Horse Meat: Sourcing, Preparing, Eating

[MT-Tarragon]

I haven't seen horse offered as food here in the USA, but I know for sure that there are companies here that raise horses for slaughter and ship the meat to Europe for consumption. The company I work for has at least one as a customer. They don't like to advertise what they do.

-Matt

[chefzadi]

In France horse butchershops are called boucheries chevalines, they are falling out of favor with the general public. But there are still found in the Provinces. Horsemeat dishes are rarely found in restaurants.

The banning of horsemeat in America reminds me a question my wife asked me once.

"Do you think there are many vegetarians in France?" Non!

"What do French people in general think about vegetarians?" There crazy.

EDIT: VeryApe77, it wasn't in your imagination. They were more common a while back.

I'm sure there are a few left in Paris though and not just in the provinces.

Edited February 18, 2005 by chefzadi (log)

[rich]

Okay - I'm just about open to anything, but eating horse meat is totally out of the question. Horses should be ridden or raced, not killed for dog food or human consumption.

I own a few thoroughbreds that I race in Aqueduct, Belmont, Saratoga etc. I could never eat horse meat and in my opinion nor should anyone else. These are beautiful, intelligent animals that should not be part of the food chain - ride a horse don't eat it.

PS - This is why I nver sell my retired thoroughbreds. I give them away to farms as pleasure horses or donate them to police departments.

[chefzadi]

According to this article http://www.sptimes.com/2002/09/04/Columns/...ueamish_o.shtml

There are some supporters for horse meat consumption

" Another surprising supporter is Dr. Tom Lenz, president-elect of the 7,000-member American Association of Equine Practitioners. "The issue is what do you do with unwanted horses," he said. "Some people can't afford to keep them."

Lenz, who has witnessed slaughters at Beltex, said the industry kills horses "humanely." The companies use the same method used to kill cows and other live stock that we eat: a quick killing blow of a stun gun to the head. Veterinarians worry that if the Texas network succeeds in banning horse meat processing in this country, our unwanted animals will be sent to the busy killing floors of Canada and Mexico. "

[hodge-podge]

I guess now isn't the time to talk about the seal hunt.

Awww! They're just so cute!

[NulloModo]

I don't see a problem with eating horse, in fact, I would like to try it sometime.

Obviously if I rode horses I wouldn't want to dine on one I had raised up or anything like that, but 'farmed' horse meat wouldn't seem any different than beef, pork, or any other farm raised meat.

Then again, I wouldn't be against trying dog either, provided it wasn't _my_ dog, but some farm raised dog with that purpose in mind.

[Sonja Wagenaar]

In Germany they have "Pferdewurst" (horse sausage). My relatives considered it yet another weird American hangup when I said it wouldn't fly in the U.S. Meat is meat, right?

[Timh]

I had basashi sashimi in Kagoshima Japan. The best was the heart, great texture.

Edited February 19, 2005 by Timh (log)

[chefzadi]

late breaking news on horsemeat in the States

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor..._us/wild_horses

"I enjoy the wild horses. I'm blessed to live out here among them and it's a very romantic thought. But there is such a thing as reality," Fascio said. "Since they can't seem to find homes for all of these horses all of the time, there is only one thing left. There are foreign countries that eat horsemeat. We don't now, but we did during World War II. I see nothing wrong with that."

I agree with this quote.

[ilyaura]

I had basashi sashimi in Kagoshima Japan. The best was the heart, great texture.

I've had basashi a few times, it's one of my area's special foods. It was nice, though a bit bland. It's usually served with ginger and onion here. Before I'd had the chance to eat it, I wondered how I would deal with it, but it was just like any other meat. One of my friends is a horsey person, and he won't eat it, understandably, because he's ridden horses all his life, but he doesn't have a problem with anyone else eating it in his presence.

[SuzySushi]

Horsemeat is illegal for human consumption in some states -- ironically including Texas, where most of the horses slaughtered for food (for export or animal foods) are processed.

I tried horsemeat in France -- if memory serves me right, in a cafe in Beaune -- and basashi, horsemeat sashimi, in Japan. The latter had a sweeter, more delicate flavor than beef. There was also a boucherie chevaline on the pedestrian shopping street in the Paris neighborhood where we stayed on our most recent trip (14th arrondissement, near Denfert-Rochereau).

[DCMark]

Wow, the rank hypocrisy!

Some people think pigs are beautiful and they are certainly more intelligent than horses. Do you eat pork?

Has anyone asked if hoses want to be ridden and raced? This is another use (mis-use) of animals. In this country we generally allow and support the use of animals for food, sport and enjoyment. Yours happens to be shoving a bit in their mouth, putting a tiny man on them and whipping their ass. Mine might be eating them. Neither of us has any business tell the other what they should do.

Horse meat is hard to find in the US, maybe impossible. Ironic as its the number one supplier of horse meat to Europe. I almost had an 'underground' source but he chickened out in the end. Everytime I am in France or Canada, I make sure to have some horse. It so wonderfully flavorful and great cooked rare.

Okay - I'm just about open to anything, but eating horse meat is totally out of the question. Horses should be ridden or raced, not killed for dog food or human consumption.

I own a few thoroughbreds that I race in Aqueduct, Belmont, Saratoga etc. I could never eat horse meat and in my opinion nor should anyone else. These are beautiful, intelligent animals that should not be part of the food chain - ride a horse don't eat it.

