How do butcheries cut meat/fish in perfect portions?

Question

For example, we bought a large box of salmon fillets and they are all slightly different size, but weigh the same. Or if you go to a restaurant and order a 8 oz steak? I can’t image they cut it larger and then trim down to size. So how could they weigh it before it’s cut?
/r/ExplainLikeImFive

In: Technology

Answer 1

It is a combination of two things:

1. Pre cut primals;

2. Knowledge.

Primals are the large sections of the animal where meat cutters cut steaks. A T-Bone, for example, comes from the shirt rib primal.

After that, it is a question of knowing how thick something needs to be. A 16 oz. Porterhouse, again, as example, is about one to one and a half inches thick, depending on the size of the filet.