The Butcher (TV series)

Last updated
The Butcher
Genre Reality
Presented by Colby Donaldson
JudgesDavid Budworth
Roxanne Spruance
Michael Sullivan
ComposersErik Blicker, Glenn Schloss
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes6
Production
Running time42 minutes
Original release
Network History
ReleaseMay 22 (2019-05-22) 
June 26, 2019 (2019-06-26)

The Butcher is an American competition reality series that airs on the History channel. In each episode, four butchers compete in a three-round elimination contest to test their butchering skills, with the overall winner receiving $10,000 and the day's championship title. The series is hosted by Colby Donaldson, with a three-judge panel consisting of David Budworth, Roxanne Spruance, and Michael Sullivan, experts in the practice of butchering. The series premiered on May 22, 2019, with a six-episode first season. The series shares a similar format to its sister-show Forged in Fire .

Contents

Set

The set, referred to as "The Shop," consists of a large workroom equipped with a range of hand and power tools for preparing meat, including saws, slicers, grinders, sausage stuffers, and one bandsaw that must be shared among the contestants. A large refrigerated walk-in meat locker adjoins the Shop. Each butcher is provided with his/her own workstation and a presentation table for laying out finished cuts, and must bring his/her own knives and scabbards.

Format

In the first round of a typical episode, the four butchers are each presented with a whole animal carcass, suspended from overhead hooks in the meat locker. They have a set amount of time to accomplish two tasks: First, they must break the carcass down into large primal cuts without taking it down from the hooks. Once each primal cut is removed, they must bring it out of the locker (or have stagehands bring it out if it is too heavy or unwieldy to move alone) and prepare as many retail-quality cuts as possible using their own knives and/or any other equipment in the Shop. In certain episodes, the butchers must follow additional restrictions on tools to be used during one or both portions of the round. Once time runs out, the judges inspect each butcher's cuts and reject any that are of inferior quality. The one who has produced the fewest acceptable cuts is eliminated. The series does not reference whether the contestants are given a list of retail cuts that are acceptable, but in each episode, one particular cut is highlighted, and any cuts that do not qualify as that cut are rejected even if they might be acceptable as a different type. [note 1]

For the second round, the three remaining butchers are each given a supply of meat and must prepare a set number of items that meet a specific weight/size/thickness target. They must estimate the desired measurement of their items by eye and feel without the use of any measuring instruments. One judge measures each item but does not tell the exact result to the butcher, only stating whether it is over, under, or on target. Off-target items are rejected and/or returned to the butcher for further trimming, depending on the rules of the particular episode, [note 2] while on-target items must pass a quality inspection. The first two butchers to produce the required number of on-target, acceptable-quality items will advance.

In the third round, the two remaining butchers are each presented with the carcass of an exotic animal. They are given a set length of time to skin the carcass (if presented with skin still on) and prepare as many salable meat products/cuts as possible, including sausages and ground meat if they choose. As in the first round, the judges inspect the butchers' cuts and reject any that are of poor quality; in addition, they may choose to cook and taste selected cuts as a further criterion. Dollar values are assigned to the acceptable cuts based on weight, quality, and creativity; the butcher who generates the higher total value from his/her carcass wins the day's championship and the $10,000 prize.

Variations

In the first round of one episode, each butcher was presented with five birds: a squab, pheasant, chicken, duck, and turkey. They were required to debone and eviscerate the birds, remove the duck liver in as intact a condition as possible, and then stuff one bird into the next in order by size. The result was described as a modern version of a rôti sans pareil ("roast without equal") or a more intricate version of a turducken. The butchers were judged on the quality of their final product and the condition of the duck liver.

For the third round of a different episode, the butchers were each given three small carcasses instead of a single large one - a python, iguana, and nutria - and had to skin and prepare cuts from all of them within the time limit.

Cast, judges, and producers

Colby Donaldson became a household name as the popular runner-up on the second season of Survivor in 2001. He has since hosted History show competition shows Top Shot and the spinoff Top Guns .

David Budworth and Michael Sullivan are professional butchers and are presented as experts in the butchering industry. Budworth has worked at various chef and butcher positions for many years before starting his own company producing meat products. Sullivan has been butchering for over 30 years and currently runs a shop in San Francisco. He also teaches butchering classes.

Roxanne Spruance is a professional chef in New York City, having received a number of critical accolades. She has a Bachelor of Science in environmental biology/zoology and another in fisheries and wildlife. Her expertise in butchery is not as a professional butcher, but as an avid outdoorswoman; specifically hunting, and butchering/preparing the animals she hunts, as well as her experience preparing meat as a chef. Her education also contributes to her knowledge of animal biology.

