The Butcher’s Knot is used to secure meat for roasting or marinating.
The knot keeps everything in place so your roast cooks evenly and doesn’t fall apart halfway through.
When roasting, you usually tie it with the twine about an inch apart along the roast.
Let’s learn it in detail.
Butcher’s Knot Detail
Type: Binding Knot
Other Names: Meat tying knot
ABoK Reference: #183
How to Tie a Butcher’s Knot
- Pass the twine or cord around the object.
- Tie an Overhand knot with the working end around the standing part
- Pull the knot tight.
- Form a loop around your fingers and slide that loop into the working end.
- Pull both ends to tighten the knot and trim off the long end.
Pro Tip: If you are roasting meat, tie this knot about every inch along the length of the roast. It’s recommended to use 100% cotton twine. It grips the meat perfectly and won’t melt when roasted.
Butcher’s Knot Step by Step
A Slight Upgrade (If You Need One)
The Butcher’s knot mentioned above consists of an Overhand Knot that grips around an object and is adequately secure for its intended purpose.
If more reliability is needed, you can tie multiple wraps after tying the first overhand knot and then secure it with a Half Hitch Knot.
You can add multiple half hitches as per the requirement.
It’s mentioned in Ashley Book of Knots #184.
Pros & Cons
- Quick and easy to tie
- Provides a firm adjustable grip
- Requires little string, ideal for butchers and kitchen use
- Not secure for the heavy-duty tasks
- You may need to tighten the knot from time to time, especially during pickling and corning.
Application and Uses
- Tying down roast, corned beef, or meat for pickling, cooking, or marinating.
- First loop around a package.
- Bundle sleeping bags, tarps, and gear.
- Anywhere you need a firm but adjustable grip.
Other similar Knots
Packer’s Knot
The Packer’s knot is a more secure binding knot that uses a Figure 8 knot around the standing line.
It draws up more smoothly than the simple Overhand Knot used in the Butcher’s knot.
It’s used for binding packages, hand bailing, and roasting meat.
Corned Beef and Salt Porked Knot
The Corned Beef and Salt Porked Knot is the secure among the Packer’s Knot and the Butcher’s Knot.
It’s tied with a Buntline Hitch around the standing line.
Similar to the Butcher’s Knot, you need to tighten the knot from time to time as the meat shrinks and is finished with a final hitch when the meat has fully shrunk.
It’s used for the preparation of corned beef and salt pork. As Ashley writes, “It is probably the best knot for the purpose.”
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