In this three hour, hands-on class we will break down half a hog muscle by muscle, discussing the cultural and culinary diversity that hogs offer. You’ll get to hand-cut pork chops, grind fresh ham, and learn to bone out a pig’s head! By the end of class, the students will have broken the pig down into cookable cuts like ribs, tenderloins, ham roasts, chops, and coppas, and each student will take home approximately 10-15 pounds of locally raised, pastured pork. This class will take place at Guild Row, and we will end the class by sharing some delicious charcuterie, cheese, and natural wine. Class will run approximately from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm.

This class is limited to 6 attendees. We may ask for disclosure of symptoms, exposure, or vaccination status prior to the event.

Combining the CMC’s two favorite things - connecting you with the best local meat and teaching out how to cut it - we bring you the workshop/shop-up!

What you can expect:

• Butchery demo working on locally sourced beef (Willow Creek Ranch, grass-fed and finished) and pork (and maybe other proteins, like lamb and poultry!).

• Opportunities to get hands-on and practice trimming, portion cutting, assist with sausage making, and more!

• Pop-up butcher shop - everything produced in the workshop is for sale! All meat will be cut from whole carcasses or subprimals, fresh, never frozen, locally sourced by the CMC.

• Yummy extras like beef jerky for purchase!

• Participation is optional - you can come shop and watch, or you can throw some gloves on and join in the fun. CMC will provide aprons and knives.

• A portion of the meat will be packed, frozen, and donated directly to the Breakthrough Urban Ministries food pantry.

Hosted by Guild Row. This event runs from 2pm-7pm, and will include snacks and drinks.

Locally raised duck from Vintage Meadows in Goshen, IN is the star of this class focused on duck butchery and the traditional French preservation technique, confit.

We'll start with whole ducks, work through breaking them down as a team, and talk through the ratios, aromatics, tips, and tricks for a perfect confit. Finish class with a confit tasting, accompanied by wine and some duck fat fried potatoes. Participants will take home some duck parts, duck fat, and seasoning mix to make their own confit.

This class will take place at Guild Row 2:30pm to 5:30pm. Class is limited to 10 participants.

Sold Out

Gain confidence in both filet-ing and cooking fish in our basic fish butchery class!

Each student will break down and take home a whole fish, learning the best technique to filet, as well as how to utilize each part of the fish. Students will also take home a pair of pin-bone tweezers, in addition to the whole fish they break down in class. Class will end with a cooking demonstration for how to nail the perfect cook on a fresh filet of fish every time.

Wine, beer, and lights snacks will be included in addition to the fish we prepare and sample in class. Class size is limited to eight people. Class hosted by Guild Row.

Sold Out

Join Chicago Meat Collective for a series on whole beef butchery. Over the course of three sessions, we will approach a side of beef primal by primal, starting with the chuck (shoulder), finishing with the two middle primals (where you get your ribeye, tenderloin, and NY strip steaks!), and ending with the round (hind leg).

Each class will be a thorough, muscle-by-muscle break down demonstration with some opportunities to wield a knife. In this round class, you will see how we get the best cross cut beef shank, marrow bones, and how to find the best cuts for roast beef and tartare!

Enjoy a bite of grilled steak freshly cut off the primal, as well as wine, beer, and locally produced snacks. Each participant will take home a cut to grill and a pound of ground beef.

This class takes place at Guild Row, class is limited to 12 participants.

In this three hour, hands-on class we will break down a whole lamb muscle by muscle. You’ll get to hand-cut lamb chops, grind fresh lamb, and learn where all your favorite cuts come from. By the end of class, the students will have broken the lamb down into cookable cuts like shoulder roasts, leg of lamb, and loin chops. Each student will take home approximately 5-10 pounds of locally raised, pastured lamb. We will end the class by sharing some delicious charcuterie, cheese, and natural wine. Class will run approximately from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm.

This class is hosted by Guild Row. Class is limited to 8 attendees.

Join Chicago Meat Collective in collaboration with Cut Once for a series on whole beef butchery. Over the course of four sessions, we will approach a side of beef primal by primal, starting with the chuck (shoulder), followed by the rib, the loin, and finally the round (hind leg).

Each class will be a thorough, muscle-by-muscle break down demonstration with some opportunities to wield a knife. In this class focused on the loin primal, you'll see where we get flank steak, NY strip and Porterhouse, sirloin, and more!

Enjoy a bite of grilled steak freshly cut off the primal, as well as refreshments from our favorite local purveyors. Each participant will take home a cut to grill and a pound of ground beef.

