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Saw a young butcher on TikTok breaking down a whole pig with a boning knife that was way too dull
I was scrolling through my feed last night and this kid looks about 19, he's hacking at a pig shoulder with a knife that was clearly dragging through the meat. I could see the sinew tearing instead of slicing clean. It took him like 10 minutes to separate one primal cut when it should have been maybe 3. I commented saying he needs to get a steel or a stone and he actually replied asking what kind I use. I told him just get a decent 1000 grit stone and watch a 5 minute video on angles. It made me realize how many new folks don't have anyone showing them the basics from the start. Anyone else get bothered seeing bad technique with knives online?
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wesleyburns1mo ago
Had a buddy who got into butchery during lockdown, bought all the gear but no clue how to use it. Ngl, he messaged me a video of him trying to sharpen his knife on a coffee mug because he saw it online. Told him to just spend 20 bucks on a basic stone and practice on a cheap steak before ruining a whole pig. Honestly, that TikTok kid is probably in the same boat, just trying to learn but nobody taught him the simple stuff first. Makes me wonder how many people give up after hacking through a cut for 20 minutes and blaming the meat instead of the tool.
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lewis.drew1mo ago
Why do we assume every new person needs to be shown the basics from the start though? A lot of people learn best by making mistakes and figuring it out themselves, not by having someone correct them online. @wesleyburns is right that a coffee mug trick is goofy, but that kid trying and asking for help is exactly how you get better.
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