One Man's Meat.

[TeeDee]

Not wishing to be controversial and I hope that Omnivores can respect Vegetarians/Vegans ( and vice versa ) and the perspective of Animal Lovers with the following subject matter.

So , I'm interested to hear a range of opinions of what people eat Meat wise - or not , and when I say that I guess I'm looking at the Omnivores amongst us as I find it interesting that Most of us ( broad strokes generalization ) see it as OK to eat say Beef or Pork but not say , Horse meat. Whilst in France our closest Neighbour its deemed as entirely acceptable.

Why is it mostly deemed unacceptable to eat Veal?

What do people think of the Dartmoor Pony Conservation company that offers Pony Meat as an alternative Protein source? http://www.dartmoorconservationmeat.co.uk/


I really DO hope we can have some sensible conversation and debate on such things and include such topics as levels of Animal Welfare.

( Fingers crossed for a sensible respectful adult conversation )

 

[Paul_B]

Veal? That's a split issue. AIUI there's two types of veal. Traditionally it was the crate bred, white veal that was popular in France. It was always less popular here. That I'm guessing is still consumed in France but not so much here.

Then there's the other veal that's not cruelty reared, that's actually preventing cruelty in the human food supply. It's the male calf from dairy herds. Normally taken early and slaughtered not for meat but a waste product. Now in some farms it's sold on for the pink veal meat trade. Usually, because it's a premium product, the calf then has as good a life as any animal bred for meat can have. UK welfare standards are generally a lot higher than even our enlightened continental cousins.

Personally I have been tempted by pink veal when Booths stocked it once, but being on a budget we couldn't afford it.

As to meats we eat? Beef, some sausages from better suppliers and chicken. I cannot eat pork meat except for some reason when in sausage or bacon form. Has to be well cooked too. Pork belly used to be a good, cheap meat my parents bought. Every time I ate it I was doubled up in pain.

I've eaten rabbit, deer, zebra, boar, kudu (African Angelo), various species of fish including shellfish and the shrimp-lobster critters. I've eaten snails, whelks,winkles, mussels, cockles, etc. I've mostly enjoyed them all except whelks and limpets.

Mostly I eat what works with the family, that's beef chicken and pork products like sausage or bacon only. I also murder plenty of vegetables!!

Did I say I've eaten horse meat too? I guess if I can get it, it costs but much more than our normal meats and it can get approved by my other half and our seven year old then we'll eat it. Including pheasant road kill, but technically that counted as poaching since we but it!!!

 

[punkrockcaveman]

personally I'm up for eating anything, as long as it's been humanely reared and slaughtered. I think that's the problem people have with veal.

I really enjoy catching and cooking my own food. Feels good being part of the full cycle, it feels responsible and connected. I think that's why its easy for people to be upset about things like battery farmed chickens, but at the same time eat out at KFC every week, there's just no connection to their food any more.

another one here for roadkill.... roe, rabbit and pheasant haha

 

[TeeDee]

I really enjoy catching and cooking my own food. Feels good being part of the full cycle, it feels responsible and connected. I think that's why its easy for people to be upset about things like battery farmed chickens, but at the same time eat out at KFC every week, there's just no connection to their food any more.

I agree.

 

[santaman2000]

Apart from pets I’ll eat ALMOST anything that walks, crawls, flies, or swims. Snails are kind of a stumbling block though. Something I killed myself is also preferred.

 

[TeeDee]

Then there's the other veal that's not cruelty reared, that's actually preventing cruelty in the human food supply. It's the male calf from dairy herds. Normally taken early and slaughtered not for meat but a waste product. Now in some farms it's sold on for the pink veal meat trade. Usually, because it's a premium product, the calf then has as good a life as any animal bred for meat can have. UK welfare standards are generally a lot higher than even our enlightened continental cousins.

Yes , agree completely with this - allow the animal to be raised rather than unnecessarily wasting it by killing it due to Sex.

 

[TeeDee]

Apart from pets I’ll eat ALMOST anything that walks, crawls, flies, or swims. Snails are kind of a stumbling block though. Something I killed myself is also preferred.

Is a horse a Pet or a Food Product?

 

[Paul_B]

I nearly forgot. If animal welfare is a big issue with you then do check your sources very critically. If there show video footage without giving the name of the farm or locality then there's a very good chance that the footage is from a return foreign farm. There's even footage of Asian farms passed off as brush British.

