Horse

[Delftse Post]

I am curious about the color of the meat and the taste of it. I had never seen nor eaten any horse meat yet I hope it is not something that is tough to chew on. Is it not too costly to raise and butcher horses?

Looks pretty much like a beef steak. It's usually described as being a bit sweeter than other red meats, but can't say I noticed - a bit gamier than say beef. It was extremely tender though.

Horses are not typically raised specifically for their meat. However, when they reach the end of their working life..

 

[Bakemehappy]

Oh I hear you, now I understand why. I was surprised to hear about their tender meat I thought those active muscles are so tough with thick ligaments and cartilage but I was wrong. If they are indeed sweeter then I do not see any reason why I will not try eating their meat. I am not yet sold though about horse meat being a bit gamier than beef hmmm

 

[winterybella]

I see this thread again and I am thinking of the metaphor "i'm so hungry, I could eat a horse" and it's true of me right about now.

 

[Corzhens]

I am curious about the color of the meat and the taste of it. I had never seen nor eaten any horse meat yet I hope it is not something that is tough to chew on. Is it not too costly to raise and butcher horses?

Horse meat is red meat that is tender like the beef tenderloin. And some veterans in the racetrack say that it is more nutritious than beef. Would you believe that corned beef in some countries are not really beef but horse meat? I have a friend who worked abroad and who told me that when beef supply is short, the cannery augments their supply with horse meat.

 

[Bakemehappy]

Horse meat is red meat that is tender like the beef tenderloin. And some veterans in the racetrack say that it is more nutritious than beef. Would you believe that corned beef in some countries are not really beef but horse meat? I have a friend who worked abroad and who told me that when beef supply is short, the cannery augments their supply with horse meat.

I am thinking that the meat would be tougher especially if the horse did a lot of racing. Really? they add some horse meat maybe like an extender or you have said it to augment the supply? I can not tell what meat it is for sure who knows I might have eaten before

 

[cupcakechef]

It isn't a meat that we eat in the UK. A lot of people associate horse with riding, and ponies etc and very few will eat it. I've never tried it and im not sure I ever would. I
don't know of any place that sells it in the UK.

what does it taste like?

Much the same here, it's just one of those meats I don't think I could eat - just a mental barrier that I don't know I could get over. I don't even know if it's something that can be purchased here.

 

[winterybella]

Much the same here, it's just one of those meats I don't think I could eat - just a mental barrier that I don't know I could get over. I don't even know if it's something that can be purchased here.

One of these days you will eat and probably compliment the chef to later find out you've just enjoyed some horse meat. Just typing it feels weird. Look at what I found when I searched for images of people eating horse. I choose the nicest thing.

 

[Corzhens]

I am thinking that the meat would be tougher especially if the horse did a lot of racing. Really? they add some horse meat maybe like an extender or you have said it to augment the supply? I can not tell what meat it is for sure who knows I might have eaten before

That's also what I thought before that the horse meat of racehorses are tough. But they aren't because the butcher said it depends on what they eat. Besides, racehorses are not abused like the horses that pull the carts or those horses used to plow the field. Yes, when there is lack of meat for corned beef, they use the horse meat as a cheap substitute. That's why they say that New Zealend corned beef is the best maybe because they are sure that it is made of beef.

 

[cupcakechef]

One of these days you will eat and probably compliment the chef to later find out you've just enjoyed some horse meat. Just typing it feels weird. Look at what I found when I searched for images of people eating horse. I choose the nicest thing.

Oh boy! Yes, maybe one day it will be common place...but if I knew what it was on a menu I don't think I could order it! Same way as I won't eat or order lamb because I always think of the baby sheep. I know, it's a bit hypocritical of me seeing that I eat beef, pork and chicken...but it's totally a mental thing for me! I can't bring myself to do it!

 

[classic33]

The problem with meat from race horses, is that it can contain traces of medicines that haven't been tested on humans, let alone approved for use on them. The effects of these medications in the human food chain are unknown.

 

[MyExWasAChef]

Horse is expensive where I'm from so it's a delicacy also if it's not sold in the supermarket, farmer's market or grocer's I don't buy it. Don't you think eating horse will be quite odd? There a lot of cultural references of horses in movies and in my childhood such that I consider it a sentient being that shouldn't be eaten. Anyhow, I'll eat horse if I was starving alone on a desert island and if it was the last thing on the menu.

 

[Shadow]

it's a bit hypocritical of me seeing that I eat beef, pork and chicken

This, precisely. It's a cultural thing. Most people in western europe and north america have been brought up to eat only these meat, whereas you only have to go back 2 generations when our grandparents would have have thought nothing of eating horse, donkey, deer, bull etc. I specifically mention these as Mrs S will not go near them, knowingly.
I ate horse in italy many years ago; very tasty.

 

[lexinonomous]

I've never heard of ordering horse meat. It is definitely not common here in California, but I wouldn't mind trying it. I figure I'm a fan of steak and eat all sorts of other meats...horse meat really isn't all that different. Is the taste similar to steak?

 

[Corzhens]

This, precisely. It's a cultural thing. Most people in western europe and north america have been brought up to eat only these meat, whereas you only have to go back 2 generations when our grandparents would have have thought nothing of eating horse, donkey, deer, bull etc. I specifically mention these as Mrs S will not go near them, knowingly.
I ate horse in italy many years ago; very tasty.

You are right, food depends on the culture. We are used to eating pork because it is in our culture but there are places like Saudi Arabia with a culture that forbids eating pork. Last January we were in Beijing and we didn't know that we had ordered noodles with donkey meat. The picture in the menu looked like donkey but we assumed it was a cow. My husband was even laughing at the lousy drawing of the cow which later we learned was really donkey. We had eaten the donkey meat and it tasted okay.

 

[Berties]

You are right, food depends on the culture. We are used to eating pork because it is in our culture but there are places like Saudi Arabia with a culture that forbids eating pork. Last January we were in Beijing and we didn't know that we had ordered noodles with donkey meat. The picture in the menu looked like donkey but we assumed it was a cow. My husband was even laughing at the lousy drawing of the cow which later we learned was really donkey. We had eaten the donkey meat and it tasted okay.

You can also eat donkey, my cousin rescued 3 donkeys from Spain destined for a salami factory, I'm not sure their expensive gesture did any thing for animal welfare,
After 3 years in their paddock they now live out their days at a sanctuary