30 CRAFTBUTCHER l NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018


TRAINING ROUND TWO Te International Young


Butcher Competition (IYBC) is about Innovation, precision and practice! Something that when arriving for the second training session at Southern Regional College in Portadown Northern Ireland James Gracey had taken to heart. During a three-week gap


between the first and second visit James ‘WhatsApped’ dozens of pictures: breaking down, boning and ‘Rough Cutting’ the muscles from a Shoulder Block Forequarter of beef. Breaking the 30-minute time limit he’ll have in Frankfurt next May.


YOUNG BUTCHER COMPETITION


trim. And with five categories of lean trim, lean trim with gristle, thick and thin gristle, and fat the job becomes complicated and challenging. Continental butchers,


particularly the Germans and Dutch utilise the trim in charcuterie products. With fat and gristle, they make emulsion. Something we’re not too used to doing. And being 20 minutes over the ninety minutes allowed for ‘fine trimming’, James needs to practice and find the seams quicker. Following a day on the beef,


with the trimmed Feather and Chuck Tender muscles, James


Removing the centre gristle


And to add to the challenge, competitors must be frugal by splitting the supply of vegetables, spices and herbs with the ‘Surprise’ category.


explored. As a ‘first stab’, James


removed the centre gristle and beat the flat iron steaks from the Feather muscle. He then filled a


Feather & chuck tender muscles Clean bones with hyaline


leſt on the muscle, without incisions or slashes and cuts is what judges look for to do well in the seam butchery category. And important, accounting for 30% of the total marks in the competition overall. Once the bones and


muscles are out and judged. Comes the fine trimming, subdividing and denuding individual muscles. Starting with the Chuck Tender and Feather muscles followed with the ‘Leg of Mutton Cut’ (LMC), the Sub Scapula Tri muscle, Clod and finally the Shin. But as much as it’s about


smooth unbroken surfaces on the muscles, it’s about the


took a stab at the ‘Roasts’ category. In the past when a Top


and Rump was used for Seam Butchery. Out of a choice of five muscles, including the shin and Topside ‘Bullitt’ most competitors opted for the Topside Cap (Gracillus) and ‘Centre’ cut or the ‘Flat’ (Bed Piece) muscle from a Knuckle or Top Rump (i.e. Tick Flank) of Beef. Tis time, there’s no choice


and with a selection of carrots, courgettes, leeks, onions, peppers, tomatoes, herbs and spices. Te competitors are leſt with one hour and their imaginations to produce a 1.5 kilo main roast and four identical mini roasts.


Fine trimming the feather muscle Roulade, parcels, crackers,


cushions and olives stuffed with minced trim and vegetables, decorated with spices and herbs are all options that James


bowl, by layering minced trim and blitzed vegetables. Once turned out, he went on to cover the outer surfaces with thin strips of ‘flat iron’ muscle.


Slicing the feather 'flat iron muscles'


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