A trip to the old market in Savannah showed me a better way to hang beef

I was down in Savannah last week visiting family and made a point to check out the old city market. There's a butcher there, a real old school place, who had his whole hindquarters hanging in a way I hadn't seen before. Instead of the standard single hook through the aitch bone, he had a second, smaller hook placed through the thick part of the round, just below the hip. The guy told me it was to keep the leg from swinging and banging into things when they moved it, but the real benefit was how straight it hung. The muscle stayed relaxed and didn't pull or bunch up on one side. I tried it back at my shop on a side of beef yesterday, and the difference in how it breaks down is noticeable, especially for the top round. Has anyone else seen this method or have a different trick for hanging?

3 comments

3 Comments

ivanc452mo ago

Where exactly do you place that second hook on the round?

finley_craig532mo ago

Right next to the first one, it's super easy!

abby_chen1mo ago

Measure from the first hook about 2 inches over and put it there. Just make sure it's level before you screw it in, otherwise the whole thing looks crooked.