Butchery is an ancient and traditional trade with guilds in England dating back to the year 1272. To become a butcher, you must complete your trade certification. Typically a three to four-year butcher apprenticeship is required to earn your qualification. One of the first things you will learn are the basic or 'primal' cuts of meat as they are called. These are the main sections of the animal divided up like the shoulders, mid-section, legs, back, sides, etc.
You may be familiar with these cuts known as the chuck, rib, loin, round, and more. They are then divided even further as shown by this great chart from the group at How to Cook, into smaller retail cuts. These consist of filet cuts, sirloin cuts, ribeye cuts, tenderloin cuts, and more. This comprehensive chart shows these different cuts on beef, poultry, pork, and lamb. My mouth is watering just looking at this!
