Last week, our community delved into a range of practical topics. Members discussed the nuances of sourcing high-quality local meats, sharing tips and suppliers. The conversation around sustainable practices in butchery gained traction, with many sharing their experiences in reducing waste. Additionally, there was a lively exchange about the best techniques for dry-aging beef, with members contributing their tried-and-tested methods.
This Week’s Hot Topics
Do you need novelty documents? passports, id cards, driver’s license?
A somewhat unusual thread popped up this week, discussing the availability of novelty documents. While it might not directly relate to butchery, it’s an intriguing side note about the wider marketplace of document creation. Read more here
Looking forward to seeing more of your contributions and discussions in the coming week. Stay sharp and keep those conversations going.
I’ve had better dry-age results by running a small fan on low the first 36–48 hours and setting a hotel pan of coarse salt under the rack — crust sets faster and trim loss dropped about 1–2% in my shop. If your walk-in already sits under 75% RH, skip the fan to avoid case hardening, @Jake.
I hit the same thing on a 6+1 last month; I cut a shallow detent in the cam and ran a 1.5 mm ball with a light spring behind the tailpiece so you get a soft click at lock/unlock without pushing past about 0.35 N·m. It’s a cleaner cue than friction, but watch the clutch float — one 0.1 mm shim kept the ball from preloading. If you want an off‑the‑shelf bit, a tiny plunger from McMaster-Carr works; do you want a “neutral” click too?
I’ve cut waste by tracking daily weight loss on subprimals and pulling at about 12–14% drop, then rendering the crust into tallow for fry oil — less trim, more flavor. Small caveat: if RH drifts, that target lies; grab a cheap hygrometer and keep it near 80% — “measure, then cut.”.