PS - This is why I nver sell my retired thoroughbreds. I give them away to farms as pleasure horses or donate them to police departments.

←

[SiseFromm]

ride a horse don't eat it.

Feel free to use a horse, just not in a way I see fit.

[halloweencat]

rich, i'm glad you try to keep tabs on your ex-racers...but, just a heads up, i've read a lot of (sad) reports on rescue sites and ex-racer-type sites that warn that many folks who thought they had provided good homes for their horses with other folks found their horses untraceable afterwards, or found out their former horses were sold at auctions frequented by slaugherers.

hope this isn't the case with your former horses.

cheers --

[piperdown]

I love horse meat.

Growing up in Switzerland, we saw a lot of horse on the menu, and cooked a lot of it at home. Horse meat fondue is still one of my favourites. Oh, and the dried curred horse meat is ten times better the prosciutto.. I can understand why some people don't eat it, but the vehemence which people protest it is shocking (especially if they eat other types of meat). Who the heck am I to judge what people should eat.

In Toronto, Whitehouse meats (St Lawrence Market) used to sell horse meat, but now they'll only do it by special order. I've never seen it on the menu here though so thanks for the recommendation Hodge-Podge.

[shelora]

Hello,

There used to be a meat vendor/butcher out on Hastings that advertised horse meat for sale. This was some time ago. Does anyone know if it is still there and where it is located?

If not, is there anyone still offering horse meat for sale in Vancouver, B.C. or on Vancouver Island and how to get a hold of them?

Neigh whinny,

Shelora

[Ling]

They sometimes have horse sashimi at Sakae downtown.

[appreciator]

But why? Why would you want to eat horse meat?

Is it tastier then cow, bison, deer etc.?

I don't get it, and really can't imagine myself eating horse.... unless it was by mistake.... (dim sum anyone?)

[jamiemaw]

But why?  Why would you want to eat horse meat?

Is it tastier then cow, bison, deer etc.? 

I don't get it, and really can't imagine myself eating horse.... unless it was by mistake.... (dim sum anyone?)

←

Well for starters, its delicious. Same holds true for main courses too. On the whole I prefer to take it with a superior Gentlemen's Relish. Slightly sweet flesh (this condiment cuts that), very lean.

Even in Paris though, there are only about 30 'boutiques hippophagiques'--horse butchers--(boucheries chevaline) left; as I recall all must must display this name to differentiate themselves from conventional butchers. But consumption is growing in Germany due to BSE outbreaks in cattle (see below).

The French appetite for horse meat reportedly dates from the Battle of Eylau in 1807, when the surgeon-in-chief of Napoleon’s Army, Baron Dominique-Jean Larry, advised the starving troops to eat the flesh of dead battlefield horses. The cavalry used breastplates as cooking pans. Of course Wellington eventually prevailed because of the curative powers of the aforementioned Gentlemen's Relish. Or maybe it's because he didn't trust guys named Larry.

Horsemeat is protein-rich, finely textured, bright red, and firm, not unlike Mr. Keith Talent when negotiating a BC wine purchase. But, unlike Mr. Talent, horses are immune to BSE.

Perhaps most interesting though, is that the older a horse is, the more tender its flesh becomes--exactly opposite to a beef steer. Optimal slaughter is at 10 to 15 years, minimum is about seven. Of course this is a great way to really get to know your dinner, and so explains why horse meat is a popular adjunct to the Slow Food movement. Wild American mustangs (free range, grass-fed et al), are especially prized by the French.

Perhaps we should ask Neil to add some 'Trigger' patties to his repertoire and serve them at the next Burger Club. Diced yellow peppers for identifiers. And an encouraging sploosh of the Gentlemen's Relish, please.

Giddy up.

Jamie

Edited March 3, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[Sam Salmon]

Hello,

There used to be a meat vendor/butcher out on Hastings that advertised horse meat for sale. This was some time ago. Does anyone know if it is still there and where it is located?

←

That place was a Dutch deli as I recall-it also was said to have an excellent licorice selection.

Given my predilection I never darkened their door and the place passed from existence in the mid to late 70's.

[appreciator]

I'm sorry... this is still completely gross to me...

Why would I eat cow and not horse..... now that, is good question.

But you know what... no matter how I slice it.... eating horse just isn't on.

Granted, I've worked with horses in a past life (not in the woo woo sense, just a number of years ago)...... they have personalities, a few of them are damn smart. I can't eat something like that.

Sniff..... wondering if I need to revisit the veg only thang again, right when I'm on the verge of sinking my teeth into a juicy sirloin..... what's up with that?.....

Edited March 3, 2005 by appreciator (log)

[sanrensho]

I wonder if Nikuya Meats on Hasting might carry it. They are a Japanese butcher, and since (raw) horse meat is considered a delicacy in Japan, they might be worth a try.

Info: #107-2828 E.Hastings St. Tel:604-216-2983

Ask for "basashi" (raw horse meat). I've had it a few times in Japan, but it didn't leave any particular impression on me either way.

[Stinky Cook]

check out the menu for Pastis in NYC. I beleive the option is Hamburger, or Hamburger Cheval

[canucklehead]

I've seen it for sale at Nikuya - usually there is no english sign - just the japanese character for 'horse'

[shelora]

Do you know of anyone serving horse meat in Toronto restaurants? If so, how are they serving it? Anyone tried it?

Shelora