The Butcher (TV series)
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (April 2020) |
The Butcher | |
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Genre | History |
Release | May 22 June 26, 2019 | –
The Butcher is an American competition reality series that airs on the
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
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
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
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)
Episode | Airdate | Title | Challenges | Results | |||||
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1st round | 2nd round | 3rd round | 1st place | 2nd place | 3rd place | 4th place | |||
1 | May 22, 2019 | "Meat the Monster" | Pig using hogsplitter | Steaks by weight | Alligator | Dan | Brianna | Brandon | Joey |
2 | May 29, 2019 | "The Invader" | Beef without power saws | Bacon by weight, slicing one order by machine and the others by hand | Python, nutria & iguana | Matt | Tyler | Chris | Tiffany |
3 | Jun 5, 2019 | "A Poultry Sum" | Bison with tomahawks | Sausages by length | Ostrich | Sean Kelly | Johnny Escobedo | Randy Radley | Penny Barend |
4 | Jun 12, 2019 | "Opah" | Roast without equal | Hamburger patties by weight | Opah | James | Alan | McCullough Kelly-Willis | Chris |
5 | Jun 19, 2019 | "Raising the Steaks" | Axis deer with flint knife | Steaks by thickness | Wild boar | Chris | Seth | Cindy | Armand |
6 | Jun 26, 2019 | "The Beast" | Lamb with kopis | Beef stew meat, pork chops, chuck roast (all by weight) | Elk | Tim | Eagle | Jules | Lothar |
Notes
- ^ 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.
- ^ Most commonly, under-sized items are rejected while over-sized items are returned and can be trimmed.
References
- ^ Tanner Newton (June 10, 2019). "Loss cuts deep for local 'Butcher' competitor". The Sentinel-Record.