Great article, thank you! I did a venison butchery class in Epping Forest (near where I grew up) a few years back which was both fascinating and really good fun. We are so completely removed from the process of killing and preparing meat today. I don't know what they teach in Food Technology nowadays but I would be surprised if it includes things like jointing a chicken, which it really should.
As a rather naive 17-yr old on a school expedition I once watched on in slight horror as a chicken was dispatched in front of me, which I was then given to pluck and gut myself. Nothing quite prepares you for the feeling of removing the still-warm innards of an animal, but it was certainly a learning experience! The chicken, then cooked over an open fire, was bloody delicious though, perhaps all the more so having had a hand in it (literally).
Gosh what a thing to do at aged 17! And yes, having been at secondary school a mere 10 years ago, I can confirm that we had to "design" a salad, rather than joint a chicken in Food Tech.
Love your writing, Fliss, I've missed it. Thank you. Education is essential, especially in times like these when people will eat meat only if it’s skinless, boneless, and neatly packaged. This detachment from real food benefits the UPF crowd. I'm fortunate to have a local shepherdess friend, Grace, who gives me the hearts of the animals she takes to be butchered. In Azerbaijan, we eat this first, usually prepared simply by slicing it into thin strips, threading them onto wide, sword-like skewers, cooking over fire, and sprinkling with salt.
Thanks Simi. Hope you're well! Those skewers sound absolutely delicious; I'd be interested to get my hands on some more offal at some point and try something like this.
We’re regularly offered and sometimes take a (butchered) deer from a friend. Very happy to hear about your recipes (we love a tartare and skewered hearts, but the leanness of the haunch and legs make them a tougher - literally - prospect). Also happy to hear about the seafood adventures.
Hey Fliss – I bumped into you in Chamonix in my van a few summers ago and have been following your deliciously unapologetic writing ever since! Rather than resorting to a minimal, ambiguous "like," I wanted to take a moment to say how superb this piece is and what a privilege it is to read—even as a veggie! Food awareness feels like a fading priority, and articles like this not only bring it into the spotlight but also help normalise these processes. As always, I look forward to your future ramblings!
Ed!! It's lovely to see you pop up here, thanks so much for stopping by. Chamonix feels like a lifetime ago, and I really hope you're keeping well. I'm glad to see you enjoyed reading the piece - good on you for doing so as a non meat eater too! And you're so right: we need to be connecting much more with what and how we're eating, from a multi-pronged approach. I will try to do some slightly more regular ramblings from now on too. xx
Excellent. I couldn't agree more on venison's merits, on the fascination of understanding an animal in this way, and thanks for the calculations which demonstrate the tremendous value of venison (when bought in decent quantities).
Your discussion on meat and gore makes me reflect on visits to Spain. I was taken aback by the heads of young calves on butchers' stalls there, a reminder of a culture that has absolutely no euphemism or hypocrisy when it comes to eating dead animals. I mean, it's Spain. They have bullfighting on TV.
I used to be a pescatarian, and I still think that vegetarianism and veganism are worthy of deep respect morally. But I think it's interesting how much of the rhetoric of those diets is based on the hypocrisy of meat eating in the modern west (packed in plastic, disconnected from the life of the animal, etc, etc). Ancient vegans or vegetarians were a much more radical, weird sort than modern ones.
I think it's incumbent on (us) omnivores to *own* meat eating, to understand it in its full details and to appreciate the extraordinary variety it has to offer, as well as the humbling reminder of our own mortality that DIY butchery inevitably produces.
Alfie, I've been thinking about this comment all evening. You're right: how radical it would have been to swerve animal-based stuff back in the day when meat harvesting and production was more ingrained into our daily ecosystems. I utterly respect the moral choices of vegans and vegetarians, and had several incredibly long but ultimately fruitful debates with a staunch vegan friend during university, in which we both challenged each other's viewpoints at every turn. The next step for me for truly owning my meat-eating is playing an active role in taking an animal's life. I've dispatched crabs, lobster and fish, but anything mammalian I think I would more challenging.
Excellent stuff as per! Pls keep us up to date on your new deer coat-coat business 😛
Absolutely will do! We made some ragu last night, plus stock, and I think Mika and I might keep the deer bones...for what, we have no idea.
Should be in The Sunday Times Magazine. As should all your other stuff.
Too kind Dave, too kind.
