The ban has been lifted. Who will be first to smoke some? Or maybe someone has already tried? I read it's pretty lean meat.
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You can probably expect some "nags" regarding this post. :-)
Well now,Islands folks in south FL have been stealing untended riding horses for cookouts for many years. 
Nope, not me.
I draw the line a few places. Horse is one. Dog in Korea was another and we don't even do lamb (really, it's Mrs. Smokin rule)
I draw the line a few places. Horse is one. Dog in Korea was another and we don't even do lamb (really, it's Mrs. Smokin rule)
To me, it makes perfect sense that the quality grade of the best cuts of horse should be labeled "Thoroughbred" instead of "Prime", as with beef.
I just returned from teaching a course in Hanoi for three months. One evening I was walking back to my room and saw a horse in the alley--right behind my "house". I was a bit surprised because I was living in central Hanoi--and had NEVER seen a horse in this area of the city.
The next morning I got up early to go to the local market to buy vegetables and food for the next few days. As I walked down the alley I saw lots of people gathered around a big 55 gallon drum -- it was filled with the reddest meat I have ever seen. They were buying like crazy. I wondered what it was and then looked behind the "sales area" and saw a horse's tail tacked to the wall. Whoa---horse meat!! One woman standing in line spoke a bit of English and told me I should buy this meat because it was very, very good for you! I leaned over an looked into the big barrel and saw a huge eyeball looking back at me! Gak.
I took some photos to post on facebook--but they were so gruesome that I didn't do it.
But to summarize---yes, horse meat is very lean...I saw little, if any "fat". And of course the Vietnamese use every part of the animal. I was told the tail was used to make brushes to put on makeup.
It was never dull living there---!
The next morning I got up early to go to the local market to buy vegetables and food for the next few days. As I walked down the alley I saw lots of people gathered around a big 55 gallon drum -- it was filled with the reddest meat I have ever seen. They were buying like crazy. I wondered what it was and then looked behind the "sales area" and saw a horse's tail tacked to the wall. Whoa---horse meat!! One woman standing in line spoke a bit of English and told me I should buy this meat because it was very, very good for you! I leaned over an looked into the big barrel and saw a huge eyeball looking back at me! Gak.
I took some photos to post on facebook--but they were so gruesome that I didn't do it.
But to summarize---yes, horse meat is very lean...I saw little, if any "fat". And of course the Vietnamese use every part of the animal. I was told the tail was used to make brushes to put on makeup.
It was never dull living there---!
eating of many different animal is cultural; after all there are cultures that refrain from pork, which is a mainstay of the USA barbecue culture. Horse meat was readily available as pet food when I lived in San Diego back in the 70s. I recall from my navy days the monkey meat as street food in the Philipines; for all I know they probably threw some dog meat in there too. Ever notice how often chinese restaurants are located close to pet stores???
I would try it once, and probably move on. I have tried a few of the "wierd" meats. And this would just be one of those to add to the experience. I am interested to see where the lifting of the ban goes. The horse is an iconic figure in American culture. I doubt eating horse meat will really catch on. I hope at least to be able to find a place to try it. Still haven't tried Alligator or Armadillo among some others. San Diego isn't the easiest places to find those types of eateries.
I know of at least 3 times that I've eaten horse meat, and I have no issues or complaints. On 2 occasions it was a surprise, and once I ordered it knowingly. In all cases, it has been outside of the U.S.
The first time was 6 years ago at a large party a friend of mine hosted at his house near Barcelona, Spain. Basically, it was a barbecue with several different types of meats cooked on a giant grill then passed around on large platters. They also had large platters of cured meats, primarily pork (hams, sausages, etc.). When I asked the host what cuts of the grilled meats were he responded by saying "carne de res, carne de cerdo, and carne de caballo". In translation, I was good with the first two, beef and pork, but was a little stumped on the third meat. After a couple minutes, it hit me - horse. It was actually quite good even though I later found out that it was a pony.
I had a very similar experience at a party held at a winery in Mendoza, Argentina earlier this year. However, no cerdo - just res and caballo. My host told me that Argentina was the world's largest exporter of horse meat for human consumption with most of it going to France and Belgium.