Production

The series shoots in California. Each round of competition is shot on a separate day. According to one contestant, the series provides top-of-the-line and safe equipment for the contestants. [1]

An on-screen announcement at the start of each episode states that all meat used in the competition is donated to animal rescue shelters afterward.

Episodes

Season 1 (2019)

EpisodeAirdateTitleChallengesResults
1st round2nd round3rd round1st place2nd place3rd place4th place
1May 22, 2019"Meat the Monster"Pig using hogsplitterSteaks by weightAlligatorDanBriannaBrandonJoey
2May 29, 2019"The Invader"Beef without power sawsBacon by weight, slicing one order by machine and the others by handPython, nutria & iguanaMattTylerChrisTiffany
3Jun 5, 2019"A Poultry Sum"Bison with tomahawksSausages by lengthOstrichSean KellyJohnny EscobedoRandy RadleyPenny Barend
4Jun 12, 2019"Opah"Roast without equalHamburger patties by weight Opah JamesAlanMcCullough Kelly-WillisChris
5Jun 19, 2019"Raising the Steaks" Axis deer with flint knifeSteaks by thicknessWild boarChrisSethCindyArmand
6Jun 26, 2019"The Beast"Lamb with kopis Beef stew meat, pork chops, chuck roast (all by weight)ElkTimEagleJulesLothar

Notes

  1. For example, in one episode, a "tomahawk" rib steak was sought. Any steaks that did not include a long-enough rib bone were rejected entirely even though they might have still qualified as regular retail rib steaks.
  2. Most commonly, under-sized items are rejected while over-sized items are returned and can be trimmed.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beefsteak</span> Flat cut of beef

A beefsteak, often called just steak, is a flat cut of beef with parallel faces, usually cut perpendicular to the muscle fibers. In common restaurant service a single serving has a raw mass ranging from 120 to 600 grams. Beef steaks are usually grilled, pan-fried, or broiled. The more tender cuts from the loin and rib are cooked quickly, using dry heat, and served whole. Less tender cuts from the chuck or round are cooked with moist heat or are mechanically tenderized.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T-bone steak</span> Beefsteak cut from the short loin, including a T-shaped bone with meat on each side

The T-bone and porterhouse are steaks of beef cut from the short loin. Both steaks include a T-shaped lumbar vertebra with sections of abdominal internal oblique muscle on each side. Porterhouse steaks are cut from the rear end of the short loin and thus include more tenderloin steak, along with a large strip steak. T-bone steaks are cut closer to the front, and contain a smaller section of tenderloin. The smaller portion of a T-bone, when sold alone, is known as a filet mignon, especially if cut from the small forward end of the tenderloin.

In the United States, FFA competitions are judging contests organized by the U.S. National FFA Organization, in which High School students compete based on their knowledge of a particular subject, usually for their school teams. The contests are organized by FFA advisors and local experts. The competitions determine which team and individuals have the best aptitude for evaluating a particular animal or item as compared to an "official". The official placings and answers are set by an expert in the discipline. Officials are often from agricultural universities or USDA employees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Butcher</span> Craftsperson responsible for the preparation and sale of meat

A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat, or participate within any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat and poultry for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments. A butcher may be employed by supermarkets, grocery stores, butcher shops and fish markets, slaughter houses, or may be self-employed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skirt steak</span> Beef steak cut from lower forequarter

Skirt steak is the US name for a cut of beef steak from the plate. It is long, flat, and prized for its flavor rather than tenderness. It is distinct from hanger steak (US), called skirt or onglet in Britain, a generally similar adjacent cut also from the plate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pork ribs</span> Cut of pork

Pork ribs are a cut of pork popular in Western and Asian cuisines. The ribcage of a domestic pig, meat and bones together, is cut into usable pieces, prepared by smoking, grilling, or baking – usually with a sauce, often barbecue – and then served.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hanger steak</span> Cut of beef steak

A hanger steak (US), also known as butcher's steak, hanging tenderloin, skirt (UK), or onglet, is a cut of beef steak prized for its flavor and tenderness. This cut is taken from the plate, which is the upper belly of the animal. In the past it was among several cuts of beef sometimes known as "butcher's steak", because butchers would often keep it for themselves rather than offer it for sale. This is because the general populace believed this to be a crude cut of meat, although it is actually one of the most flavoursome.