We are teaming up with Elawa Farm again to bring another class to Lake Forest.

Breaking down poultry might be one of the most useful skills a home cook can learn. In this class we will learn several ways to break down a chicken, including spatchcocking and boning out legs and breasts. This is a hands-on class, and each participant will have the opportunity to practice on their own bird and take it home to cook. We will cover broth and stock making, roasting technique, carving, and will culminate in a cooking demonstration. By the end, you will have all the skills and knowledge you need to buy whole chickens and quit your boneless skinless chicken breast habit for good!

This class will take place at Elawa Farm. Class will run approximately from 2pm to 4pm.

In this three hour, hands-on class we will break down half a hog muscle by muscle, discussing the cultural and culinary diversity that hogs offer. You’ll get to hand-cut pork chops, grind fresh ham, and learn to bone out a pig’s head! By the end of class, the students will have broken the pig down into cookable cuts like ribs, tenderloins, ham roasts, chops, and coppas, and each student will take home approximately 10-15 pounds of locally raised, pastured pork. This class will take place at Guild Row, and we will end the class by sharing some delicious charcuterie, cheese, and natural wine. Class will run approximately from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm.

This class is limited to 6 attendees. We may ask for disclosure of symptoms, exposure, or vaccination status prior to the event.

Sold Out

Simply elevated, driven by the quality of the meat and the age old tools of salt and time, cured meat is a deeply satisfying thing to make at home. In this class, we will demonstrate and discuss all the elements that go into successfully making some simple cured meats at home, from choosing your meat, determining how much and how long to salt it, and configuring a clean and effective space to hang your salumi.

Class will include a salami tasting, an interactive demonstration of whole muscle and salami techniques, as well as some natural wine.

Join Chicago Meat Collective in collaboration with Cut Once for a series on whole beef butchery. Over the course of four sessions, we will approach a side of beef primal by primal, starting with the chuck (shoulder), followed by the rib, the loin, and finally the round (hind leg).

Each class will be a thorough, muscle-by-muscle break down demonstration with some opportunities to wield a knife. In this class focused on the rib primal, you'll see where we get skirt steaks, ribeyes, spinalis dorsi, and more!

Enjoy a bite of grilled steak freshly cut off the primal, as well as refreshments from our favorite local purveyors. Each participant will take home a cut to grill and a pound of ground beef.

In this Beyond Basics sausage class, we will show you how to work with different proteins, different grind sizes, and different casing sizes. You will practice folding nuts, cheese, and other delicious mix-ins to a variety of sausage mixtures, opening a world of flavors and textures beyond your classic brat or spicy Italian link. Learn to form kebabs, make a basic summer sausage, and more! Students will have the opportunity to get involved in every step of the process, and will also get to take home several pounds of fresh, hand-made sausage! Students are encouraged to take our Basic Sausage Making class before enrolling in Sausage Making 2.0, but this class is open to all levels of experience.

This class will take place in the CMC home studio, and we will end the class by sharing some delicious charcuterie, cheese, and natural wine. Class will run approximately from 1pm to 3pm.

This class is limited to 8 attendees.

Breaking down poultry might be one of the most useful skills a home cook can learn. In this class we will learn several ways to break down a chicken, including spatchcocking and boning out legs and breasts. This is a hands-on class, and each participant will have the opportunity to practice on their own bird and take it home to cook. We will cover broth and stock making, roasting technique, carving, and will culminate in a cooking demonstration. By the end, you will have all the skills and knowledge you need to buy whole chickens and quit your boneless skinless chicken breast habit for good!

This class will take place at Guild Row. Class will run approximately from 2:30 to 5pm.

Sold Out

Join the Chicago Meat Collective in this hands-on class, where we will cover the basics of sausage making from sourcing the best meat and fat, to butchering, grinding, seasoning, and stuffing. Students will have the opportunity to get involved in every step of the process, and will also get to take home several pounds of fresh, hand-made sausage!

This class will take place in the CMC home studio, and we will end the class by sharing some delicious charcuterie, cheese, and natural wine. Class will run approximately from 1pm to 4pm.

Sold Out

Cecil Rodriguez of FAT CAP Supper Club will be the guest instructor for this hands-on, whole fish butchery class. Each student will break down and take home a whole fish, learning filet-ing technique and how to utilize each part of the fish. Cecil will demonstrate special techniques for flat fish butchery, as well as oyster shucking. Class will end with fresh oysters, natural wine, and a cooking demonstration by Cecil for how to nail the perfect cook on a fresh filet of fish every time.

Students will also take home a shucking knife, in addition to the whole fish they break down in class.

