Chris Cuomo Takes a Stab at Being a Butcher

July 23, 2009 — -- After daring to leap off a tall building, battling for recipe supremacy and finding the most interesting AmeriCAN stories, "Good Morning America" anchor Chris Cuomo has set his sights on uncovering the toughest jobs.

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Chris' first tough job: what it takes to become a butcher.

Most people think of the grocery store meat aisle as a butcher shop, but foodies know the place to get the best cuts of meat are at local, independent butcher shops.

For many independent meat cutters, butchering is a family business. Such is the case for Chris' friend Andrew Buffalino, who comes from a family of butchers and is the chef at The Restaurant at the Inn at Quogue on New York's Long Island.

Buffalino was eager to show Chris just what it takes to be a butcher.

Though Chris thought he knew the language of meat, he quickly realized butchers have a vocabulary all their own for everything from chops to chicken.

For example a "tail" in butcher-speak is an extra piece of meat that's usually cut off a porterhouse steak. But it's worth asking for, because it is perfect for stews.

And "cod fat" — it doesn't come from fish. It's soft fat that can be used to make roasts.

To gear up for the job, Chris started at Milton Abeles Wholesale in Port Washington, N.Y. Of course, Chris had to look the part. That meant getting a hair net, hat and requisite white coat.