The job of a butcher is to sell meat and poultry either in individual shops, supermarkets and local markets. But being a butcher isn’t simply about cutting meat. There are many other skills needed to be a great butcher.

First of all you need to be a people person. You will be working within a team, meaning you have to be punctual, polite and willing to work with others. On the opposite side of the counter, you will have to deal with many different kinds of customers and you have to be able to communicate exactly what they want. It doesn’t hurt to make them smile either.

Whether you are looking to enter the industry, new to it or setting up your own butchers shop, here are the essential aspects needed for the job.

A genuine interest in food

Being a butcher is essentially about supplying fresh meat to customers and you need to have a real interest in food to give your customers the best experience possible.

If you work in a small shop, you can learn the basic skills of correctly cutting different sorts of meats using the right butchers knife. When you are working in the backroom of the shop, you learn the anatomy of every animal you sell.

You learn the science of the cuts to ensure that you have the best cuts of meat for your customers. There will be times when you make a mistake cutting your meat, but the philosophy of butchery is that nothing is unsalvageable.

When you enter a large meat factory, it’s a very different job. In a small shop you cut small amounts of meat a day and possibly a sirloin steak a week, but in a factory that can increase up to nearly 100 steaks a day.

Need an artistic flair

When a customer enters the shop, they want to be enticed into buying the best cuts of meat. The best way to achieve that is to add a creative style to your presentation.

You can use a variety of trays to hold different sizes of meat and position them which ever way you want within the counter. Between those trays you could use coloured dividers and if you want a more natural feel, try garnish tray dividers. Learning how to create a great display will allow customers to enjoy the experience of choosing their meats.

You will also learn about how to apply your artistry, not just to how your meat is presented, but also how your shop and backroom are laid out. For a butchers shop to work efficiently, you will have to decide where the meats mincers, meat grinders and kneaders are going to stand.

How you want the stainless steel tables where you will prepare the meat and how you are going to store your butchers knives safely.

Maintaining high standards

Fresh foods and meat, in particular, needs to be kept in very specific environments to ensure it remains safe and hygienic. This requires the meats be kept at the correct temperatures in the refrigerators and regularly checked with thermometers.

There are strict health and safety procedures that must be followed. If you are opening or managing your own butchers shop, ensure it has an up to date first aid kit for when injuries occur and as you will be working with knives and other machines this is a definite possibility.

In order to protect your staff, chainmail clothing would be highly recommended, including chainmail gloves and chainmail aprons. This will protect them from knife and chopping injuries.

For hygienic reasons, it is recommended that you wear the correct headgear. That can be either a skullcap or a butcher’s trilby hat in order to keep your hair covered and not a risk to the food.

Being a butcher is a vocation that can take years to master, but is known for being one of the most fulfilling jobs, because you are supplying customers with the food they will use to feed their families and friends at special events.