Dot’s Delicatessen: First pig butchering class

Instead of starting off Sunday with the usual routine of hopping on my bike and heading to the Ballard Farmers market, I walk up Fremont Avenue to attend my first pig butchering class at  Dot’s Delicatessen with Dot’s owner Miles James and Il Corvo’s Mike Easton.

Here are the 9 key learnings from the 11am-4pm class:

1)  Pig butchering is not as messy as I thought it would be, especially with these pros’ Dexter-like precision at the helm.  It also helps when the pig arrives with the blood drained and de-haired (the latter requiring dipping the pig in 160-180 degree water).

I always thought swine butchering would resemble one of those gruesome knife scenes from a horror flick, but apparently you use your hands more than your knife to feel your way along the bones and muscles.  If you follow the natural curves of Ms. Piggie, the meat parts start to naturally dislodge.

Smooth hands

2) You have got to put your back into it.  Not only did these guys hoist all 235 pounds of the Berkshire/Duroc swine onto the counter, there is a fair amount of strength and labor that goes into extracting and slicing the meat.

3) Dudes seem to fancy pig butchering more than the ladies.  The male::female ratio = 12::2.  The gentlemen presence becomes more pronounced when someone asks Easton where he purchased his cleaver and he replies “At a site called Etsy.”  The men all look puzzled and inquire, What is that? How do you spell it?  In a roomful of women, Etsy is as well-known as Hunter rain boots (again, this comparison would probably be lost on the men) and the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.

Etsy who? Etsy what?

4) How to properly tie a porchetta

5) Everything is done better as a pair.  Rodrigo y Gabriela, Oprah and Steadman, Dr. Jekyll + Mr. Hyde, and now James and Easton.  These two seamlessly work off each other like a veteran doctor and nurse.  The butcher extraordinaires met several years ago when Easton was executive chef at Lecosho and James was building his reputation as the sausage king with his sausage cart down in SODO.

James has a tall build, quiet aura and sturdy tattoo’ed arms while Easton’s flowy golden locks match his easy-going and lighthearted personality.  If colleges had more instructors as engaging and informative as the dynamic duo, I am convinced there would be less no-shows and nap time in class.

6) When chef friends talk about the “Frenchie” cut, I will know what they are referring to.  Easton explains it is when you clean the meat and fat off the bones and let them stick out of the meat.  E.g. Lamb chops.

Bone-out

7) The science behind meat curing.  For the record, the curing process is short.  It is the drying time that takes a while.  We also learn the difference between nitrates and nitrites and the trend with people using celery salt because it is natural (although James questions this approach as celery salt naturally contains nitrates).  Come to think of it, I can’t say I remember the difference between nitrates and nitrites.  I blame the Cremant refills during class.

8 ) Anatomy of a pig – Now when I order a charcuterie plate, I will know what part of the pig equates to the  prosciutto (thigh), coppa (top of the shoulder), lardo, and guanciale (jowls).

9) Learning is fun, but will always be trumped by a nice meal shared amongst friends.  The class concludes with a three-course meal paired with French wines.  My favorite is a toss-up between the roast porchetta with green lentils, and parsley butter and Easton’s handmade malloredus pasta with spicy sausage and kale.

Dot’s is planning to offer more classes in the near future so check their Facebook page for updates.  Hint:  James mentioned he may be teaching a sausage class next.  Check out Easton’s Il Corvo site for his latest pasta porn and info on any pasta classes he may be offering.