My favorite and most memorable horse meat experience happened about 3 years ago on a business trip to Verona, Italy when my wife decided to join me. Our first day there, we spent the afternoon there strolling around with my wife doing the Romeo and Juliet thing. Evening approached and we decided to get something to eat, preferably simple as we had been snacking earlier at a few wine bars. Appropriately, I chose a restaurant known as Osteria Giulietta e Romeo.
After looking at the menu I decided to order Pastissada de Caval, which I knew was horse meat stew, though I didn't translate it for my wife. My wife was having trouble with the menu, but said she wanted some type of pasta. A minute later, our waiter passed by with a dish of thick spaghetti with a rich looking meat sauce, and my wife said "that looks good". When the waiter, who spoke no English, returned, I asked him in my limited Italian, what the dish was and he said "Bigoli con Ragu d' Asino. I told my wife that it was simply pasta in a meat sauce and she ordered it.
The meals were served, and we each enjoyed them very much. My wife tried the stew and said while she liked it, she liked her pasta and sauce even better. I sampled her dish and found the sauce to really be outstanding. When the waiter returned, I pointed to the sauce and said "Che tipo de carne?" (What kind of meat?). He replied by saying "Asino". I told him that I didn't understand and he replied with "Col musso". I shrugged my shoulders and he discreetly leaned over the table and went "Hee Haw, Hee Haw". I then informed my wife that the sauce she loved was made with donkey meat aka mule aka ass.
She hasn't forgiven me yet.
The first time was 6 years ago at a large party a friend of mine hosted at his house near Barcelona, Spain. Basically, it was a barbecue with several different types of meats cooked on a giant grill then passed around on large platters. They also had large platters of cured meats, primarily pork (hams, sausages, etc.). When I asked the host what cuts of the grilled meats were he responded by saying "carne de res, carne de cerdo, and carne de caballo". In translation, I was good with the first two, beef and pork, but was a little stumped on the third meat. After a couple minutes, it hit me - horse. It was actually quite good even though I later found out that it was a pony.
I had a very similar experience at a party held at a winery in Mendoza, Argentina earlier this year. However, no cerdo - just res and caballo. My host told me that Argentina was the world's largest exporter of horse meat for human consumption with most of it going to France and Belgium.
My favorite and most memorable horse meat experience happened about 3 years ago on a business trip to Verona, Italy when my wife decided to join me. Our first day there, we spent the afternoon there strolling around with my wife doing the Romeo and Juliet thing. Evening approached and we decided to get something to eat, preferably simple as we had been snacking earlier at a few wine bars. Appropriately, I chose a restaurant known as Osteria Giulietta e Romeo.
After looking at the menu I decided to order Pastissada de Caval, which I knew was horse meat stew, though I didn't translate it for my wife. My wife was having trouble with the menu, but said she wanted some type of pasta. A minute later, our waiter passed by with a dish of thick spaghetti with a rich looking meat sauce, and my wife said "that looks good". When the waiter, who spoke no English, returned, I asked him in my limited Italian, what the dish was and he said "Bigoli con Ragu d' Asino. I told my wife that it was simply pasta in a meat sauce and she ordered it.
The meals were served, and we each enjoyed them very much. My wife tried the stew and said while she liked it, she liked her pasta and sauce even better. I sampled her dish and found the sauce to really be outstanding. When the waiter returned, I pointed to the sauce and said "Che tipo de carne?" (What kind of meat?). He replied by saying "Asino". I told him that I didn't understand and he replied with "Col musso". I shrugged my shoulders and he discreetly leaned over the table and went "Hee Haw, Hee Haw". I then informed my wife that the sauce she loved was made with donkey meat aka mule aka ass.
She hasn't forgiven me yet.
Great story dls. I have a similiar story about Rocky Mountain oysters with my wife.
I saw on a TV food show that in some European countries the way a butcher advertises horse meat is by placing the head (not a real one) of a horse outside on the wall of their business.
I saw on a TV food show that in some European countries the way a butcher advertises horse meat is by placing the head (not a real one) of a horse outside on the wall of their business.
This opens the door for Roy Rogers to bring back the Trigger-burger. 