ITHACA, N.Y. — Looking to bring value-added meat products to market, a dozen or so small-scale meat processors and restaurant owners from around the state took part in Harvest New York’s recent Cured Meats Workshop at Cornell University’s Stocking Hall May 31 through June 1.
Organized by Harvest New York Livestock Processing & Marketing Specialist MacKenzie Waro, the course was taught by Kevin McCann, a craft butcher and Culinary Institute of America-trained chef who is owner of McCann’s Local Meats in Rochester, New York. Harvest New York is a Cornell Cooperative Extension regional agriculture team targeting economic development and sustainability.
Covering basic charcuterie, meat fabrication, casings and meat grinding and utilizing the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University’s state-of-the-art food science facilities, the workshop provided a hands-on learning experience and valuable networking opportunities.
“[Working with] Harvest New York is really exciting,” said Jason Brooks, an attendee from Lake George, New York. “I was really happy to have found a home [where] I could get informative classes and really expand not only my knowledge but my ability to develop a business plan, my ability to incorporate [professional] techniques and [access a] network of people to help me along the way as I develop my business.”
For more information on future Harvest New York meat processing opportunities, visit harvestny.cce.cornell.edu or contact MacKenzie Waro at [email protected].
More photos from the event can be found here.
R.J. Anderson is a communications specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension.
—R.J. Anderson
Cornell Cooperative Extension
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