Are You Grossed Out by the Act of Butchering?

June 15, 2010

When I was little, I always liked going to the butchers with my dad. There was something so fascinating about the cuts of meat and the sterile white aprons. Also, I normally got a sample I enjoyed: a slice of salami or bologna, or my favorite, a cold hot dog. After attending a sausage making class and several recent events, like Cochon 555 and the Golden Glass, that highlight the art of butchering, I've developed a newfound interest in butchery. However, I realize cutting a dead animal into pieces for consumption isn't everyone's idea of a good time. That's why I'm wondering, what's your take on it?

24 Comments

CaterpillarGirl 2 years 48 weeks

animals are not people. lets not Anthropomorphize them. they arent little children.

Baby Girl 2 years 49 weeks

I don't eat pork, or beef. That being said, butchering does not disturb me. As many have already stated you should know from where and what you're consuming. Although I could see how some meat eaters are grossed out by the face sitting on the table in this pic.

danakscully64 2 years 49 weeks

Reason number 4,347,805 I'm a vegetarian :) I agree with the others who said you should know where your meat comes from. That includes learning about their living conditions and watching the slaughter. When I watch these things, I think of a little child being killed and cut up. *cringe* Animals are like children, pure and defenseless (in terms of what typical people eat).

ticamorena 2 years 49 weeks

nope - how could i considering i come from a country where a cow or a sheep is often slaughtered at big events and they do the butchering there and then? i'm not a squeamish person and i like to understand where my animal goods come from.

wackdoodle 2 years 49 weeks

I grew up with a mother who grew up on a family farm pretty much in downtown Indianapolis. As a result of my mom's early life experiences with raising baby animals, milking cows, collecting eggs from the chicken coop, killing chickens for dinner and escorting the cow or pig or goat she raised to the butcher she had no problem with butchering an animal herself or watching the butcher do the job. I think as a result I have no aversion to watching an animal be butcher. My mom refused to buy meat at the grocery and bought it directly from the farmer/butcher and being the youngest child I usually went with her to the butchers. I was a curious child so I watched what the butcher did from the slaughter to the making sausage or making specific cuts of meat. As a small girl I knew exact bacon came from, what cuts went into making my beloved bologna or my brother's favorite hot dogs. I even knew how my grandfathers favorite headcheese was made although I wouldn't eat it.Having seen this it makes me appreciate what I eat and be more choosy in how a farm animal is treated and processed. Strangely for the most part I am not comfortable buying meat from a grocery store, I prefer to seek out the local full service butcher shops here in SF because they knew the animal, they respect it and the people it will feed, and they are cautious in their preparation of the meat.

wackdoodle 2 years 49 weeks

I grew up with a mother who grew up on a family farm pretty much in downtown Indianapolis. As a result of my mom's early life experiences with raising baby animals, milking cows, collecting eggs from the chicken coop, killing chickens for dinner and escorting the cow or pig or goat she raised to the butcher she had no problem with butchering an animal herself or watching the butcher do the job. I think as a result I have no aversion to watching an animal be butcher. My mom refused to buy meat at the grocery and bought it directly from the farmer/butcher and being the youngest child I usually went with her to the butchers. I was a curious child so I watched what the butcher did from the slaughter to the making sausage or making specific cuts of meat. As a small girl I knew exact bacon came from, what cuts went into making my beloved bologna or my brother's favorite hot dogs. I even knew how my grandfathers favorite headcheese was made although I wouldn't eat it. Having seen this it makes me appreciate what I eat and be more choosy in how a farm animal is treated and processed. Strangely for the most part I am not comfortable buying meat from a grocery store, I prefer to seek out the local full service butcher shops here in SF because they knew the animal, they respect it and the people it will feed, and they are cautious in their preparation of the meat.

spngebobmyhero 2 years 49 weeks

This picture doesn't bother me, but sometimes I am grossed out by watching cows get butchered. I think it is because I have no experience with it. I didn't grow around that kind of thing and we never had a butcher near us when I was growing up. I think the more I learn about it, the less it grosses me out. I had no problem dissecting a cat or a pig in science class, but there was no blood in those cases.

spngebobmyhero 2 years 49 weeks

Spectra 2 years 49 weeks

It's not gross at all; it's just how things work. My grandma grew up on a farm and butchered chickens from the time she was like 7 years old. If you're going to eat meat, you should definitely know where it's coming from.

bluesarahlou 2 years 49 weeks

This is where meat comes from. So no, it doesn't gross me out at all. Like CG said, meat doesn't come from neat and clean sterile packaging. We kill animals and eat them.

lawchick 2 years 49 weeks

I'm a long-time vegetarian and find that picture gross. I don't understand why it would gross out someone who eats meat, though!There is no "stage" that anything I eat goes through that would gross me out -- or else I wouldn't eat it!

lawchick 2 years 49 weeks

I'm a long-time vegetarian and find that picture gross. I don't understand why it would gross out someone who eats meat, though! There is no "stage" that anything I eat goes through that would gross me out -- or else I wouldn't eat it!

CaterpillarGirl 2 years 49 weeks

I am not grossed out or disturbed or revolted at all by the picture, or by butchering in general, in fact i find it an art form, it takes serious skill to butcher an animal correctly. I have butchered my share of pigs, cows, chickens, etc because my parents wanted to me to know that meat doesnt come from the grocery store all sterile and packaged. I loved it. and it just made me love meat more.

Soniabonya 2 years 49 weeks

It's a little disturbing but I am not grossed out by it. That being said, I could barely sit through my bio 2 fetal pig class in highschool. I wouldn't be able to carve up my own meat.

2 years 49 weeks

Actually I have NOT had roast pig/lamb on a spit and never will! That picture is disgusing!

flyowsley 2 years 49 weeks

Well said, chiefdishwash!

flyowsley 2 years 49 weeks

Well said, chiefdishwash!

2 years 49 weeks

i guess none here has had roasted pig/lamb on a spit before. this is a foodie site so its best that its shown here. no?

chiefdishwasher 2 years 49 weeks

If you eat meat you need to know where it comes from.....now I am not grossed out at all and still love my "bacon" but maybe more people will stop eating meat if they take a minute to think where their protein comes from.......at least you did not post a cow..............

Chrstne 2 years 49 weeks

I'm grossed out by it. That picture is just...wow.

Gdeeaz 2 years 49 weeks

I am not grossed out by it but I rather not see it. Also I was eating before I clicked on the yumsugar page, I have now lost my appetite with that picture.

onlysourcherry 2 years 49 weeks

I am a vegetarian and am grossed out by it, but I think if you are going to eat meat you should know where your food is coming from. I have more respect for people who hunt their own meat than people who like to eat animals but pretend they're not chewing up pigs and cows.

onlysourcherry 2 years 49 weeks

skigurl 2 years 49 weeks

that picture is revolting and unappealing and so many other words and I can't stand to look at it and can't believe you posted it...and I'm not even a vegetarian or animal rights activist or anything...I love me some bacon, but that is not right

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24 Comments

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