Oak Stone Outfitters offers custom meat processing to hunters and local families
-A message from Oak Stone Custom Meat Processing-
Jessica Christensen of Oak Stone Custom Meat Processing.
Butchery services and classes provided by father-daughter team of John and Jessica Christensen
– Bringing multi-generational knowledge and experience to their custom meat processing services, John and Jessica Christensen are well-known in the local butchery industry. As part of the Oak Stone Outfitters crew, this father-daughter duo are not only experts in processing wild game, but home-grown animals as well.
Although they started out primarily cutting meat for hunters visiting the Oak Stone property in Bradley, local ranchers began requesting their services. It didn’t take long for word about the Christensens’ customized work to spread throughout the community.
“We can do almost any outside custom meat processing,” John said. “What sets us apart is we like to talk to our customers and get a feel for what they want. A lot of them are on their first-time hunt or they have never raised an animal at home. We talk to them and advise them, and that’s what we mean by customized. We ask how they like to cook, and sometimes the animal itself determines the best cuts.”
In addition to their custom meat processing services, the Christensens provide delivery locally and throughout the United States. They are experts in wild game butchery, including Blacktail Deer, Wild Pig, and Tule Elk. They also make a variety of sausage options, including Jalapeno Cheddar, Breakfast, Chorizo, and Swiss Sausage from a family recipe. Oak Stone Custom Meat Processing utilizes commercial-grade equipment to ensure professional cuts of meat stay fresh through vacuum seal packaging and storage within an industrial-sized walk-in freezer.
Butchery class with Oak Stone Custom Meat Processing.
Butchery skills passed down through generations
John, a 1977 graduate of Paso Robles High School, is the fourth in a family of five boys. He learned the trade from his dad, Don, and his uncle, Oliver “Obbie” Terrill, the 2006 Paso Robles Pioneer Day Marshal. Three of the five brothers – John, Mike, and Jerry – would go on to work in the meat processing industry at some point in their lives.
“My Dad came to Paso Robles right after WWII when he answered an ad in the paper for a meat cutter at a place called Bryan’s Beef,” John said. “He later went on to buy Paul Lyle’s butcher shop on 21st Street in the early 70s and called it Don Christensen’s Custom Meat Cutting.”
A legacy in the area, it was the kind of store, John shared, where local ranchers and farmers would stop in throughout the day.
The Christensens teaching the Home Butcher Class at Oak Stone Custom Meat Processing.
“The rule in our house was on the first day of high school we went to work in the butcher shop,” John said. “We worked every day after school and half day on Saturdays unless we had extracurricular activities. We also did a lot of meat processing at my uncle’s ranches. Basically, I grew up cutting meat my entire life. Over the years, it just came natural to me and my brothers.”
Following his 25-year career as a glazer, John worked at a local butcher shop for a few years, with Jessica joining alongside. In 2020, Oak Stone Outfitters Owner Chad Wiebe approached John about heading up the meat processing at his ranch. Jessica, a 2010 graduate of PRHS and former preschool teacher, joined him a year later when the demand for his services increased.
“Working with and learning from my dad is the best,” Jessica said. “It’s awesome to hear about his experiences and ask him how he learned different techniques. He is so knowledgeable and patient, whether he’s talking with me, our customers, or people that want to learn how to do their own butchery at home.”
John Christensen teaching butchery.
Home butchery classes offered at Oak Stone Outfitters
For those wanting to learn or strengthen their butchery skills at home, Oak Stone Custom Meat Processing offers intensive group classes. The demand first came about when hunters with Oak Stone Outfitters asked about techniques, and quickly expanded to include local residents raising their own animals.
Wiebe leads the morning session, taking attendees through the entire process of dispatching the animal, including field cleaning and dressing. Following a break that includes sharing cuts of local sausage and other meats, John and Jessica take over the afternoon session.
“With both sessions, we encourage participants to be hands-on,” John said. “After they watch us, we stand back and walk them through everything. Our goal is to get them to know how to do what we do at home. It goes beyond just the basics, and it’s a lot of information. At the end of class, I let everyone know that if they have any questions, they can call me anytime.”
The classes have a relaxed feel to them, with the Christensens working to make all participants feel comfortable asking questions in a casual learning environment. Each guest learns the ins and outs of how to best utilize the animal and get the best yield from it.
“My dad and I bounce off each other, and we have a certain kind of humor with our interactions while teaching and sharing,” Jessica said. “The more comfortable they are, the more apt the participants are to be hands-on. I feel the best way to gain knowledge is to get your hands in there rather than just watching someone else do it, and that’s what we encourage.”
With more people interested in growing their own food, there is a renewed sense of curiosity about raising their own animals and processing the meat.
“I think there has been more awareness lately about how much better it is, and how much more fulfilling it is to get the meat and process it yourself,” Jessica said. “To know where it came from, and what went into it is important. It’s not just about going to a grocery store and getting whatever they have on display.”
Whether they are taking a class or bringing an animal to the shop for processing, the Christensens talk with each customer about what they’re expecting out of the animal. That personal touch is what sets Oak Stone Custom Meat Processing apart, and it’s what John and Jessica enjoy most about their work.
“There’s just a different feel to the entire process, and we like when people have questions and are trying to gain knowledge,” Jessica said. “Having that close-knit relationship and communication, and getting to know our customers, is what we enjoy the most.”
Another aspect to educating their customers is sharing how animals are handled in the field or at home has a direct connection to the meat harvested.
“I can’t stress enough how the more time and effort you put into the care of the animal in the field or at home, the better yield, the better flavor, the better the meat is going to be all around,” Jessica said.
They also enjoy sharing cooking tips and recipes with customers, from how to slow simmer pulled pork in a crock pot to serving up the best roasts and barbecued ribs. Answering questions about preparing various cuts, and how to get the best use out of each cut, is an important part of their services.
“What it all comes down to is people want to know how to best harvest and cook the meat, and how to make a delicious meal,” John said. “We help them make that happen.”
Oak Stone Custom Meat Processing is a service of Oak Stone Outfitters, located just outside of Paso Robles at 71201 Sargents Road in Bradley. Call (805) 748-2787 for details on butchery services and classes or visit oakstoneoutfitters.com. Follow Oak Stone Outfitters on Facebook and Instagram.
-By Meagan Friberg
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