Learn to Expertly Butcher, Process, Preserve, and Prepare Meat Yourself Frank G. Ashbrook's classic Butchering, Processing and Preservation of Meat remains the gold standard for do-it-yourself meat preparation. Ashbrook's vast knowledge and personal experience as a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service biologist afforded him an ideal perspective for addressing the meat-related needs of any household. Anyone who prepares meat at home- from farmers to hunters to butchers to homesteaders to survivalists -can benefit from this comprehensive book. Complete with detailed information, precise instructions, and clear diagrams and illustrations, this invaluable guide covers a range of topics: a brief history of meat consumption in North America, the place of meat in the Western diet, the structure and biological characteristics of meat, meal planning, slaughter, butchering of both livestock (hogs, cattle, sheep, poultry), fish, and game animals, handling the hides, dressing, preparation, preservation, and storage. In addition to showing how you can economically raise, butcher, and process meat yourself with affordable equipment and tools, Ashbrook describes widely used meat preservation techniques such as curing, freezing, smoking, salting, canning, and brining. Also included are recipes for making sausage and scrapple, as well as instructions for home tanning of hides and using by-products to make your own soap. This indispensable book includes a thorough bibliography and list of other helpful references, and is a valuable resource for anyone who prepares meat at home. This book is also available from Echo Point Books as a paperback (ISBN 1648373054).