I'm not knocking vegans or vegan/animal welfare campaigners or activists but there's been many instances of complete misrepresentation of British farming. I'm not saying there's not issues just that it's more regulated and the vast majority of farmers are more bothered about animal welfare than certainly the more extreme activists.

I was looking into the topic and watched a video that went around Facebook for awhile where an activist staged a mass sit in at a pig farm. It was obvious the distress the action caused the pigs. It was all about getting hits online and promoting their crowd funding site so the organiser could keep his lifestyle as a professional activist. The same activist upped the ante by stealing a very young piglet right off the mother's ---- to rear it himself... In his flat!!!! The piglet was too young to leave the sow and needed special milk to survive. He got enough online for one day!! Then he disappeared and reappeared without pig which had died pretty soon after he took it.

Now I know most vegans and even vegan activists would condemn the ignorant action as much as I do but it's part of the issue I have with people who have more extreme views and have no scruples over how they premier them. There's likely to be similar extremism in farming too. Whatever the truth I do not believe any of the extreme images and videos those more radical anti livestock farming activists put out. Too much of it has been proven to be from farms prosecuted or shutdown here or overseas farms without UK welfare standards / legislation.

PS don't get me onto shall we say more traditional Halal / kosher practises. Stunning is allowed in both traditions it's more cultural to avoid it for some.

 

[Paul_B]

Sorry for my ramble. It's a big subject and I'm never concise with my views at the best of times!!!

 

[Paul_B]

One last point. If you kill it for food then I believe you should try to use as much of it as possible. It's the first nation approach I think with buffalo. It's about respecting your food source the animal.

 

[TeeDee]

Sorry for my ramble. It's a big subject and I'm never concise with my views at the best of times!!!

Rambling is fine , as long as we stay within the Communities guidelines and can be respectful to other posters where differences of opinion my occur.

 

[Tengu]

Why is this even important?

I might as well ask why do vegitarians keep dogs and cats?

 

[TeeDee]

Why is this even important?

I might as well ask why do vegitarians keep dogs and cats?

Tengu , If you don't want to participate politely , please don't feel a need to participate at all. OK.

 

[Mesquite]

I've yet to come across a meat I've had the opportunity to eat and not liked apart from liver unless it's a pate. I can't even stand the smell of it being cooked

 

[Allison McKenzie]

I've yet to come across a meat I've had the opportunity to eat.

I think everyone agrees meat tastes good. Being veggie is a hard path as you are leaving something you like for an ethical reason.

 

[Paul_B]

I nearly went vegetarian because I didn't like meat. Ethical reasons I disagree with anyway because I believe it's based on incorrect knowledge and information in most cases.

 

[Broch]

I nearly went vegetarian because I didn't like meat. Ethical reasons I disagree with anyway because I believe it's based on incorrect knowledge and information in most cases.

Yep, more animals die to support vegetarianism than meat-eating; it's just they're animals that most people don't care about.

Oops, sorry, is that straying off your guidelines TeeDee?

 

[Robson Valley]

Surf and turf, if it flies it dies. Everything from bison (aka buffalo, 6-7 of them) to rabbits.
All kinds of proteins, usually modified with Maillard Reactions, to produce tastes that I really like.
I don't care for organ meats except ribs and liver. Tend to lean towards marine life such as scallops and squid.
My vegetable and fruit consumption is expensively obvious.

 

[Broch]

I've eaten a lot of stuff - a bit like Paul_B - Kudu, crocodile, zebra (that was delicious), horse, springbok … the list goes on. I try to buy meat with care about its source and welfare but that's much more complicated than it should be. We live with farms all around us and the difference in quality of husbandry in a small area is unbelievable - some farmers take pride in the quality and welfare of their stock; others just treat it as an ingredient in a process.

I've always said the day I can't kill and prepare it myself is the day I'll stop eating it. I only shoot or fish for the pot, never for fun or sport.

 

[TeeDee]

I've yet to come across a meat I've had the opportunity to eat and not liked apart from liver unless it's a pate. I can't even stand the smell of it being cooked

Just asking M , how have you had your Liver done?? Ever tried it flash fried ?? The cooked to death and back isn't the best way to present it I will admit.