Join Chicago Meat Collective in collaboration with Cut Once for a series on whole beef butchery. Over the course of four sessions, we will approach a side of beef primal by primal, starting with the chuck (shoulder), followed by the rib, the loin, and finally the round (hind leg).

Each class will be a thorough, muscle-by-muscle break down demonstration with some opportunities to wield a knife. In this chuck class, you will see how we cut the meatiest short ribs, where the brisket comes from, and how to find the most tender steaks on this hard working primal.

Enjoy a bite of grilled steak freshly cut off the primal, as well as refreshments from our favorite local purveyors. Each participant will take home a cut to grill and a pound of ground beef.

Sold Out

Locally raised duck from Timberfeast farm in Chatsworth, IL is the star of this class focused on duck butchery and the traditional French preservation technique, confit.

We'll start with whole ducks, work through breaking them down as a team, and talk through the ratios, aromatics, tips, and tricks for a perfect confit. Finish class with a confit tasting, accompanied by wine and some duck fat fried potatoes. Participants will take home some duck parts, duck fat, and seasoning mix to make their own confit.

This class will take place in the CMC home studio from approximately 2pm to 4pm.

This class is limited to 8 attendees.

Sold Out

Join McCullough Kelly-Willis from Chicago Meat Collective as you learn the basics of sausage making from sourcing the best meat and fat, to butchering, grinding, seasoning, and stuffing. Participants will have the opportunity to get involved in every step of the process, and will also get to take home several pounds of fresh, hand-made sausage! We will end the class by sharing some delicious charcuterie, cheese, and natural wine. 

This class is limited to 8 attendees. We may ask for disclosure of symptoms, exposure, or vaccination status prior to the event.

Cancellation Policy: Due to the nature of butchery classes, no cancellations less than 10 full business days from class. There is a 25% cancellation fee if more than 10 days out.

In this four hour, hands-on class we will break down half a hog muscle by muscle, discussing the cultural and culinary diversity that hogs offer. You’ll get to hand-cut pork chops, grind fresh ham, and learn to bone out a pig’s head! By the end of class, the students will have broken the pig down into cookable cuts like ribs, tenderloins, ham roasts, chops, and coppas, and each student will take home approximately 10-15 pounds of locally raised, pastured pork. This class will take place in the CMC home studio, and we will end the class by sharing some delicious charcuterie, cheese, and natural wine. Class will run approximately from 1pm to 5pm.

This class is limited to 8 attendees. We may ask for disclosure of symptoms, exposure, or vaccination status prior to the event.

Sold Out

Join the CMC at Elawa Farm, in Lake Forest, IL, for an edition of our holiday charcuterie class!

Expand your kitchen skills while creating festive treats for holiday entertaining in this charcuterie class focused on pork rillettes and duck liver pâté. We will walk you through making these two simple but elegant charcuterie staples, from selecting the right cuts and trimming the livers to proper storage and even how to make these goodies into holiday gifts. This class will also feature a wine pairing, and a light meal of charcuterie, bread, and cheese.

A 25% cancellation fee with a $20 minimum per attendee (ticket). No cancellations less than 10 full business days from class. Tickets are transferable with appropriate notice.

Expand your kitchen skills while creating festive treats for holiday entertaining in this charcuterie class focused on rillettes and terrines.

We will walk you through making these two simple but elegant charcuterie staples, from selecting the right cuts, seasoning, grinding, cooking, as well as proper storage and how to make these goodies into holiday gifts.

This class will also feature a wine pairing, and a light meal of charcuterie, bread, and cheese.

Class is limited to 10 attendees. In light of covid-19, we may ask for disclosure of symptoms, exposure, or vaccination status prior to the event.

In this four hour, hands-on class we will break down half a hog muscle by muscle, discussing the cultural and culinary diversity that hogs offer. You’ll get to hand-cut pork chops, grind fresh ham, and learn to bone out a pig’s head! By the end of class, the students will have broken the pig down into cookable cuts like ribs, tenderloins, ham roasts, chops, and coppas, and each student will take home approximately 10-15 pounds of locally raised, pastured pork. This class will take place in the CMC home studio, and we will end the class by sharing some delicious charcuterie, cheese, and natural wine. Class will run approximately from 1pm to 5pm.

This class is limited to 6 attendees. We may ask for disclosure of symptoms, exposure, or vaccination status prior to the event.

Sold Out

Chicago Meat Collective goes to Elawa Farm, in beautiful Lake Forest, IL, to bring you our popular whole hog butchery class.