Great article, thank you! I did a venison butchery class in Epping Forest (near where I grew up) a few years back which was both fascinating and really good fun. We are so completely removed from the process of killing and preparing meat today. I don't know what they teach in Food Technology nowadays but I would be surprised if it includes things like jointing a chicken, which it really should.
As a rather naive 17-yr old on a school expedition I once watched on in slight horror as a chicken was dispatched in front of me, which I was then given to pluck and gut myself. Nothing quite prepares you for the feeling of removing the still-warm innards of an animal, but it was certainly a learning experience! The chicken, then cooked over an open fire, was bloody delicious though, perhaps all the more so having had a hand in it (literally).
Gosh what a thing to do at aged 17! And yes, having been at secondary school a mere 10 years ago, I can confirm that we had to "design" a salad, rather than joint a chicken in Food Tech.
Love your writing, Fliss, I've missed it. Thank you. Education is essential, especially in times like these when people will eat meat only if it’s skinless, boneless, and neatly packaged. This detachment from real food benefits the UPF crowd. I'm fortunate to have a local shepherdess friend, Grace, who gives me the hearts of the animals she takes to be butchered. In Azerbaijan, we eat this first, usually prepared simply by slicing it into thin strips, threading them onto wide, sword-like skewers, cooking over fire, and sprinkling with salt.
Thanks Simi. Hope you're well! Those skewers sound absolutely delicious; I'd be interested to get my hands on some more offal at some point and try something like this.
This was fascinating. Thank you for sharing the experience with us!
Thank you for reading! You're most welcome. I thought it was about time I crawled out of the woodwork.
We’re regularly offered and sometimes take a (butchered) deer from a friend. Very happy to hear about your recipes (we love a tartare and skewered hearts, but the leanness of the haunch and legs make them a tougher - literally - prospect). Also happy to hear about the seafood adventures.
Do it! And thanks for the encouragement. Will see what I can do.
Hey Fliss – I bumped into you in Chamonix in my van a few summers ago and have been following your deliciously unapologetic writing ever since! Rather than resorting to a minimal, ambiguous "like," I wanted to take a moment to say how superb this piece is and what a privilege it is to read—even as a veggie! Food awareness feels like a fading priority, and articles like this not only bring it into the spotlight but also help normalise these processes. As always, I look forward to your future ramblings!
Ed!! It's lovely to see you pop up here, thanks so much for stopping by. Chamonix feels like a lifetime ago, and I really hope you're keeping well. I'm glad to see you enjoyed reading the piece - good on you for doing so as a non meat eater too! And you're so right: we need to be connecting much more with what and how we're eating, from a multi-pronged approach. I will try to do some slightly more regular ramblings from now on too. xx
Fliss I loved this!! Off to search game dealers in Sussex
Good stuff Lucy! If you need any tips, this article was invaluable https://beardedbutchers.com/blogs/news/how-to-process-a-deer-at-home-the-ultimate-guide
Excellent. I couldn't agree more on venison's merits, on the fascination of understanding an animal in this way, and thanks for the calculations which demonstrate the tremendous value of venison (when bought in decent quantities).
Your discussion on meat and gore makes me reflect on visits to Spain. I was taken aback by the heads of young calves on butchers' stalls there, a reminder of a culture that has absolutely no euphemism or hypocrisy when it comes to eating dead animals. I mean, it's Spain. They have bullfighting on TV.
I used to be a pescatarian, and I still think that vegetarianism and veganism are worthy of deep respect morally. But I think it's interesting how much of the rhetoric of those diets is based on the hypocrisy of meat eating in the modern west (packed in plastic, disconnected from the life of the animal, etc, etc). Ancient vegans or vegetarians were a much more radical, weird sort than modern ones.
I think it's incumbent on (us) omnivores to *own* meat eating, to understand it in its full details and to appreciate the extraordinary variety it has to offer, as well as the humbling reminder of our own mortality that DIY butchery inevitably produces.
Alfie, I've been thinking about this comment all evening. You're right: how radical it would have been to swerve animal-based stuff back in the day when meat harvesting and production was more ingrained into our daily ecosystems. I utterly respect the moral choices of vegans and vegetarians, and had several incredibly long but ultimately fruitful debates with a staunch vegan friend during university, in which we both challenged each other's viewpoints at every turn. The next step for me for truly owning my meat-eating is playing an active role in taking an animal's life. I've dispatched crabs, lobster and fish, but anything mammalian I think I would more challenging.