The loins, or lumbus, are the sides between the lower ribs and pelvis, and the lower part of the back. The term is used to describe the anatomy of humans and quadrupeds, such as horses, pigs, or cattle. The anatomical reference also applies to particular cuts of meat, including tenderloin or sirloin steak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marbled meat</span> Meat containing various amounts of intramuscular fat

Marbled meat is meat, especially red meat, that contains various amounts of intramuscular fat, giving it an appearance similar to marble.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cut of beef</span> Sections of cattle

During butchering, beef is first divided into primal cuts, pieces of meat initially separated from the carcass. These are basic sections from which steaks and other subdivisions are cut. Since the animal's legs and neck muscles do the most work, they are the toughest; the meat becomes more tender as distance from hoof and horn increases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Short ribs</span> Cut of beef

Short ribs are a cut of beef taken from the brisket, chuck, plate, or rib areas of beef cattle. They consist of a short portion of the rib bone and the surrounding meat, which varies in thickness. There are two major types of cuts: the "flanken", which is cut across the bone and leaves the bone just 1 to 2 inches or less in length, and the "English", which is cut parallel to the bone and leaves the bone up to 6 inches (15 cm) in length. English cut short ribs may be served individually, or three or four may be served connected to one another. Short ribs are popular in many international cuisines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rib steak</span> Cut of beef sliced from the rib primal of cattle, with rib bone attached

A rib steak is a beefsteak sliced from the rib primal of a beef animal, with rib bone attached. In the United States, the term rib eye steak is used for a rib steak with the bone removed; however, in some areas, and outside the US, the terms are often used interchangeably. The "rib eye" or "ribeye" was originally, the central portion of the rib steak, without the bone, resembling an eye. The rib steak can also be prepared as a tomahawk steak which requires the butcher to leave the rib bone intact, french trim the bone and leave it at least five inches long. The tomahawk steak resembles the Native American tomahawk axe from which it gets its name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flap steak</span> Cut of beef

Flap steak, or flap meat is a beef steak cut from the obliquus internus abdominis muscle of the bottom sirloin. It is generally very thin, fibrous and chewy, but flavorful, and often confused with both skirt steak and hanger steak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Primal cut</span> Piece of meat initially separated during butchering

A primal cut or cut of meat is a piece of meat initially separated from the carcass of an animal during butchering. Examples of primals include the round, loin, rib, and chuck for beef or the ham, loin, Boston butt, and picnic for pork.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meat on the bone</span> Non-filleted meat in culinary context

Meat on the bone or bone-in meat is meat that is sold with some or all of the bones included in the cut or portion, i.e. meat that has not been filleted. The phrase "on the bone" can also be applied to specific types of meat, most commonly ham on the bone, and to fish. Meat or fish on the bone may be cooked and served with the bones still included or the bones may be removed at some stage in the preparation.

The sixth season of the American reality television series The Next Food Network Star premiered on Sunday, June 6, 2010. Food Network executives, Bob Tuschman and Susie Fogelson, were joined again by Bobby Flay as the judges for this season. In addition, Giada De Laurentiis will serve as an on-set mentor. The series was filmed in Los Angeles, California and New York, New York. Winner Aarti Sequeira went on to host her show Aarti Party, which premiered on August 22, 2010. Runner-up Tom Pizzica was also hired to host a travel food show Outrageous Food, which began airing in November 2010.

The third season of the American reality competition show Top Chef Masters was announced on March 2, 2011. In addition to the announcement, it was announced that celebrity chef Curtis Stone would serve as the new host. Food critic and author Ruth Reichl also joined as a new series judge And Critic James Osland Also Returned. The season premiered on April 6, 2011, with 12 award-winning chefs competing against each other in weekly challenges. Unlike previous seasons, the chefs were not judged on a five-star rating system, but in elimination-style challenges similar to the format of the original Top Chef series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steak</span> Flat cut of meat

A steak is a thick cut of meat generally sliced across the muscle fibers, sometimes including a bone. It is normally grilled or fried. Steak can be diced, cooked in sauce, such as in steak and kidney pie, or minced and formed into patties, such as hamburgers.

<i>Guys Grocery Games</i> American reality cooking show

Guy's Grocery Games is an American reality-based cooking television game show hosted by Guy Fieri on Food Network. Each episode features four chefs competing in a three-round elimination contest, cooking food with ingredients found in a supermarket grocery store as Guy Fieri poses unusual challenges to them. The winning chef of the episode can collect up to $20,000 in a shopping spree bonus round. The show often features chefs from Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, another show hosted by Fieri. The show Dessert Games was a short-lived spin-off.

<i>Knife or Death</i> American competition series

Knife or Death is an American competition series that airs on the History channel. It is a spin-off from the successful Forged in Fire television series.

References

  1. Tanner Newton (June 10, 2019). "Loss cuts deep for local 'Butcher' competitor". The Sentinel-Record.