What will you do?
The trade is also known as meat cutter, butcher-deboner or charcutier. You check the quality of the products, sort and portion pieces of meat, prepare butcher's specialities for sale and package food products correctly. You also sort and remove offal, clean your tools and keep your workstation spotless, always following the rules for food safety and hygiene.
- Check the quality of the meat
- Cut up carcasses and pieces of meat
- Sort and portion pieces of meat
- Prepare butcher's specialities
- Package food products correctly
- Sort and remove offal
- Clean your tools and maintain your workstation
Skills to develop
- Skilled and safe knife work
- Strict hygiene and knowledge of food safety rules
- Physically fit for standing work in a cooled environment
- Precise and quality-minded
- Customer-friendly when selling in the shop
Your foundation for this occupation
Learn carcass anatomy, meat cuts and cutting direction. A butcher turns meat into portions and explains suitable cooking methods.
From preparation to your first day
Develop the practical skills
Practise deboning and portioning under supervision. Separate saleable cuts, trimmings and waste to understand yield.
Check your work
Check product identification, cold-chain handling and cleaning between operations. Keep raw and prepared products clearly separated.
How can you grow?
Develop precision cutting, customer advice or prepared dishes before progressing to butcher-counter management.
Frequently asked questions
Is a butcher the same as a meat cutter?
A meat cutter specialises in carcasses and technical cuts, often in production. A retail butcher combines cutting with product selection, preparations and customer advice.