Butchery, Charcuterie, Artistry: Outstanding in the Field 2012 Prep, Part II

After touring Little Foot Farm on Monday, site of the upcoming August 9, 2012, Outstanding in the Field dinner, host chefs Mike Phillips and Scott Pampuch moved on to butchery and making charcuterie from two of Little Foot’s Gloucestershire Old Spot hogs.

With the help of chefs Steve Brennan and Ben Weaver, Mike Phillips demonstrated his craft, working quickly and precisely while teaching.

In case you think the work was all serious…um no. It turns out that chefs are hard-working dorks with very sharp knives.

No lie. Dick Sausage Stuffer. Premium awesomeness.

Ready to hang, cure, and return to the farm…as dinner.

Pickled ramps.

Chef Jeff Lakatos made us all a gorgeous lunch. Beef not pork!

Flat iron steak with green-garlic chimichurri, oyster mushrooms, and duck-fat roasted potatoes with asparagus. Every day, please!

Needless to say, there will be stunning charcuterie and fresh pork courses at the August 9 dinner. My thanks to Karen Weiss, Mike Phillips, and Scott Pampuch. I had a ridiculous blast going along for the ride, from petting piglets to hanging salumi. (Yeah, it was a euphemism-filled week, in the best possible way.)