Horse meat---I don't see the problem

Farmer Willy · #1 02/13/13, 10:04 PM

Seems to be a lot of folks up in arms lately over butchering horse. I'd have a problem with it if I thought I was getting beef and I got horse. I'd feel the same way if I ordered pork and got coon. I'd not be happy about it.
What I don't get is folks having a screaming duck fit that folks would want to eat horse at all. I don't see the problem. Meat is meat. Read a story earlier that it can go for $50 at auction. Seems like that would be some really cheap eating. Put me down for a big bowl of horse stew.

Oggie · #2 02/13/13, 10:08 PM

The issues are twofold:

Horse meat was labeled as beef.

Horse meat that is considered in Europe to be unsafe for human consumption was labeled as horse meat that was fit for consumption.

Harry Chickpea · #3 02/13/13, 10:16 PM

W-i-l-b-u-r-r-r-r....

primal1 · #4 02/13/13, 10:20 PM

We ate a lot of horse meat growing up, my Granmda loved it and got it from her local German butcher. I still buy it once and a while but it's no longer as cheap as it used to be... I'd be really mad if i got beef when i paid for horse! lol

thesedays · #5 02/13/13, 10:38 PM

I wouldn't have a problem with eating horsemeat either, as long as I knew that was what I was eating.

chickenista · #6 02/13/13, 10:55 PM

Add me to the list that thinks it should be made available.
Leaner than beef too.

primal1 · #7 02/13/13, 11:00 PM

Is it not available in the States at all?

Trixie · #8 02/13/13, 11:10 PM

I don't think it is available in the US - some others may know best.

Not long ago, there was a big flap around here because people were raising horses for a slaughterhouse that was shipping it overseas.

My sister says they got horse meat at the base commissary in Alaska when they were there.

I would feel queasy and that makes no sense I realize.

JeffreyD · #9 02/13/13, 11:19 PM

[QUOTE=Trixie;6447750]I don't think it is available in the US - some others may know best.

Not long ago, there was a big flap around here because people were raising horses for a slaughterhouse that was shipping it overseas.

My sister says they got horse meat at the base commissary in Alaska when they were there.

I would feel queasy and that makes no sense I realize.[/QUOTE]

I so agree with this!!

Pops2 · #10 02/14/13, 12:10 AM

It's only available in some specialty ethnic stores in certain large cities. The crazy part is that our processed horse meat came from Canada even though it was slaughtered here and shipped there as frozen sides. Even after slaughter was banned here, Canadian processed American horse meat could be bought here.

Trixie · #11 02/14/13, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pops2

It's only available in some specialty ethnic stores in certain large cities. The crazy part is that our processed horse meat came from Canada even though it was slaughtered here and shipped there as frozen sides. Even after slaughter was banned here, Canadian processed American horse meat could be bought here.

That makes sense, doesn't it?

Laura · #12 02/14/13, 01:01 AM

I ate horse as a kid at my grandma's house. Meat's meat. I've eaten a lot of things.

When we took horses to auction, we set minimum prices above meat price for the good horses so they wouldn't go to the meat broker. Then there's the horses that SHOULD be sold for meat. The meat buyer would take them to his feed lot then haul them to Canada for slaughter.

Trixie · #13 02/14/13, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laura

I ate horse as a kid at my grandma's house. Meat's meat. I've eaten a lot of things.

When we took horses to auction, we set minimum prices above meat price for the good horses so they wouldn't go to the meat broker. Then there's the horses that SHOULD be sold for meat. The meat buyer would take them to his feed lot then haul them to Canada for slaughter.

I've heard horse meat is kinda sweet - is that true?

I do admit mine is just prejudice - to my knowledge, I've never eaten horse.

But then, I grew up eating squirrels - big rats - ate armadillo once.

notbutanapron · #14 02/14/13, 02:49 AM

It's legal to eat horse here. I think one of the issues was bute, but I'm fairly certain that doesn't even end up in the meat if properly butchered. Either way, that's a bute issue, not a horse issue.

I haven't had it yet. It's "icky" so nobody sells it just yet.

simi-steading · #15 02/14/13, 04:18 AM

You can put me down as one that wouldn't turn his nose up to big ole horse T-bone.. I bet those are huge...

where I want to · #16 02/14/13, 07:41 AM

It's harder for people who have ridden horses and have had their foolish rear ends saved by an athletic or sensible horse to think of eating them. Also there are cultures that where horses were more romanticised such as Britain or Ireland. A buddy is more than a meatsource.
I have alway felt (and it is strictly emotional) that an animal that has worked for me deserves care. So no eating of dogs or horses for me. Even my older goats who have produced kids for me get retirement as long as I can manage it.

jwal10 · #17 02/14/13, 07:49 AM

Horse meat is a little sweet, makes great jerky if cut across the grain. It is stringy, little fat and tougher than good beef. Of course age make a big difference. Horse steaks are huge off big draft horses. I worked at an auction where horses were sold to export. In the late 70's and 80's a lot of BLM horses went to slaughter. Truck loads were hauled from Nevada. They even replaced the studs with draft horse breeds to improve the cuts wanted in France, at that time....James

Tommyice · #18 02/14/13, 07:51 AM

Accidentally ate horse when visiting France years ago. Big surprise to me and I was devastated.

I think a lot of the hesitation to eat horse meat is the relationship that humans have with horses that does not exist with other animals such as cattle, chickens, etc. Only dogs rank in that realm. I wouldn't eat a dog either.

Then there was the deception. Person thought they were getting beef but instead got horse. Kinda along the lines of paying for a diamond and getting a cubic zirconia.

Belfrybat · #19 02/14/13, 08:10 AM

I wouldn't have a problem eating horse meat as long as it was labelled as such. As others have said, meat is meat. I think the only meat I'd have some problems eating is dog, but I'd even eat that in a pinch (just not one of my own).

Lilith · #20 02/14/13, 08:14 AM

I asked around about why horse meat is considered taboo after getting to try it. I find it to be quite satisfying.
The main answer I got was horse is taboo for the same reasons that pigs and lambs are taboo in some cultures. It is believed that the devil takes the form of a cloven hoofed beast. Not very long ago, horses were cloven hoofed. Many see this evolution as a way for the devil to hide himself. It comes down to religion and superstition in many cases. Pigs are dirty because Jesus cast a demon out from a man into a heard of pigs then drowned the pigs, so pigs are dirty. Lamb was served at the last supper, so it is sacred.
Other reasons for not consuming horse meat is that horses are viewed as pets, and you just don't eat your pets. Then again, we have many WWII veterans who were served horse meat on a regular basis while stationed in Germany. I can't imagine wanting to have the same diet I had had in a war zone.
After looking at the nutritional value of horse meat, I can't say that I would want to keep it in my everyday diet ... horse meat is a heart attack waiting to happen.
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/...roducts/4639/2