Faculty: Jules Guillemette

This five-day course provides students with the practical and scientific knowledge needed to create artisanal meat products at home or in a small-scale professional setting. Students will learn the fundamentals of processing, salting, fermenting, and curing meats from a variety of animals. Emphasis will be placed on tying microbiological knowledge to hands-on skills in the broader context of food safety and state and federal regulations. After covering the history of the craft, students will learn to process meat with respect and confidence by working with the whole animal and wasting as little as possible. Students will learn to read a carcass and connect methods of livestock rearing and feeding, as well as the conditions of humane slaughter, to the resulting product. Renowned Vermont chef and butcher Jules Guillemette will guide the class throughout this intensive, regardful study. Jules will first demonstrate and then guide focused hands-on sessions to make sausage, bacon, pâté, rillettes, and more. The course will touch on the principles of dry curing and aging to prepare students for further study of those topics outside of class.  As a special treat, Jules might even graciously share some Quebecois family recipes. The program also includes visits to Vermont producers and purveyors of fine meats, including Beau, Jules’s new and acclaimed butcher shop with a Prohibition-era bar and European-style delicatessen.

Level:  Beginner to Intermediate

Prerequisites:  None.

Tuition & Fees: $1,250 covers the cost of the class, most course materials, and three meals per day from our top-ranked Sterling Kitchen. Housing is not included.

Housing Availability & Fees: On-campus housing is available for an additional fee of $60 per night with a private bathroom and $50 per night with shared bathroom access.  Please note that Sterling College offers rustic, dormitory-style housing that is clean and safe but not luxurious.  Availability is limited and room requests are filled on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis.   Please visit our accommodations page for more options.

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