In this hands-on class, we will break down a whole hog muscle by muscle, discussing the cultural and culinary diversity that hogs offer. You’ll get to hand-cut pork chops, grind fresh ham, and more! By the end of class, you will have broken the pig down into cookable cuts like ribs, tenderloins, ham roasts, chops, and coppa. Each student will take home approximately 10-15 pounds of locally raised, pastured pork. We will end the class by sharing delicious charcuterie, cheese, and wine.

A 25% cancellation fee with a $20 minimum per attendee (ticket). No cancellations less than 10 full business days from class. Tickets are transferable with appropriate notice.

In this Thanksgiving demo class, learn some tips to put the best bird on your table this year, whether it's a turkey, or something smaller. We'll be working with local turkey, chicken, and duck to demonstrate a variety of bird butchery techniques. We will also cover different brining styles, demonstrate how to carve, make great stock and gravy, and more!

Class will include butchery demonstrations, a roast bird tasting and pours of some of our favorite Thanksgiving wines.

Simply elevated, driven by the quality of the meat and the age old tools of salt and time, cured meat is a deeply satisfying thing to make at home. In this class, we will demonstrate and discuss all the elements that go into successfully making some simple cured meats at home, from choosing your meat, determining how much and how long to salt it, and configuring a clean and effective space to hang your salumi.

Class will include a salami tasting, an interactive demonstration of whole muscle and salami techniques, as well as some natural wine.

Sold Out

The ribeye represents all the indulgence and decadence we crave when we think of red meat. This class offers a deep dive on beef ribeyes, exploring everything that the ribeye has to offer by taking students through the entire rib section muscle by muscle. From shoulder end to loin end, from standing rib roast to 1” steak, from spinalis dorsi to deckle, we will demonstrate the many ways to break down a rib section, while touching on best cooking methods and helpful vocabulary for ordering exactly what you want from your local butcher.

This class will feature a rib subprimal breakdown, a cooking demonstration, and a steak tasting with wine. Class participants will each take home part of the ribeye.

Gain confidence in both filet-ing and cooking fish in our basic fish butchery class!

Each student will break down and take home a whole fish, learning the best technique to filet, as well as how to utilize each part of the fish. Students will also take home a pair of pin-bone tweezers, in addition to the whole fish they break down in class. Class will end with a cooking demonstration for how to nail the perfect cook on a fresh filet of fish every time.

Wine, beer, and lights snacks will be included in addition to the fish we prepare and sample in class. Class size is limited to eight people.

In this four hour, hands-on class we will break down half a hog muscle by muscle, discussing the cultural and culinary diversity that hogs offer. You’ll get to hand-cut pork chops, grind fresh ham, and learn to bone out a pig’s head! By the end of class, the students will have broken the pig down into cookable cuts like ribs, tenderloins, ham roasts, chops, and coppas, and each student will take home approximately 10-15 pounds of locally raised, pastured pork. This class will take place in the CMC home studio, and we will end the class by sharing some delicious charcuterie, cheese, and natural wine. Class will run approximately from 1pm to 5pm.

This class is limited to 6 attendees. We may ask for disclosure of symptoms, exposure, or vaccination status prior to the event.

Expand your kitchen skills while creating festive treats for holiday entertaining in this charcuterie class focused on pork rillettes and duck liver pâté.

We will walk you through making these two simple but elegant charcuterie staples, from selecting the right cuts and trimming the livers to proper storage and even how to make these goodies into holiday gifts.

This class will also feature a wine pairing, and a light meal of charcuterie, bread, and cheese.

Class is limited to 8 attendees. In light of covid-19, we may ask for disclosure of symptoms, exposure, or vaccination status prior to the event.

We are excited to offer a follow up to our popular Basic Sausage Making class, just in time for Memorial Day! In this Beyond Basics sausage class, we will show you how to work with different proteins, different grind sizes, and different casing sizes. You will practice folding nuts, cheese, and other delicious mix-ins to a variety of sausage mixtures, opening a world of flavors and textures beyond your classic brat or spicy Italian link. Learn to form kebabs, make a basic summer sausage, and more! Students will have the opportunity to get involved in every step of the process, and will also get to take home several pounds of fresh, hand-made sausage! Students are encouraged to take our Basic Sausage Making class before enrolling in Sausage Making 2.0, but this class is open to all levels of experience.

This class will take place in the CMC home studio, and we will end the class by sharing some delicious charcuterie, cheese, and natural wine. Class will run approximately from 1pm to 3pm.

This class is limited to 8 attendees. We may ask for disclosure of symptoms, exposure, or vaccination status prior to the event.