To the OP details on how to perform this magical act?
I was trying to find a site with some good pictures,
but this is the best I found. Here are the steps I take when butchering a whole loin:
1. Get your workplace ready - big board, sharp knives, bowls for receiving finished meat and waste. I use a
7" flexible fileting knife for all of the trimming work. The narrow, flexible blade is perfect for getting under the silverskin and trimming fat.
2. Remove the loin from the bag (duh!), draining most of the liquid into the sink.
3. Lay the loin on the board and give it a good look over to decide on a plan of attack. Feel it up and find the chain. It's a "tube" of meat attached along the side - it's along the bottom of the board in the picture above.
4. Remove the chain. You should be able to easily separate it from the main loin with your fingers, using the knife to cut any connecting tissue. Remove large pieces of fat and connective tissue and put the chain away.
5. Remove the silverskin from the loin. That's the long, tough, silvery membrane that covers much of one side of the loin. Get your knife under it, rotate the knife a bit so the edge of the knife is scraping the underside of the membrane and work the knife along. Try not to cut into the meat too much
It won't come off in one piece (unless you're very lucky or much better than I am) but remove as much as you can.
6. Remove any visible fat.
7. Remove the little roast from the large end of the loin. It'll be fairly apparent where it separates from the main loin. You can see it on the top left of the board in my photo above.
8. Cut the remaining loin how you like. You can cut it into a Chateaubriand and a few filets, or just do all thick filets like I usually do. Use a long slicing knife (
I use this one) and try to cut it in one smooth stroke.
There you are! Next time I butcher one I can do a photo tutuorial.
Any questions?
-Joe
