What Do Butchers and Meat Cutters Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Butchers and Meat Cutters cut, trim, or prepare consumer-sized portions of meat for use or sale in retail establishments. They also prepare and place meat cuts and products in display counter, so they will appear attractive and catch the shopper’s eye.

Other tasks include:

• Wrap, weigh, label, and price cuts of meat.
• Cut, trim, bone, tie, and grind meats, such as beef, pork, poultry, and fish, to prepare meat in cooking form.
• Prepare special cuts of meat ordered by customers.
• Receive, inspect, and store meat upon delivery, to ensure meat quality.
• Total sales, and collect money from customers.
• Estimate requirements and order or requisition meat supplies to maintain inventories.

We asked Butchers and Meat Cutters how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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62% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 42% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

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Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Butchers and Meat Cutters record quantity of meat received and issued to cooks or keep records of meat sales. They supervise other butchers or meat cutters.

A typical day for a Butcher and Meat Cutter will also include:

• Prepare and place meat cuts and products in display counter, so they will appear attractive and catch the shopper’s eye.
• Receive, inspect, and store meat upon delivery, to ensure meat quality.
• Wrap, weigh, label, and price cuts of meat.
• Estimate requirements and order or requisition meat supplies to maintain inventories.
• Shape, lace, and tie roasts, using boning knife, skewer, and twine.

We asked some Butchers and Meat Cutters a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	76% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	62% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	78% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	47% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	18% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	41% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Butchers and Meat Cutters also cure, smoke, tenderize and preserve meat. They may also receive, inspect, and store meat upon delivery, to ensure meat quality.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Butchers and Meat Cutters Estimate requirements and order or requisition meat supplies to maintain inventories. They might also Negotiate with representatives from supply companies to determine order details.

In addition, they Shape, lace, and tie roasts, using boning knife, skewer, and twine.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Record quantity of meat received and issued to cooks or keep records of meat sales.

To some Butchers and Meat Cutters, it is also their responsibility to Prepare special cuts of meat ordered by customers.

Working life

Less than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Butcher and Meat Cutter, you can expect to work less than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/production/butchers-and-meat-cutters.htm

http://www.meatami.com/