The preparation of raw meat is a matter of immediate preservation, for the hearth is the only guard against the quick rot of the seasons. Once the beast is felled, the butcher works with a swift knife to divide the carcass, hanging the great joints in the cool, drafty air of the larder to let the heat escape the muscle. The meat is not merely stored; it is massaged with coarse salt to draw out the blood and moisture, a process that hardens the outer layer against the humors of the air. When meant for the pot, the flesh is hacked into rough chunks, with the sinew and gristle trimmed away by hand. It is a raw, bloody necessity, handled with care to keep it away from the dust of the floor and the reach of vermin. In the kitchen, it is kept in a stone basin, often covered with a clean cloth, awaiting the fire that will transform the heavy, primal weight of the hunt into the sustenance of the table. |