Horse Meat: Sourcing, Preparing, Eating

[hollywood]

I have no idea how accurate this material is but it seems correct as to what happened in California. I think the statute was the result of a ballot initiative sold on the nobody wants to eat Trigger rationale.

http://www.hoofpac.com/letter/

[jeniac42]

I'm not entirely sure I could eat horse meat but it would probably be easier for me than dog or cat.

That letter hollywood linked seems kind of funny to me as the practices of antibiotics and slaughter methods are similar to what happens to most commercial livestock (although admittedly the FDA approval of the antibiotics, etc, is different) and therefore hardly a convincing reason not to eat horse meat.

[EJRothman]

Let's cut to the chase people... Is it possible to get horse in the US, and what's the price. I'm specifically talking NY-region, but mail order would be acceptible.

-Eric

[hollywood]

Let's cut to the chase people... Is it possible to get horse in the US, and what's the price.  I'm specifically talking  NY-region, but mail order would be acceptible.

-Eric

Isn't it in some dog or cat food? Like Alpo?

[EJRothman]

Let's cut to the chase people... Is it possible to get horse in the US, and what's the price.  I'm specifically talking  NY-region, but mail order would be acceptible.

-Eric

Isn't it in some dog or cat food? Like Alpo?

MMMM, I have to look into that! Thanks!

[Craig Camp]

I have tried horse as often as possible in Italy. The results of my research tell me that in almost all circumstances beef or pork will work in the dish better than horse. As Wilfrid notes it is often tough. Notable exceptions are salami - which is fantastic, and bollito - a dish that eliminates toughness in meat.

[torakris]

Horse prices:

http://www.purefood.org/madcow/horse42501.cfm

as to where to buy it in the US? I have no idea

[torakris]

some ways of serving horse meat in Japan:

scroll to the bottom

http://www.avis.ne.jp/~eiji1965/echiframehtmnew.htm

[fresco]

My Friend Flicka (sniff).

[Nick]

I never really had any desire to eat horse meat. Maybe it has something to do with having worked with horses - mostly in the woods twitching out logs. You can get close to a horse when you're working together.

I did sell a horse for meat once. She had come down with equine encephalitis (swamp fever) for which there is no cure and is highly contagious among horses through mosquitos. She was a good horse. Eight year old black Percheron from some Amish people out in Ohio and she boated all the stone for the foundation of the first house I built. She was one of the best horses I ever worked around.

[Fynnicki]

I spent a year in Japan after college (teaching English), and had the opportunity to try horse during a vacation to Kyushu. All meals were provided on the tour; for one meal, we were given what looked to be thin slices of lean meat, plenty of veggies, and a small table-top pot to cook them in (if desired). Some people ate the meat raw, but as I wasn't a big fan of sashimi (tried it on several occasions, but could never acquire a fondness for the texture), I sauteed mine in the pot with the veggies. The meat was quite tasty and tender; I assumed it was beef!

Later, when we stopped at a local shop, I realized the meat looked exactly like what was being sold as horse sashimi! I'm actually glad I didn't know what I was eating, or I might not have tried it. As it is, I don't think I'd go out of my way to eat it again, but I'm glad I had the opportunity to try it. And I certainly wouldn't balk at eating it if it were served to me, especially cooked.

[chefzadi]

World horse meat consumption levels 2001 (tonnes)

Italy 78,500

France 34,700

Netherlands 11,000

Belgium 10,800

Germany 6,900

WORLD TOTAL 153,000

According to this article http://www.cbc.ca/news/features/horse_meat_industry.html

This http://www.igha.org/USDA.html is a page from the International Generic Horse Association and Horse Aid. Apparently at one time the USDA was promoting Horse Meat. I couldn't find a link to it on their website though. Maybe someone who's better at research can give it a stab.

Have you tried horse meat sashimi?

Any Horse meat butchers in your area?

How do you like your horse steaks?

Any restaurants serving horse meat?

[Hiroyuki]

Have you tried horse meat sashimi?

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Yes, I have. Horse meat sashimi is called basashi in Japanese.

[hodge-podge]

I had horse tartar two nights ago for dinner at a small french bisto here in Toronto. There is another small french bistro here that has horse tenderloin on most sunday nights for a special. Both versions are delicious.

[therese]

I've never seen it in the U.S., and so far as I know have never eaten (or seen advertised) horse meat in a restaurant anywhere in Europe. We had it pretty frequently at home in France when I was in high school. I don't recall eating it at home in northern Italy.

[Kevin72]

Verona, Italy is known for a number of horse and mule dishes. I saw an all-horsemeat butcher in either Venice or Verona but I can't remember where now.

