Description
Use knives and hand tools to trim meat, poultry, and seafood to specification, removing defects, bones, skin, and excess fat; portion and prepare products for packing while following safety and sanitation standards.
- • Use knives, hand tools, and meat saws to trim and portion products to specification.
- • Clean, trim, slice, and section primals for further processing.
- • Remove skin, bones, cartilage, feathers, or scales as required.
- • Inspect products for defects, bruises, or blemishes and trim them away, including excess fat.
- • Prepare trimmed cuts for packing and retail presentation.
- • Separate edible meat and byproducts into designated containers and seal them.
- • Weigh portions and tag containers with weight and contents.
- • Obtain, stage, and distribute specified product to the line.
- • Produce trimmings for grind or value-added items as directed.
- • Prepare ready-to-heat items by filleting, portioning, and applying vegetables, sauces, or breading.
- • Sharpen and maintain knives and trimmers; keep equipment in safe working order.
- • Maintain sanitation of work area and follow food safety and PPE procedures.
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Related Pathways
Agriculture
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Source
Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
