Meet The Meat Men for a Butchery Masterclass!

On 24th September 2024, Bridgwater & Taunton College hosted a special Venison Butchery Masterclass.  The session, organised by Chef Lecturer James Thomas Jones (pictured far right with The Meat Men and students Matt Perring and Dylan Graham) was designed to showcase the art of game butchery to his students, he said

“We really enjoy inviting talented and highly knowledgeable, award-winning local butchers into the college to teach the students about the provenance of locally-sourced venison and in this case, how to break down a whole carcass of fallow deer and achieve a variety of cuts.  We are very lucky to be in this part of the world, where we can source top-quality wild venison from just a stones-throw from the college. It was great for the students to have not only learnt about whole-carcass venison butchery today, but also the difference between the wet aging and dry-aging process when working with beef. We as lecturers also enjoy these sessions, as we always learn new skills and enhance our knowledge.”

Just as the game season hits its stride. With local Fallow venison at its prime, harvested by local Deer Manager, Curtis Pitts (pictured centre).

This masterclass offers students the chance to dive into the art of butchery, focusing on one of Britain’s finest wild meats.  Curtis delivered a whole carcass of fallow deer that he personally harvested the week prior to the session and hung in the fur in his purpose-built larder in nearby Ashill, he said

“Its great to be here at the college with Scott and Ed from The Meat Men today.  I harvested this pricket last week, or eight days ago to be precise, it says so on this carcass tag, that I attached to the hind leg of each carcass , so fully traceable.  I skinned it yesterday and am proud to have handed it over to The Meat Men to educate the next generation of chefs at Bridgwater & Taunton College. August to September is prime time for wild fallow pricket or males aged between 18-20 months.  The chefs absolutely love Fallow deer, as the size of this animal yields the perfect cuts and portions size, with a delicious delicate flavour, which I feel is the best out of all of the species of deer available – I can’t wait to see the dishes that the students produce with the loins today.”

The event was led by Scott Cartwright and Edward Davies, AKA The Meat Men, a renowned duo of Master Butchers known for their expertise in traditional meat preparation and their commitment to promoting sustainable, locally-sourced game.

The Meat Men are highly regarded for their hands-on approach and dedication to preserving time-honoured butchery techniques. Their experience spans everything from working with high-end restaurants to running workshops that reconnect chefs and food lovers with the origins of their ingredients.

Scott Cartwright, Joint-Owner of The Meat Men said

“Inspiring future chefs and promoting butchery skills really does give us great pleasure.  I really like working with young people and showing them our craft.  We have a great relationship with the teaching team here at Bridgwater and Taunton College and its fantastic to be showcasing local produce to the next generation of chefs.  The main objective of today was to teach the students about carcass balance and yield. Our job as a business is to make sure that we’re not holding onto stock and watching our waste, so it was great to be able to suggest different uses for the whole carcass and promote responsible sourcing and correct storage of venison and beef.”

At this masterclass, The Meat Men demonstrated the breakdown of a whole Fallow deer carcass, meticulously guiding attendees through the process of identifying and separating primal cuts. From butchering the venison shoulder and haunch to preparing loins and steaks, students learnt the intricate skills needed to turn a carcass into premium cuts of meat that can be used in a variety of dishes. The session also focused on utilising as much of the animal as possible, reflecting The Meat Men’s commitment to sustainability and respect for the produce.  The students then got to have a go at creating their own dishes with a range of vegetables and ingredients selected by Chef Lecturer James.

The timing of this event couldn’t have been more perfect. The shooting season for fallow deer runs from August 1st to April 30th, ensuring that the venison is at its best—rich in flavour, lean, and packed with essential nutrients like protein, iron, and B vitamins. Venison is a versatile wild meat that not only supports local farming communities but also offers health benefits, being naturally low in fat and free from additives often found in industrially farmed meats.

In addition to a giving a brilliant whole-carcass butchery demonstration, Scott and Co-Owner Ed Davies (pictured left) showcased and explained the difference between wet and dry-aged beef, Edward added

“The beef maturing process can take two forms; Dry-aging and Wet-aging.  Dry aging occurs in a controlled, open-air space, while wet aging sees a cut of beef vacuum sealed in its own juices.  The first produces beef that’s nutty, earthy and robust. The second intensifies the beef’s natural flavours and aromas. It was such an amazing opportunity to talk to the students about the different breeds of beef used in the UK and invite them to inspect, compare and contrast wet-aged whole rib eye and dry-aged beef fore rib, which we boned to source the rib-eye.”

The Meat Men have built their reputation on promoting these benefits, both in their butchery and in their educational outreach. They believe that chefs and students alike should understand where their food comes from and how to make the most of the raw product. The masterclass not only covered butchery techniques but also dived into the versatility of venison and beef in the kitchen, showcasing how venison and beef can both be used in everything from hearty stews to elegant fine-dining dishes.

In addition to the focus on health and sustainability, this masterclass highlighted the importance of butchery skills in culinary education. Students at Bridgwater & Taunton College gained valuable hands-on experience, learning to prepare wild meat from the source and establishing the differences between wet-aged versus dry-aged beef—Both essential skills in fine dining, modern British cuisine, and traditional game and beef cookery.

Level 3 Students, Dylan Graham and Matt Perring (pictured top with their lecturer and The Meat Men) won the ‘Ready Steady Cook-style challenge in which the students had 45 minutes to plan, select fresh produce and create a main course for two people.

Their winning dish was Fallow Loin with Celeriac Puree, Thyme and garlic sauteed carrots, red wine reduction and blanched green cabbage.

Dylan said

“I am delighted to have won the challenge today and really enjoyed the positive feedback on my dish from our butcher judges, Scott and Ed.  It was great to learn more about processing of local wild venison today and I have really enjoyed cooking with it and am definitely a fan.  The wet v. dry-aging of beef demonstration was also fascinating and having learnt about the high percentage of myoglobin in red meat in a theory lesson before the session, it was great to see theory in practice working with three different species of red meat today – Both wild in terms of the venison and farmed with the wet and dry aged beef.”

With The Meat Men bringing their expertise and passion to the table, this Butchery Masterclass was certainly an inspiring, educational and memorable experience, celebrating the best of British game and the heritage of traditional butchery in the UK.

All of the students received a complimentary copy of The Great Game Guide for their excellent work, food produced and outstanding participation in the session, so they can study all of the different species of game available throughout the season, the best game chefs and their recipes.

For more information on The Meat Men, enquire about catering supply or shop the e-commerce site, visit www.meatmen.co.uk.  For more information on catering courses at Bridgwater & Taunton College, visit: www.btc.ac.uk

Photography by Carlos Farinha