JRE 1676 · June 27, 2024

Jesse Griffiths

huntingfoodenvironmentbusiness

Who is Jesse Griffiths?

Jesse Griffiths is a butcher, hunter, author, and restauranteur. He is the co-owner of Dai Due Supper Club and The New School of Traditional Cookery. His new book "The Hog Book: a Chef's Guide to Hunting, Butchering and Cooking Wild Pigs" is available now only at TheHogBook.com

Topics and Timestamps

01Jesse Griffiths is a butcher, hunter, and chef who runs Dai Due Supper Club and The New School of Traditional Cookery in Austin
02He just released 'The Hog Book' a comprehensive guide to hunting, butchering and cooking wild pigs
03Discussion covers the practical and ethical aspects of hunting wild boar and processing the meat yourself
04Jesse explains why wild pigs are destructive to ecosystems and how hunting them is actually beneficial for the environment
05The conversation dives into the difference between raising animals for food versus hunting wild game
06Joe and Jesse explore the connection between knowing where your food comes from and developing a healthier relationship with eating meat
▶Introduction to Jesse and The Hog Book0:00:00
▶Discussion of wild pigs as an invasive species problem0:10:30
▶Why hunting wild boar is environmentally responsible0:22:15
▶The disconnect between consumers and food sourcing0:35:00
▶Overview of The New School of Traditional Cookery and teaching butchering0:48:45

The Show

Joe brings on Jesse Griffiths, a butcher and hunter who has become something of an expert on wild pigs and traditional cooking methods. Jesse runs a supper club and cooking school in Austin, and has just published 'The Hog Book' which is essentially the definitive guide to hunting, butchering and cooking wild pigs. What makes this conversation compelling is that Jesse approaches hunting not as some romantic back-to-nature fantasy but as practical, necessary work.

The wild pig problem is real. These animals are invasive, destructive, and spreading across the country eating everything in sight. Jesse explains that hunting them isn't some ethical gray area - it's actually environmental management. Unlike domestic pigs, wild boars are basically ecological terrorists that wreck habitats and compete with native species. Hunting them serves a purpose beyond just getting meat on the table.

What gets interesting is when Joe and Jesse start talking about the disconnect between knowing your food and actually eating it. Most people buy a package of meat at the supermarket with zero connection to the animal it came from. Jesse's philosophy is that if you're going to eat meat, you should understand the full process. That doesn't necessarily mean everyone needs to hunt, but it means understanding that an animal died for your dinner.

Jesse also discusses his approach to teaching people traditional cooking methods and butchering skills. The New School of Traditional Cookery is about reconnecting people with food preparation in a way that's largely disappeared from American culture. This ties into the broader conversation about food quality and knowing what you're actually consuming. When you butcher an animal yourself, you see the quality of the meat, you understand what different cuts are, you develop respect for the animal.

The book itself is a serious resource, not just some pretty coffee table thing. It covers everything from actual hunting techniques and field dressing to detailed butchering breakdowns and recipes that make use of every part of the animal. It's the kind of practical manual that reflects Jesse's belief that this knowledge shouldn't be gatekept or lost to time.

Best Quotes

“If you're going to eat meat, you should understand where it comes from and what that actually means”

— Jesse Griffiths