I can't remember where I read this and I apologize if I'm furthering a myth, but apparently the reason Verona has so many horsemeat dishes is that they were besieged in the Middle Ages. Lots of dead horses lying around after the battles, so . . .

Anyways, I'm intrigued enough to try it, but I didn't have enough wine in me or my wife when when it was on the menu of the place we were eating at.

[Chud62120798]

Which bistros in Toronto Hodge-podge ? I'd be interested in trying them out... We used to eat horse meat in Montreal when I was growing up, but it was mostly stewed....

[jpdchef]

Which bistros in Toronto Hodge-podge ? I'd be interested in trying them out... We used to eat horse meat in Montreal when I was growing up, but it was mostly stewed....

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I've also not seen it in the U.S.--Is it a legislated problem,or perceived lack of interest?

[andiesenji]

There is some feeling (which some people feel is irrational) against eating horses, especially in this area.

A few years ago there was a scandal revealed where a group of people were "adopting" horses that had been rescued from inhumane conditions or were adopting wild mustangs through a society that places them in pet homes. They were then shipping the horses off to Japan to be slaughtered for food.

A great many people were horrified that they had contributed to a charity for animal abuse and then had the animals whisked off to be killed. Much outcry, fines and prison sentences for the perps, little girls walking in protest lines and so on.

People who love horses (as pets, not on the table) really get up in arms about this subject. I have neighbors who will happily chow down on any kind of animal but threaten their horses with the dog food industry or the people food industry and you will have an "in-your-face" confrontation that will shake you to your shoes. One raises llamas and occasionally butchers one for meat but most of the offspring are sold as pets or for wool production. They are a cash crop. Her horses are pets, pure and simple and she would probably starve rather than butcher one of them for meat. Irrational perhaps, but that is the way things are here.

Of course I feel the same way about my dogs. . . . . . . . . Maybe I am irrational too.

Edited February 18, 2005 by andiesenji (log)

[albiston]

Had horse a few times last year in Salento, the region around Lecce in Italy, both meat and offal. The meat was either served as steak or diced and braised with a tomato sauce, both nice though the steaks were always way to thin and therefore on the dry side. I find does not taste significantly different from beef: more delicate perhaps and with a slight sweet note. The tripe on the other hand was great, just chewey without being rubbery and extremely well flavored; I would have loved to have a recipe for that. Liked it much better than the usual cow stuff.

I can't remember where I read this and I apologize if I'm furthering a myth, but apparently the reason Verona has so many horsemeat dishes is that they were besieged in the Middle Ages. Lots of dead horses lying around after the battles, so . . .

Kevin, I heard the hosemeat myth about Verona too, it makes a nice pair with the one about Vicenza and cats. I don't know if it is true but pastissada de caval, horse ragout, with polenta sure is delicious. Haven't had that in ages.

[jpdchef]

sorry if I'm being obtuse here,but is it illegal in america to serve horse (or donkey) or just considered declasse'

[hodge-podge]

Horse tartar at Batifole.

Horse tenderloin at La Palette.

There is a butcher in northwest Toronto that sells horsemeat. I can't remember the name though. I'll try to search it out.

By the way, I think I remember reading something awhile ago that said Canada is one of the larger producers of Horsemeat for Human consumption.

[VeryApe77]

Any restaurants serving horse meat?

There was a restaurant just by my old house in London (on the Bethnal Green Road) that proudly boasted of being one of the few (if not the only) restaurant in London that served horse meat. It closed though.

I also have never seen it offered here in the states.

This could be my memory, but when I was a young 'un and I went to France with my parents, I remember seeing a horse sign (meaning that horse meat was on sale) everywhere we went. When I was there last year (in paris and gascony) I don't recall seeing it once. Is horse meat falling out of favour there or was I just in the wrong parts of the country/city? Or did that sign never exist at all? Maybe I made it up....

[rjwong]

I've also not seen it in the U.S.--Is it a legislated problem,or perceived lack of interest?

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In 1998, California voters passed Proposition 6 with nearly 60% of the votes. This proposition prohibits the slaughtering of horses and the sale of horsemeat for human consumption.

Violation of this section is a felony punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for 16 months, or two or three years.

jpdchef, it is NOT illegal yet. Two bills were introduced in both the Senate and the House:

1. American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2004 (108th CONGRESS, 2d Session, S. 2352)

2. The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (108th CONGRESS, 1st Session, H. R. 857)

[jpdchef]

thank you for the clarification rjwong--my next question is-

if it's still possible,what would be the preffered cuts? top rounds and such for braisings,or perhaps better cuts from younger animals?(like veal) As you may be able to tell-I have no fuzzy feelings bout the horse>