Kill It, Cook It, Eat It is a program (or programme, if you prefer) on BBC Three "to bring together the two key moments that are usually separated in our lives and minds: the death of the animal and the eating of its meat." Each episode follows the life of an animal from farm to slaughter, and how see how the animal is butchered and prepared for consumption. I wish the show were on here in the States, but it doesn't look like it's on BBC America. Anyone seen it?
Update: reader Teena H. sends a link to Ready, Aim, Grill on the Outdoor Channel that follows hunters through cathing their prey to grilling it in camp. Similar idea, but not quite the same. I get the idea the BBC program is about understanding where food comes from. This seems to be about improving the quality of food you eat in your hunting camp.
I have not seen this, but would like to. I tried searching youTube, but found nothing.
I also think Americans should see this show. We really need to know this process. I think most Americans believe Hamburgers are grown on trees.
Bets are that if this program were broadcast in the U.S. someday, showing the truth of it all, lots of people would turn into treehugging vegetarians overnight, or at least would seriously consider it. Being spared from this process, it is easy to obliterate what it takes for all those meat cuts to reach your plate. I don’t want to start an anti-meat rant here (I know you don’t have a problem with it), but it’s something I felt was worth saying.
I’ve seen small farm slaughters. And I’ve hunted. So I don’t mind saying that “the journey of one animal from its life on the farm to its fate at a small working abattoir” or the slaughter of a competently hunted animal is going to be very different than the journey of a typical food animal in the U.S.
If there were more small farms and more small abattoirs, I might not be a vegetarian. As it stands, the life of the typical food animal is something you are never going to see on television…so I don’t see how relevant the BBC program would be in the U.S.
Never the Bride, that’s a good point. Though I still think it’s important for people to see where meat comes from, even if it’s an idealized version of the process. What about an American show that shows where your $.99/lb chicken comes from? Or your cheap beef? That would be educational and an eye-opener. I don’t know who’d have the guts to produce that one though…
I guess you’re right that a little knowledge is better than none at all. I read recently that polled children were having great difficulty identifying the animals certain meats come from — that level of disconnect is pretty darn weird and most probably unhealthy.
I know my kid won’t have that problem. He’s 14 months old and I’m trying to teach him the basics of cooking. …Don’t worry, he’s not handling any knives or anything 🙂 ..Infact, he usually just watches and says random noises.
I’ve seen the cow and pig episodes, but not the lamb one yet. Whilst it was quite graphic, it was interesting to see, and far less shocking than most people thought it would be. Everyone seemed to eat the meat that was butchered and cooked.
You did learn that slaughtermen and butchers are amazing craftsmen: the process was quick and professional.
I’m sure the episodes are on uknova or will turn up on youtube.
Chris, doh! Of course I should have looked on YouTube. Three parts of the sheep episode are online. Part One, Part Two, and Part Three.
I have seen the programmes (sorry Eire here, hehe americans and funny spelling). Whilst good and informational, somehow I hink they miss some of the effect of actually visitng an abbatoir, battery farm etc. While I realise that it isn’t exactly a fun day out, or accesible to inter-city people, it really does drive the message hgome. Still not a vegetarian though. 😉 i guess i’m outnumbered here. btw how cheap is food in the US? Megnut said it was less than $0.99 per lb for chicken