Butchery Courses
Courses
At Garlic Wood, we are passionate about great quality meat, treated in the best way from field to fork, and this includes what you do with it once you get it home. Join us on one of our butchery courses and we will start by talking you through the animal body on the hook, highlighting how to spot great quality meat and explaining how this is achieved. After you have learnt about the various cuts our butchers will show you how to break down the carcass. You’ll get hands on, learning how to cut, bone, roll, tie, and prepare joints yourself ready for cooking.
Those with existing knowledge of livestock, perhaps even with a smallholding of your own, will learn how to handle a carcass and extend your expertise; the beginner will leave with a newly found comfort level in handling meat at home and the experienced cook will go away with new skills to add to your repertoire.
We offer two courses specialising in either Lamb or Pork. Each course is limited to 4 people, to ensure everyone gets the most from their tuition. The sessions runs from 9.30am to 4pm. Your day will start with welcome coffee and breakfast and also includes a hearty lunch. At the end of the day you’ll leave with a selection your handiwork, with an approximate value of £50, to enjoy at home.
All our butchery courses take place in our purpose-built teaching room at the Garlic Wood Butchery near Partridge Green, West Sussex.
Prices
Butchery courses cost £190 per person including tea and coffee throughout the day, breakfast on arrival, lunch and a selection of your own butchered joints to take away. We also run a £100 half-day sausage-making course teaching the skills involved in creating, making and linking your own free-range sausages. We can also accommodate private courses on request, for a corporate event or private party. Please call or email to enquire via our contact page.
Course dates and how to purchase
All our butchery courses take place on Mondays and Wednesdays. We run frequent and regular courses throughout the year with details of available dates listed on the drop-down menu in our online shop. We also offer the option to buy an undated gift voucher allowing you to buy a place on our course as a gift for a loved one without spoiling the surprise by checking dates beforehand! The voucher has a 12month redemption period so the recipient can drop us a line to book on to any available course.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the meat come from?
All the meat you will work with is selected by us and comes from our own butchery. We source ethically reared, locally farmed, animals. Breeds vary across the year but the pork will always be free-range, high welfare and farmed a few miles from us here in the South Downs . Lamb will be pasture-fed Lleyn / Texel farmed on the South Downs by Camilla and Roly at Saddlescome Farm. Attendees will be working with slow-maturing traditional breeds and we like to think our butchery course will leave you with an appreciation of the difference in quality this approach to farming brings.
What do I need?
The only thing you need is an appreciation of great quality meat and a healthy appetite! All aprons, knives, blocks and, most importantly, the produce will be provided for you.
What should I wear?
Wear comfortable clothing and shoes that you are happy to stand in. We’d also recommend wearing warm clothing. As it is a working butchery and the carcasses are refrigerated, it can be chilly at times.
How do I get there?
Our butchery courses are taught in our purpose-built teaching room at the Garlic Wood Farm Butchery. We are based in a large and well appointed commercial unit near Partridge Green, West Sussex. There are excellent road connections north and South from London and Brighton and the nearest train station is Horsham, which is a 15 minute drive away. Local taxi firms serve the area and can be found opposite both stations.
Who is it suitable for?
Our butchery courses are suitable for everyone. We cater for all from the beginner to the experienced cook and those with their own smallholding who want to know more about good animal husbandry as well as how to prepare meat for home cooking. All course attendees must be over 18 years old.
Butchery Courses
Our butchery courses make an ideal present so why not buy one of our undated gift vouchers. All our vouchers are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase. Simply click on the course-type you’d like to book and we’ll post you a gift certificate to hand over to your loved-one on the day. They can then contact us to book onto one of our courses at a time that’s convenient for them.
Join us for a unique experience learning traditional butchery skills. Our full-day butchery courses are held on a working farm among the cattle and cider-apple orchards at Trenchmore Farm, West Sussex. To book your course simply select the date and type of course you’d like to attend from the drop-down box below and we will send you full details with your booking confirmation. More information about what to expect from our butchery courses can be found below or by following the link to our butchery course page.
Learn the art of sausage-making with us on our half-day course. We’ll take you through the complete process starting with understanding what makes a good sausage through to learning about flavour combinations and then getting hands-on making and linking your own sausages. You’ll leave the course with a selection of your handiwork to impress your friends and family!
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