Butchering my first belly...is it me? My knives? both?

[clifish]

what a disaster...The grocer butcher either did not understand me or was not doing the day before the 4th but he left the skin on. Now I have very limited knowledge on this, my knives suck and I did not partially freeze it first. I literally had 50% fat/skin that went into the garbage effectively raising the price to $8 per pound from what is left. It looked nothing like some of the bellies I have seen posted here right out of the package. Anyway it is now in the freezer for 1/2 hour so I can slice it to burnt end pieces.

I guess I need to start with some good knives as opposed to the $40 per set (including steak knives) my cheap ass has been buying in the past? What are the go to knives you have in your arsenal to work with meat?

 

[kruizer]

Don't toss the skin!!! You can make chicharones which is really good crispy pork skin.

 

[clifish]

Don't toss the skin!!! You can make chicharones which is really good crispy pork skin.

Too late...I could tell it was a female would have a hard time eating it now!

 

[chilerelleno]

A razor sharp boning or filet knife.
Remember to keep the edge angled towards the skin.

Keep that skin and render it into delicious crunchy cracklins.

 

[chilerelleno]

Too late...I could tell it was a female would have a hard time eating it now!

Barrows have teats too.

 

[clifish]

I am going to see if costco sells a better belly next time. Otherwise I really am going to have to drive 40 minutes away to a "real" butcher and start to show some regularity so I can get a good rapport with them. There is a great butcher local but they cater to the multi-million dollar homes to the north on the water. They have great stuff but I am not sure there is anything there less than $20/pound including hamburger. Every time I go in there in the past I spend way north of a hundred bucks just to make a bbq for 2 couples.

 

[clifish]

A razor sharp boning or filet knife.
Remember keep the edge angled towards the skin.

Keep that skin and render it into delicious crunchy cracklins.

Any brands or sets of knives?

 

[chilerelleno]

I like Dexter Russell, they're inexpensive but not cheap... There's a difference.
Partial to their Sani-Safe line.

 

[pineywoods]

I agree with Chilerelleno try a filet knife and think of taking the skin of a fish filet bout the same

 

[chilerelleno]

My Costco only sells skinless bellies, pisses me off.

 

[clifish]

Do they make a set of sani-safe? seems amazon only has singles and they have multiple of every kind

 

[clifish]

Also is there a direction or grain to cut up a belly?

 

[Jonok]

Buy a Rapala Martini 9” birch handled filet knife. It’s a phenomenal boner, and will hold a great edge even when doing a lot of skinning. Likely less than $40, and does a better job than most of my (prized) Honyaki knives.

 

[siege]

Dexter Russell, or Victorinox with the Fibrox handles will serve you well. The Victorinox 8" filet runs about $32. Their 6" boning knife is $21.00.
Do you have a good sharpener, or butcher's steel ?

 

[S-met]

Too late...I could tell it was a female would have a hard time eating it now!

Boys have teets too.

Any brands or sets of knives?

I like Dexter Russell, they're inexpensive but not cheap... There's a difference.
Partial to their Sani-Safe line.

Don't buy set. You end up with 12 mediocre knives.
Dexter was my starter blades when I stopped buying sets after talking to the chefs at a local Hof Brau. I'm partial to their i-cut line, but its been 10 years.

I encourage you to go to a decent kitchen store and fondle some knives. Feel their weight and balence in your hands. Go through some cutting motions and seeif it feels right for balence and grip.

I suggest two knive, a good pairing knife and a good multi-purpose like a chef or santoku. Then look to add a a filet, bread and maybe a slicer. They may not all be the same brand either.

Disregard your better half if she's insisting on a matching set. You can have them in a nice block, but get the right tool for the right job.

Wife and I share some blades, but we also have or own for some things.

 

[siege]

I just jumped on line and looked at sets. The Victorinox Pro Ultimate Competition BBQ set with knife roll might work for you. 3" paring knife,6" boning knife, 8" chef's knife, 8" breaking knife, 10" granton slicer, 9" butcher steel, and a knife roll.
These knives really hold a good edge. The whole set is $129 My grandmother had a bakery back in the day, and would only use R H Forschner knives.As I understand it, the brand became Victorinox.
The knife roll is nice. I keep my knives separate from the ones my wife uses. Mine don't go in the dishwasher, don't pry lids open, and don't get used as a screwdriver if a pot handle gets a little loose. =)

 

[S-met]

Mine don't go in the dishwasher

Thank you for stating this. I keep mine sharp enough to shave the hair on my arm. They get washed and dried and put away immediately after use.

Whetstone 1000/6000 and ceramic hone for tween sharpening.

 

[clifish]

Thank you all for the input...I like the idea of having knives separate from the "block" on the counter. Like my tools in the garage for the cars they will be mine. I don't have a sharpener and have seen a steel used but never used one, is there a specific method?

 

[siege]

Whatever method you use, the two most important things to do are to keep the blade on the same angle with each pass and have the correct angle. Also important is how fine or coarse the sharpening media is. Are you establishing an edge, or just honing one ?
There are some videos on YouTube to show you how to hone with a steel. Practice on your wife's knives, until you develop some muscle memory.

 

[PolishDeli]

My arsenal:
-Victorinox 8 Inch Chef's Knife
-Victorinox 6 Inch Boning Knife
-Chef's Choice Electric Knife Sharper