Slaughter on Thursday: On the land and using only your hands, we will impart traditional slaughter, scalding, scraping and eviscerating methods.  All too often, farmers labor to produce beautiful pigs only to have them skinned on the day of slaughter.  This sacrifices all the back fat, the full head, the crackling on your roasts and the bacteria essential to traditional curing.  In resolute opposition to this waste, we will scald and scrape with efficiency and conviction.

On Slaughter Day, the pig gives us her offal at its peak of freshness and flavor.  So we enjoy what is historically known as pig cheer, a feast of innards in a simple sauce with leavened bread, greens and wine.

Now included with these 3-day events:

• 3 lbs. of your hand-made sausage.
• *Lifetime access to our private Facebook page, Meatsmith Table, for class graduates and members only.*
• 7-day free trial to the Meatsmith Membership, which includes
  • All Butcher’s Salt e-chapters for you to download
  • Our slaughter film, To Kill A Pig Nicely
  • 4+ years’ worth of harvest films, live chat archives, articles and forum dialogue
  • Podcast topic & questioning priority

(The knife sharpening method that Brandon learned from is now on YouTube on the Carter Cutlery channel.)

These serve as ready refreshers of what you learn with us.  They are unparalleled in American butchery educational materials because they return to the radical orthodoxy of the peasant kitchen.

“The utility of this information will have immediate and long-term use. As a home chef, I expect to use it regularly for my domestic culinary investigations and pleasure. The long term impact of the class will continue to reveal itself with age. So much of the material (and the experience) is detailed, inter-disciplinary, bloody, emotional and tasty! It is one of the those experiences that will always be a culinary, social, emotional reference point to tie to other experiences. This is one of the principal values of the class in my mind.”
John, Alaska

“I’ve flown halfway across the country to attend a class of yours and watched your videos numerous times. The desire was already there for me to take on the life of sustainability, self-reliance, and kitchen economy. You all just provided the direction and spark… I’m all in because of you folks!”
Jay, Arizona

“I’ve participated in two hog processing classes. The classes and videos gave me the courage to raise my own hogs. We partnered with the Meatsmiths to host a class and harvest two of the 5 hogs. With the help of friends we processed three hogs on our own, cured three prosciutto, smoked and cured our own bacon, and made head cheese. In all that, the best part of all the learning is the growth of my family and friends. I can’t tell you how many wonderful people we call friends because of the porcine adventure.”
Jon; Shelton, WA

“You guys have a played a major role in our farm/homestead development of which pigs are the driving factor. Definitely have empowered me and my family. we have done some butchery since watching your videos. I hope to reference you for future marketing development for our farm. And one day get you to do a workshop (fingers crossed) I’m in west Tennessee in case you needed a gage of how far your outreach is. Thanks a million.”
Justin, Tennessee

“I took the course to feel confident repeating the process on my own pigs in the future and that future starts in two weeks! The class takes 95% of the mystery out of the process, there is nothing like flying solo, but I’m confident that we’ll shepard our pig humanely and beautifully through the process and make delicious meals for my family and friends.

I observed and learned about so many new things, knife skills, animal husbandry, the nearly limitless uses of the pig. I can’t wait to start the process on my first pig and grow and learn more with each from there.

I can’t say enough good things about the experience with Brandon, his family and his farm. The Family Pig was well worth the time and resources invested. I recommend it without reservation.”
Rob Bodkin

“I just had to write and thank you for one of the most profound experiences of my life. I never thought when I endeavored to raise Tamworths that the butchery experience would be as amazing and fulfilling as actually raising the animals. I cannot thank you enough for your kind presence and the care and thoughtfulness that goes into your work. Because of you and your talents we were able to pay homage and honor every ounce of flesh; my animals became educational ambassadors, not just cuts of meat. This, to me, could not mean more. I pride myself on the care of my animals and each and everyone one is loved, even if they are destined for my dinner table. You showed me this love, energy, and passion does pay off through supremely healthy animals and the highest of quality. I will think of you and this experience fondly and anticipate our future work with one another. I can’t wait till the next butcher date.” –Nicole, Washington

“Reflecting on the class yesterday, I want to repeat, thank you. Prior to coming across your work, I had followed the conventional recipes and cured pork and venison a few times. I only dared use a wet brine, because it seemed like the thing to do. Every instance resulted in something delicious and overcooked, because my eating experience was always coupled with that nagging trepidation – what if food poisoning?

As a father, I am less than excited to involve my children in something that has potential to harm them. As a nurse, I often interact with people afflicted by infection and wouldn’t rather that anyone go through it because of my culinary curiosity. Your ability to articulate the difference between science and fear has helped me recognize what I wasn’t able to alone: I do understand basic microbiology and can perceive its doings.

Learning your approach to curing was a personal revolution: curing meats makes them last longer? I had read about it in the Grapes of Wrath, when the Joads slaughtered their two pigs, salted them, and threw them in the car to sustain them in on the way to California, but that was fiction or history or something. There had to be some good reason why people don’t do that anymore.

Two weeks prior to the class, I cured a bacon using your recommendations. The result is consummately yes. Yes this is safe. Yes this is delicious. Yes this belongs on my family’s table. Our kitchen is no longer complete without prosciutto. There is no good reason why I shouldn’t do this anymore.

At this time, our family’s budget and technological means are not plush enough for membership. Maybe someday we will get a real computer and a real internet connection and be able to join. For now, I can say that the class was worth every dollar. Thank you.

Jordan”