I’m always amazed at the transformation.
A big bag of bloody, primal gristle somehow changes into neat, civilized cuts of table fare. And you transform along with it.
The massive chunks of flesh and bone come out of the blood-stained game bags and lay on the board. First, the picking begins. No tools are necessary; only the fingers and a searching, scrutinizing eye are needed. Each hair, blade of grass, and spec of dirt must be carefully plucked and brushed from the carcass. There’s no time to deposit them someplace special; just wipe on your pants and sweep the floor later.
The knife makes its appearance.
Like a magic wand, you shave away uncouth pieces of bloodshot tissue, silver-skin, and damaged flesh. Sharp, precise, and unapologetic, the blade takes no prisoners.
At first, you direct its movement. As you relax and enter the flow, the tool takes on a life of its own. It dances through flesh and leaves a growing pile of scrap in its wake. Gently tracing along the bone, the large muscle groups are set free. The razor tip finds and follows the fascia like a treasure map. You delight as the primal cuts appear and organize all on their own.
The work is looking better now. It is starting to resemble something you would like to cook and eat.
The process is almost complete, but one final touch. The pieces are still too big, rough on the edges, and oddly shaped. You must now turn the hunks into something manageable and well-proportioned.
A few satisfying strokes of the blade against the honing rod, and she’s ready to work. You grab the big piece and choose your thickness. When someone else does this for you, there is no choice; you get what comes in the package. But now things are different. You have the butchering power! Thick steaks that cook fast and easy or wide ones that burn slow and juicy? It’s all up to you.
You look upon your work with admiration. The metamorphosis is complete, and you have experienced something most never will.
As the domesticated folk grab cuts from the cooler, all wrapped up and pretty, they are unaware of the raw reality from whence they came. They will never know of the bloody mess where it all begins.
But when you step up and take part in the masterpiece you will be different:
You will know the process necessary to go from primal gore to a delicious meal.
You will experience the wonder of a blade set loose, watching it dance through its paces on its own accord.
You will feel the admiration of gazing upon the finished product, knowing damn well the work that went into it.
You will know the feeling of security gleaned from stacking piles of meat into a freezer for winter survival.
You will know the most profound truth when you hunt and process your own game. The truth of your food, where it came from, and the powerful knowledge that you were a part of every step.
Are you ready for a transformation of your own? Join us for an Animal Processing Deep Dive!
In this complete one-day event:
You will offer gratitude and reverence for the life sacrificed so that we may live.
You will learn how to slaughter an animal in the most humane and ethical way.
You will field dress, skin, and process the goat or sheep with a small group of like-minded folk.
You will share meals cooked from the freshest meat you have ever experienced.
You will learn to preserve your meat for the long winter and take home these packaged jewels to share with those you love.
Most importantly, you will walk away a new person, knowing you have done what most people in our world will never do.
And as a result, you’ll be different and understand life in its most profound sense.
Learn More and Reserve Your Spot!
