons of meat, so being physically prepared for the demands of the job is essential.

2. Apply for a butcher position at your local grocery stores. These are the ideal places to receive on-the-job training. You will work as an apprentice under a master butcher while learning the basic skills involved with boning and grinding meat. In the process, you will be trained in the safe and proper use of the knives and equipment commonly used to prepare and package raw meat products.

3. Enroll in a butcher training program if one is available in your area. Some colleges offer an associate degree in meat processing and food safety. You can expect to take courses in livestock processing, animal science and food safety and sanitation. Avoiding contamination is an important part of a butcher's duties, and you will need to know how to recognize meat spoilage and understand how to keep meat stored at the proper temperatures recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Tips & Warnings

• If you choose the college training route, make sure it is from a regionally accredited institution and that the credits you earn will be transferable to other college programs of study.

• This is not a job for anyone with an aversion to the smell of blood or raw meat.

• Be prepared to work in cool temperatures and working with sharp knives. You will also be on your feet while working and going in and out of freezers.

References

• EduChoices.org: "How to Become a Butcher: Education and Job Training to Become a Butcher"
• Eastern Oklahoma State College: Agriculture Degrees

Resources

• Be a Butcher
• EduChoices.org: "Butcher Schools: List of Schools with Programs to Become a Butcher"