Let’s Talk Food: Chef Dale Thomas on butchery

Hayley Matson-Mathes of the Hawaii Culinary Foundation introduced chef Dale Thomas, who talked to 54 students in the Hawaii Community College Culinary Program students in Hilo.

With more than 35 years of culinary experience, Chef told the students he started in the industry at the age of 15 in order to put food on the table for his family and single mother.

Thirty-five years ago, the culinary world on Oahu consisted mostly of European chefs with a robust style of training (as Chef said, “they were loud and tough!”) His first encounter with this was getting hit on the back with a wooden paddle. It stunned Thomas but was part of his learning experience.

He told the students finding a job that takes care of your benefits and retirement is very important, as he just retired from Hale Koa Hotel after 30 years. This gave him a federal retirement package and the ability to continue his passion of teaching students as a chef instructor at Windward Community College.

Chef’s passion is meat. He was the meat cutter supervisor at Hale Koa, with second and third jobs at Yacht Harbor Towers, Elks Club 616, French Gourmet and the Sheraton Moana Surfrider Hotel.

At Hale Koa Hotel, where they serve more than 1,000 meals a day, equipment such as a bench saw and a tumbler are used daily for preparation. When you are able to butcher your meats yourself, Chef claims you make more money for the restaurant as there is very little waste. The only thing that went into the trash bin were the plastic wraps. Every bit of fat and gristle is saved for stock.

Various cuts are used for different dishes.

The bench saw cuts through bone and, with experience such as Thomas’, can be used to dice meats as well as cut through 3/8-inch short ribs for Korean kalbi. The other important piece of equipment, the tumbler, sucks out the air in the meat and tenderizes even the toughest cuts of meat.

Chef showed the students how to tie roasts with butcher twine, which saves yield. The roast can then be braised or marinaded and is especially great for tough cuts of meat.

From the chuck eye, Chef cut boneless short ribs, pulled out the eye, opened it up and said that piece could be stuffed with perhaps a bread stuffing. He said to replace the flap and, again, with butcher twine, tie it into a roll. He then would braise, roast and cut it against the grain.

Thomas talked about marbling: Prime cuts have the most marbling; choice cuts a little less; select cuts have slight marbling; and standard cuts come with just traces of marbling. When there is no marbling, that cut of meat is call devoid.

Most chefs want prime or choice cuts, as meats are the main part of a dish and the most important part of the complete meal.

The students learned when they hear Angus or Black Angus, these are breeds, and certified meats means the steer was fed corn and meets a standard of abundant. Beef is either wet aged or dry aged. Wet aging is in cryovac, and when it starts bleeding it is aging well. With wet aging, there are greater yields. Dry aging is aged at low temperatures to build bacteria on the fat. There is less yield, about 7 to 9 loss, as the fat needs to be trimmed off.

The first cut showed by Chef was a steamship round. The name comes from how the cut is made — a round hollow rod is inserted in the round and while in the oven, the hollow rod would make a sound like a steamship.

He cut out the shoulder clod, used for roasting, stewing and sauerbraten.

Chef showed a brisket that was aged a bit, which was brown. Oxygen caused blooming and turned the red to brown. These are called dark cutters. This can also happen when the steer are stressed; the meat around the spine turns dark and is used to make ground beef.

Fat, in moderation, according to Chef, is OK. Fat is used in cooking and the fat from kalua pig is used at Hale Koa to make the roux for its famous chowder.

After a few more cuts from the gooseneck round, we all gathered around the bench saw in the kitchen so Chef could show off his experience using the dangerous piece of equipment. A meat slicer cuts, but a bench saw can maim! That is one of the reasons that only restaurants using a high volume of meat have one — the liability issue.

Chef cut Boston butt or pork shoulder into cubes for stew, adobo or sweet-sour ribs, and larger cubes for laulau. He cut 1/2–inch steaks and said he preferred cutting them frozen. His years of working on the bench saw were evident as he cut thin strips for carnitas or guisantes. When on the bench saw, focus and concentration is of utmost importance and no one is allowed to come near. With a pork loin, Chef removed the tenderloin from the ribs, and said you can stuff loin with fruit, which is very complementary with the pork, and serve a beautiful roast. He also showed the students how to French cut pork chops and double chops.

Chef Thomas was very interesting and informative. Unfortunately, butchery is not taught in many of the culinary programs, and he said he would be more than happy to spend a week with the HCC Culinary Program students. He added butchery is a money-maker — students at HCC could use a butcher shop.

Foodie bites

• Speaking of the HCC Culinary Program, the cafeteria is open today through Friday for your service. Call 934-2559 for menu selections and take-out orders.

• The Rotary Club of Hilo Bay is hosting its annual Oktoberfest from 5:30-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, at Hilo Hongwanji Betsuin Sangha Hall. Support this fundraiser by calling David DeLuz Jr. and members of the Rotary Club for tickets.

• On Sunday, Oct. 16, at the same location, the Japanese Chamber and Commerce of Hawaii is hosting its annual Taste of Hilo, with more than 40 vendors showcasing their best. Chef instructor of HCC’s Culinary Program Brian Hirata will be featured as the celebrity chef. Tickets are available by calling the chamber office at 934-0177.

• Happy birthday to our son, Reid, today as we celebrate with him on his special yakudoshi!

Email me at audreywilson808@gmail.com.