A process for the coarse cutting-up of a carcass part comprising a limb, such as a shoulder part or a leg part, wherein a primary meat piece is separated from a skeleton portion of the carcass part by making incisions in the carcass part in a pattern adapted for the part while the part is held supported by the foot-end of the limb, the meat piece being cut loose from said skeleton portion while the limb is held rigid at the foot-end against bending, and the meat piece is gripped in the region of the vertically upper portion thereof and is subjected to pulling force away from the carcass part during the cutting loose operation.