{"id":2226,"date":"2011-11-30T13:03:57","date_gmt":"2011-11-30T12:03:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jameswhelanbutchers.com\/info\/?p=2226"},"modified":"2014-08-06T17:16:52","modified_gmt":"2014-08-06T16:16:52","slug":"a-day-in-the-life-of-a-real-butcher","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jameswhelanbutchers.com\/info\/2226\/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-real-butcher\/","title":{"rendered":"James Whelan Butchers: A Day in the Life of a Real Butcher"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"Checking<\/p>\n

At James Whelan Butchers we are delighted to say that we farm, slaughter and butcher all our own beef.\u00a0 From farm to shop, many of our customers travel further than our meat!\u00a0 We are more than just butchers.\u00a0 A day in my life allows for a variety of human emotions and practical skills.<\/p>\n

We believe in natural, gentle nurture and care when it comes to the welfare of our animals.\u00a0 We are truly convinced that a healthy, well fed and happy beast will ultimately repay the kindness with sensational tasting meat.\u00a0 On our traditional farm I just have to place my feet in those wellies and I\u2019m living my simplistic childhood idyll of \u2018Farmer Pat\u2019!\u00a0 The instantly recognisable smells and sounds of the farm warm my heart and linger in my nostrils for many hours after.<\/p>\n

\"Abattoir
\nI take the slaughtering process seriously and insist upon a strict, stress free, artisan approach.\u00a0 The area is kept calm and always quiet.\u00a0 Indeed, should we detect any uneasiness in the animal whatsoever it is immediately returned to the field; gaining a reprieve for another time.\u00a0 Such action owes less to mercy than it does the fact that a stressed animal prior to slaughter will flood its body with chemicals producing tough and, in our opinion, unacceptable meat.<\/p>\n

The light and gentle touch needed for the nurture and care of the animals has to transform itself quickly to steely skill for the physicality of the abattoir.\u00a0 To me the sharp edged knives represent nothing more sinister than the tools of the trade, but to an outsider I can see how they appear quite lethal and more suited to a Victorian body stealers\u2019 laboratory!\u00a0 By the end of such a vigourous day the blood spattered whites tell their own story; no words needed to explain where I\u2019ve been.<\/p>\n

\"Butchering\"<\/p>\n

“We believe in natural, gentle nurture and care when it comes to the welfare of our animals. We are truly convinced that a healthy, well fed and happy beast will ultimately repay the kindness with sensational tasting meat”.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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There is a common quality that infuses all these \u2018people\u2019 I have to be in a given day and that\u2019s passion.\u00a0 Having a natural zeal for doing what I do results in excellence for our customers which is paramount.\u00a0 It is a simple philosophy that has served me well and it never ceases to amaze me how healthy obsession thoroughly devours exhaustion and any form of discouragement no matter what the day brings forth.<\/p>\n

Photography by Roger Overall<\/a>
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\"Tenderloin<\/a><\/td>\n\"Dry<\/a><\/td>\n\"Rib<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of \u00a0James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin.\u00a0Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  At James Whelan Butchers we are delighted to say that we farm, slaughter and butcher all our own beef.\u00a0 From farm to shop, many of our customers travel further than our meat!\u00a0 We are more than just butchers.\u00a0 A day in my life allows for a variety of human emotions and practical skills. We […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n