Meet the expert: Paul Burton

It takes real passion to make butchery sound like poetry. But Paul Burton does it, waxing philosophically about prepping various pig parts while somehow never sounding the least bit pretentious. 

Burton set up his company, Salt Box, in September of last year to teach food skills and history to those seeking a more meaningful connection to what they put in their mouths. Setting up in Hart’s Bakery where he works full-time, Burton now teaches a weekend course called Everything But The Oink, delving into porcine history and instructs participants on how to use every part of the pig.

“I wanted to do something that really encompassed the essence and origin of charcuterie and where that comes from – a place of necessity, needing to use the entirety of the carcass to sustain yourself throughout the course of a year,” Paul explains. 

“We ended up with this sort of catchphrase, ‘Everything but the Oink.’ Every country in Europe has its own translation of this phrase, which sums up the concept of celebrating the animal which has given its life to provide food for the year.”

In his weekend workshops, Paul starts with the history of pigs and charcuterie, also known as cold cooked meats. 

Students then learn how to break down the carcass and turn every part of the pig – including ears and trotters – into delicious treats. Think pâtés, crispy confit pig’s ears, sausages and gelatine-enhanced Boston baked beans. 

“We’re using a number of different techniques to show how dishes came about through a historic point of view, and we look at the scientific aspects of how to make it safe.” 

Paul says that he is most fascinated by the creation of air dried pork products and likes to study the microbial science behind the process. 

“There’s a poetic irony in the way we’re dealing with something very dead but what we’re controlling and nurturing are very basic life forms which are living within a piece of meat. And by doing so, that meat can be eaten months later and provide nourishment to other living beings, i.e. humans.”

Though he sees beauty in most charcuterie practices, he admits that not every activity is heavenly. 

“I’m not particularly excited about making things like the brawn from the head, where I need to pick bits of flesh from the scalp. The pig’s head is looking up at you while you’re picking bits of flesh out from behind its ears.

“But really, I enjoy all of it. There is beauty, and then there’s the more brutal side of it – that you have killed this animal. There’s something about that duality that I find really fascinating.

“Some of these things might feel uncomfortable but that’s the reality of eating meat in a responsible manner.”

The next Everything But The Oink workshop takes place on June 4 and 5 with the cost £165 per person. For more information, visit www.saltboxworkshop.com

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