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Clarifying the notion of horsemeat
As soon as prehistoric times, horsemeat was much appreciated for its typical taste. Afterwards, its nutritional qualities were ignored and the animal was used for work and sports purposes. But lately, we can say that horsemeat is back and going strong. Belgian consumers are really going for it since the increase in the mad cow cases. They have abandoned the beef counters. For the last ten years, horsemeat sales have gone up drastically!
In Canada, where red meat consumption has gone down because of its high fat content, horsemeat is once more appreciated.
Since June 1994, we can find horsemeat in Quebec's grocery stores. Several cuts are available; they are vacuum packed for preservation purposes. Its taste is slightly sweet because of its glycogen content which is three times higher than the amount found in beef. The meat is so tender that it requires minimal cooking time. Furthermore, it can be used during the week because of its affordable price which is less expensive than ostrich meat also known as health meat.
Nutrients Horsemeat is an excellent source of high quality protein, B12 vitamin and zinc .Because of its low fat content (3%) and low cholesterol content, horsemeat is easily digestible. Finally, its dark red color is an indication of a high iron content: 4mg per 100g of meat, way above beef or pork. Horsemeat is recommended for people needing high iron content food such as pregnant women and anemic people.
One might say: does horsemeat have any weak points? It is quite vulnerable, it can be easily contaminated by germs especially if it is minced. But let us remember that the public health standards are the same for the horse and the beef slaughterhouses.
Horsemeat - Cooked meat
(100 g portion)
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Meat cut
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Energy KJ
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Proteins Gr
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Fat
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Cholesterol
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Iron
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B12 Vit.
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Roast
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175
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28.1
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6.05 Gr
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68. Mg
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5.03 ml
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3.16 ml
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Horsemeat - Raw meat
(100 g portion)
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Meat Cut
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Energy KJ
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Proteins Gr
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Fat
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Cholesterol
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Iron
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B12 Vit.
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Roast
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133
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21.3
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4.6 gr
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52.0 Mg
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3.82 ml
|
3.0 ml
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The horse and its origin Some sixty millions years ago, Eohippus (hyracotherium), the ancestor of the actual horse, made its first steps in the Paleocene forests.
This small mammal, the size of a dog, barely 40 centimeters high, fed mainly on leaves.
Its four toes were well adapted to its biotope: the marshland. Because of climatic upheavals, Eohippus had to leave the forest. In this open field, it became an easy prey for the predators. This new situation probably led Eohippus to instinctively run away; this situation is also certainly responsible for the atrophy of its first toe. While "loosing" this support, Eohippus, now known as Mesohippuss, could now run much faster.
Mesohippuss is slightly taller than its ancestor; it is approximately fifty centimeters tall. It will take another 20 million years for Mesohippuss to grow another forty centimeters and become this ninety centimeter athlete.
It is now known as Merychippus. It belongs to the perissodactyla family: it now rests on the ground on only one toe.
Ten million years later, Merychippus becomes Pliohippus, the whole-hoofed animal (one toe). It is 115 centimeters but contrarily to the actual horse, its hoof is split in two.
Features Horsemeat is now sold in top quality butcher shops and supermarkets along with beef, pork, veal and poultry.. The Agriculture law requires that the following information be included: type of meat, weight, date it was packed and price. This information is an advantage for the consumer looking for the best meat cut without any loss. It will be easy for you to appreciate the quality of horsemeat if you are familiar with its main features and with the various factors that influence the quality of the meat.
Age A popular saying states : "old beef, bad meat; old horse, good meat"! Connoisseurs appreciate older horsemeat because it has matured and it is ready for consumption. The horse butcher's stall has two suggestions: first, the colt, with its white meat, its nutritious value equivalent to veal, its neutral taste and its easily digestible meat and then the adult horse meat. At the age of 3 or 4, the horse meat is already very good but after its seventh year, it is simply delicious. Horse meat can be eaten at a later age as long as the horse was not submitted to hard work. It is interesting to know that a horse can live up to age twenty-five to thirty.
The sex of the animal The slaughterhouse has categorized the animals by decreasing order of quality: the mare, the gelded horse (castrated), and the stallion. The male's muscular mass is much greater than that of the female and also firmer.
Race Thoroughbreds and half-breds are most appreciated for their tender, red and succulent meat; the fat is quite firm. Without any distinction, all horse species are sought after; there is no official quality classification as for the beef because of the meat's constant quality. Mule and donkey meat which are tastier than horsemeat are not for consumption except in Spain and in Portugal. The law makes a clear distinction regarding these "first cousins" before slaughtering. Zebra meat is strong, too fat and very tough…an exotic meat to be left for a lion's appetite!
Color The meat is of a bright red: but soon after it is cut, the muscle takes on a typical rusty color.
This feature is a guarantee of quality. The fat is fine, firm and of a nice saffron color which comes from the carotene in corn and the grass from the pasture. Contrarily to beef where meat and fat are intertwined, horsemeat is wrapped around the muscle.
Tenderness Horsemeat gives us the impression that it has been tenderized It is known as the most tender meat there is: a specific biological process is used to tenderize the muscular fibers. Other meat require three or four days before they can be consumed in order to allow for the rigidity to disappear and for the autolytic enzymes to act: horsemeat reaches maximum tenderness in 24 hours which makes it ready for consumption very early. Butcher shops can offer meat that has been cut on the day following slaughtering.
Taste Its taste is a combination of beef and deer: it's pleasant and slightly sweet due to its glycogen content from the muscle tissue. Pan fried, horsemeat can be mistaken for first quality beef.; if you choose to marinate it and cook it on the barbecue, your friends will be wondering and will congratulate you for this succulent recipe.
Meat cuts Each cut is judged according to its tenderness, its taste and its reputation. The prime cuts are sold as roast, steak or minced meat. Less tender cuts can be used for stews and pot roasts.. For delicatessen purposes, you will find pure horse sausages, horse and pork sausages, pastrami and horse pâtés. For manipulation and classification purposes, the horse carcass is divided in two and then separated in half carcasses (front quarter and hind quarter). There are two great types of cut: the French cut and the North-American cut. The first comes from way back when and was developed because of a very demanding clientele; the meat cuts are sophisticated and uniformly tender. The French butcher is a well respected professional not to say that the North American butcher is not a professional. |