Whole Beast Butchery: The Complete Visual Guide to Beef, Lamb, and Pork Hardcover – November 16, 2011

well written...lots of detailed pictures...great if you love meat as it shows where each cut comes from

I am not a Foodie and I don't cook all that well. So why in the name of good cooks would I read Ryan Farr's book let alone suggest you read it too? Because I found it intriguing that someone would write a book about cutting up things that won't fit in a refrigerator (until, of course, you cut it up). There is another reason. I believe I don't cook well because recipes aren't written well. There is always some minuscule detail left out that apparently any slob should know that is paramount to culinary success. Ryan is detailed enough for even me to "get it!" Ryan writes like he is your friend and you are having an everyday conversation. I suppose most cookbooks are printed on shinny paper for easy clean up should a particle of the recipe become airborne and land on the page. I prefer the non-glare paper utilized in this book. Little things do make a difference. This is just one illustration of Mr. Farr's detail orientation. If you read nothing more than the book's dedication and acknowledgement you will have met a truly beautiful person. Thank you Ryan Farr!!

As a I was growing up, we would always slaughter a pig during the fall. The whole family would gather for this event. My uncle would arrive with their knives sharpen and ready to go. I was always amazed at the way my uncles butchered the pig but I always wonder as to where all the cuts came from. Most of the meat of the pig slaughtered that day was cooked into chicharones or carnitas so I really did not see where a pork chop or a ham came from. This book not only tells me but it shows how to. It is an excellent source for someone who would like to do this as well as someone who want to know where the cuts come from when buying meat at your local meat market. I for one enjoyed reading this and looking at the detailed photos. I've even gotten the urge to buy me a whole hog and try to make me some chops. Ryan Farr knows his meat and cuts and shows you how it's done. I highly recommend this book.

As someone who began raising and butchering his own livestock several years ago, I've developed quite a library of "how to butcher" books. Most of them are quite useful and I've usually been able to take home a least a couple of "pearls" that I find useful in my private on-the-farm butchershop. Needless to say it's been quite a journey and I still have a long way to go, so it was definitely a sense of relief when I opened Mr. Farr's new instructional manual and found to my surprise loads of useful tips and ideas.The book is divided into three main parts - beef, lamb and pork. Each section begins with a clear schematic the various parts of each animal. Each schematic is then reproduced in miniature at the top of each ensuing page, keeping the reader oriented as to where in the animal the current photos originate. I for one, found this extremely usefulAnd what photos! Each one is clear, detailed and nicely laid out, accompanied by short and concise notes. It's harder than you might think to describe in words accurately how to break down an animal carcass. Believe me, I've read some other texts that leave you so confused, you don't know which end is up. Not here. Farrs descriptions are smart, pithy and to the point. Not to mention plentiful.One aspect that this book doesn't cover (nor does it claim to) is the livestock side of things. Farr assumes you will be picking up your carcass from a local butcher. He offers no advise or instruction on how to slaughter a live animal, something many of us small scale livestock farmers need. But there are other good texts for that such as The Complete Book of Butchering, Smoking, Curing, and Sausage Making: How to Harvest Your Livestock & Wild Game by Philip Hasheider. Together with Whole Beast Butchery, these two texts are all an amateur butcher needs to get started. Thanks Ryan! Great job!

It's a great book, I saw this from several DIY youtube videos and I wanted to see if it was really that great.It covers all different kinds of meat, cuts and procedures to make them last. I truly love the book and the hard cover really makes it feel like it is meant to last.

This book is exactly what I was looking for!!! It has step by step process of breaking down a whole animal into cuts. Each page is full of excellent pictures. Also a lite diagram at the top showing you where the cut came from on the animal. Awesome book!!!! Thos book is a must have for the library collection.

This is a nice visual guide for anyone looking to purchase a side of beef or pork or lamb for freezing and save some money doing the butchering themselves, or even if your just curious as a cook about how to identify specific cuts of meat and how they are processed....

We’ve processed our own meats(mainly deer) for a while now. The contents of the book is exactly what we were looking for, more details about butcher quality cuts. I read the kindle version and was so excited about getting the printed version. I’m disappointed in the quality of the printed book. The cover quality is really nice. The pictures inside and smaller than I expected and low average quality. I wanted to buy the sausage book as well but now I’m reconsidering.