Butchering Beef: The Comprehensive Photographic Guide to Humane Slaughtering and Butchering

Learn how to humanely slaughter cattle and butcher your own beef. In this straightforward guide, Adam Danforth provides clear instructions and step-by-step photography of the entire butchering process, from creating the right preslaughter conditions through killing, skinning, keeping cold, breaking the meat down, and perfecting expert cuts. With plenty of encouragement and expert advice on food safety, packaging, and necessary equipment, this comprehensive guide has all the information you need to start butchering your own beef.

“"These books were written by a man who loves livestock, and loves meat - with reverence."”

"[A] breathtaking guide through the paradoxical process of killing animals with compassion. ... For those who have embraced the farm to table movement and are ready to take matters into their own hands, this is required reading. For those whose consideration of meat and poultry begins and ends at the supermarket, it is a transformative wake-up call."

"Adam Danforth's two new books about butchering feature tasteful photographs and a thorough explanation of each step of the process. ... [They]make you feel like you can raise and process your own livestock, and do it thoughtfully and skillfully ... [and] provide new insights for all of us about butchering and its impact on the quality of meat."

"These are not mere how-to guides: they are the equivalent of in-depth college courses. ... What's more, this is not just academic data: there are practical applications, and not only for homestead butchers. Anyone who cooks or eats meat would benefit from much of this information. ... On a scale of 1-10, these easily rank 12, minimum."

"If you're interested in self-sustainability and raising livestock for meat consumption, this book is the next step in your process. It's informative, it's comprehensive, and above all else, it's reverent and respectful of the animals giving their lives so we can live ours."

"There's an entire industry of professionals who humanely raise and slaughter animals for a living, in an intensely personal and responsible way that's to be admired. One of those professionals is Adam Danforth, the author of a new book series that sets out to educate those interested in humanely slaughtering their own food."

Adam Danforth is the author of Butchering Chickens, Butchering Beef, and Butchering Poultry, Rabbit, Lamb, Goat, and Pork, which won both an IACP Award and a James Beard Award. Danforth trained at the professional meat processing program at SUNY Cobleskill, one of the only such programs in the United States, before going to work at Marlow and Daughters in New York City. He leads experiential workshops worldwide on butchery and meat science for venues such as the Stone Barns Center for Agriculture, the James Beard Foundation Chefs Boot Camp, Google, and the National Bison Association. Danforth also consults and provides education to restaurants including Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, Bazaar Meat, The Perennial, and Maude. He is the American ambassador for the Butchers Manifesto and a board member of the Chefs Collaborative and the Good Meat Project. Danforth lives in Ashland, Oregon.

Quality Beef, Respectfully Harvested Beef cattle are large animals, requiring significant land and expense. Humane slaughtering and efficient butchering will give you the best return on the cattle you process, and Adam Danforth's comprehensive manual guides you through every step. Be well prepared for slaughtering day. Careful planning and execution - from selecting proper equipment to keeping animals calm and processing the carcass quickly and efficiently - ensure that you will keep stress levels low and meat quality high. Get the cuts you want from each primal. A detailed beef cut sheet and a thorough understanding of cattle anatomy help you work your way logically through the entire carcass. Hundreds of step-by-step photographs invite you to the butcher's table to learn the art of cutting primals into everything from flank steaks to briskets to standing rib roasts. Package and freeze your meat to preserve quality, appearance, and freshness. After your entire animal has been cut, trimmed, and portioned, your final steps are to properly wrap and store your beef for maximum flavor and nutrition.

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