Nutrition, environmental impact, ethics, sustainability – it seems like there's no end to the food factors we must consider. At the center of the dietary storm is animal-based agriculture. Was your beef factory farmed or pasture-raised? Did your chicken free range, or was it raised in a battery cage? Have you, in short, met your meat?

Most efforts to unravel the complexities of the production and consumption of animals tend to pit meat eaters and vegetarians against each other.

In this 2nd edition of The Ethical Meat Handbook, Meredith Leigh argues that by assuming responsibility for the food on our fork and the route by which it gets there, animals can be an optimal source of food, fiber, and environmental management. This new edition covers:

• Integrating animals into your garden or homestead
• Step-by-step color photos for beef, pork, lamb, and poultry butchery
• 100+ recipes for whole-animal cooking
• Culinary highlights: preparing difficult cuts, sauces, and extras
• Charcuterie, including history, general science, principles, and tooling up
• The economics and parameters for responsible meat production.

Eating diversely may be the most revolutionary action we can take to ensure the sustainability of our food system. The Ethical Meat Handbook 2nd Edition challenges us to take a hard look at our dietary choices, increase self-reliance, and enjoy delicious food that benefits our health and our planet.