Butcher Training Courses and Requirements

What Courses are Available?

Learning butchery primarily consists of mastering how to use both small and industrial-sized cutting and sawing tools to carve and present various types of meat. Butchers-in-training may want to focus on one meat or be a master of many. Some of the training options include the following:

Meat Identification

Recognizing various meats, their quality, and cuts is an important skill for butchers. Meat identification courses help train you in this area, with some courses focusing on meats of just one species and others being more widely focused.

Pork

Pork courses focus on learning the process of butchering hogs. You will learn how to produce various cuts and products from large pork sections (e.g., half hogs).

Beef

In courses focused on beef, you'll learn to create classic cuts of beef and veal. Examples include particular types of steaks and short ribs.

Charcuterie

Charcuterie can refer to many meat products, but often it refers to pork products that require curing or other special methods to produce. Teaching these Old World methods is the goal of charcuterie courses.

HACCP Training

HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point and is essential knowledge for anyone who works with food. In HACCP training you learn about the system and how it protects both workers and consumers from food-borne diseases.

Where Can I Take Classes?

While butchers often receive on-the-job training, you can frequently take butcher training courses through culinary arts degree and certificate programs offered by vocational schools, community colleges and universities. Also, many artisan restaurants and private culinary businesses run butchery workshops, as well. Some schools offer classes at on-campus meat processing facilities. Because of the hands-on nature of butcher training classes, it's difficult to find courses online.

You can pursue a degree, such as an Associate of Arts in Culinary Arts, take individual courses without college credit, or attend weekend seminars and workshops. Depending on class size, you may have the chance to learn from local practicing butchers.

Do I Need Certification?

There is no specific certification common among butchers. However, butchers are commonly expected to learn about sanitation and food safety. Also, if you want to be recognized as butchering according to specific religious guidelines, this will likely require more training and going through a certification process.