Never gone to the butcher for treats, just for meals. A whole pork hock might make for an interesting training lesson!
I put chicken in the crockpot and let it cook until it just falls apart if I want chicken; otherwise I use hot dog or cheese and just rip off pieces as I need it. Never bothered to dehydrate hot dog in the microwave though I know you can. Hot dog is our highest value treat but I'm sure some dogs would rather something else. Also have done sandwich meats (sliced at the deli) before.
Otherwise I buy a lot of treats because I like soft treats more than crunchy treats. Shredded chicken is about the closest I could get as far as texture and messiness goes! Hot dog is nasty, but that's probably because I intentionally buy the nasty, gross, kinda greasy kind, because it smells really strong and that's exactly why it's our highest value treat, haha.