The Butcher’s Book

“Eating less meat, but better quality: that is the future of traditional craft butchery. Dierendonck today stands for craft, terroir and passion. With this book I want to pay tribute to all farmers who raise their animals with respect for nature, and to everyone working in the butchery trade, working day and night in cold rooms, surrounding by four walls.” – Hendrik Dierendonck

Hendrik and his father Raymond Dierendonck have grown in recent years into the benchmark for everything to do with meat. They supply only the highest quality and are followed by any number of top chefs. Dierendonck is one of the pioneers of the international ‘nose-to-tail’ philosophy, in which literally every part of the slaughtered animal is utilized. He has specialized particularly in the processing and maturing of exceptional meat, including from the Belgian Red cattle breed from West Flanders.

Enjoy the most delicious classic cuts from the butcher’s counter; wonder at the craft and skill of the butcher; and learn to process and prepare meat in the Dierendonck style from the dozens of adventurous and timeless recipes in this book. The Butcher’s Book has grown into a true cult publication in recent years and has now been supplemented with more than 20 achievable, refined recipes from his starred restaurant Carcasse.

With text contributions from Hendrik Dierendonck, René Sépul, Marijke Libert and Stijn Vanderhaeghe, and high-class photographs by Thomas Sweertvaegher, Piet De Kersgieter and Stephan Vanfleteren.