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'[[Image:Basashi.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Raw, sliced horse meat, known as "Basashi" as served in [[Japan]]]] '''Horse meat''' is the culinary name for meat cut from a [[horse]]. It is a major meat in only a few countries, notably in [[Central Asia]], but it forms a significant part of the culinary traditions of many others, from [[Europe]] to [[South America]] to [[Asia]]. The top eight countries consume about 4.7 million horses a year. For the majority of mankind's early existence, wild horses were hunted as a source of protein.<ref>{{Citation |title=Documenting Domestication |author=Melinda A. Zeder |publisher=University of California Pres |year=2006 |isbn=0520246381 |url=http://books.google.com/?id=EaVTxjrbIFQC |pages=257, 258, 265 }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=The Horse, the Wheel and Language |author=David W. Anthony |publisher=Princeton University Press |year=2008 |pages=199, 220 |isbn=0691058873 |url=http://books.google.com/?id=rOG5VcYxhiEC }}</ref> It is slightly sweet, tender, low in fat and high in protein.<ref>[http://www.vianderichelieu.com/en/cheval/content.htm "Clarifying the notion of horsemeat"], Viande Richelieu, Inc. Covers Nutrients, Age, The sex of the animal, Race, Color, Tenderness, Taste, and Meat cuts.</ref> However, because of the role horses have played as companions and as workers, and concerns about the [[ethics]] of the [[horse slaughter]] process, it is a [[taboo food]] in [[Horse_meat#Horse_meat_in_various_countries|some]] cultures. These historical associations, as well as ritual and [[Horse worship|religion]], led to the development of the aversion to the consumption of horse meat. The horse is now given pet status by many in some parts of the [[Western world]], particularly in the [[United States|U.S.A.]] and [[United Kingdom|U.K.]], which further solidifies the taboo on eating its meat. This avoidance and the loss of taste for it is relatively modern, although it arises out of complex historical and cultural origins. ==History== In the late Paleolithic ([[Magdalenian|Magdalenian Era]]), [[wild horse]]s formed an important source of food. In many parts of Europe, the consumption of horse meat continued throughout the Middle Ages until modern times, despite a Papal ban of horse meat in 732. Horse meat was also eaten as part of [[Germanic paganism|Germanic pagan]] religious ceremonies in [[northern Europe]], particularly ceremonies associated with the worship of [[Odin]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} Domesticated horses and cattle did not exist in the [[Americas]] until the [[Age of Discovery]], and the [[Conquistadors]] owed much of their success to their [[war horse]]s. The Europeans' horses became [[feral horse|feral]], and were hunted by the indigenous [[Pehuenche]] people of what is now [[Chile]] and [[Argentina]].<ref>{{Citation |url=http://universum.utalca.cl/contenido/index-01/torrejon.html |title=Geohistorical Variables in the Evolution of the Pehuenche Economic System During the Colonial Period |chapter=Exotic Livestock production and the Transition |author=Fernando Terrejón G. |language=Spanish |journal=Universum Magazine |page=226 |volume=16 |year=2001 |publisher=University of Talca}} (Spanish title: ''El Ganado Exótico Y la Transición Prodictiva '', ''Variables Geohistóricas en la Evolución del Sistema Económicl Pehuenche Durante el periodo Colonio'').</ref> At first they hunted horses as they did other game, but later they began to raise them for meat and transport. The meat was, and still is, preserved by being [[dried meat|sun-dried]] in the high [[Andes]] into a product known as ''[[charqui]]''. [[France]] dates its taste for horse meat to [[French Revolution|the Revolution]]. With the fall of the aristocracy, its auxiliaries had to find new means of subsistence. Just as hairdressers and tailors set themselves up to serve commoners, the horses maintained by aristocracy as a sign of prestige ended up alleviating the hunger of lower classes.<ref name="Harris"/> It was during the Napoleonic campaigns when the surgeon-in-chief of [[Napoleon]]'s [[Grand Army]], [[Baron Dominique-Jean Larrey]], advised the starving troops to eat the meat of horses. At the [[siege of Alexandria]], the meat of young [[Arab horse]]s relieved an epidemic of [[scurvy]]. At the [[battle of Eylau]] in 1807, Larrey served horse as soup and ''[[bœuf à la mode]]''. In [[battle of Aspern-Essling|Aspern-Essling]] (1809), cut from the supply lines, the cavalry used the [[horse armor|horses' breastplates]] as cooking pots and [[gunpowder]] as seasoning, and thus founded a tradition.<ref name="Musee">Larrey is quoted in French by Dr Béraud, ''[http://leslivresoublies.free.fr/leslivresoublies/Sciences_et_techniques_muse/cheval.html Études Hygiéniques de la chair de cheval comme aliment]'', ''[[Musée des Familles]]'' (1841-42).</ref><ref name="Parker">Larrey mentions in his memoirs how he fed the wounded after the (1809) with [[bouillon]] of horse meat seasoned with gunpowder. Parker, Harold T. (1983 reprint) ''Three Napoleonic Battles''. (2nd Ed). [[Duke University Press]]. ISBN 0-82230547-X. [http://books.google.com/books?id=qiyp-Mft2zEC&pg=PA84&lpg=PA84&ots=W7h9mMJcvK Page 83] (in [[Google Books]]). Quoting [[Dominique-Jean Larrey]], ''Mémoires de chirurgie militaire et campagnes'', III 281, Paris, Smith.</ref> [[Image:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-B15171, Sowjetunion, Ausschlachten eines Pferdes.jpg|thumb|Hunger during World War II led to horses being eaten]] Horse meat gained widespread acceptance in [[French cuisine]] during the later years of the [[Second French Empire]]. The high cost of living in [[Paris]] prevented many working-class citizens from buying meat such as [[pork]] or [[beef]], so in 1866 the French government legalized the eating of horse meat and the first butcher's shop specializing in horse meat opened in eastern Paris, providing quality meat at lower prices.<ref>Kari Weil, [http://caliber.ucpress.net/doi/abs/10.1525/gfc.2007.7.2.44 "They Eat Horses, Don't They? Hippophagy and Frenchness"], ''Gastronomica'' Spring 2007, Vol. 7, No. 2, Pages 44-51 Posted online on May 22, 2007. (doi:10.1525/gfc.2007.7.2.44)</ref> During the [[Siege of Paris|Siege of 1870-71]], horse meat was eaten by anyone who could afford it, partly because of a shortage of fresh meat in the blockaded city, and also because horses were eating grain which was needed by the human populace. Many Parisians gained a taste for horse meat during the siege, and after the war ended, horse meat remained popular. Likewise, in other places and times of siege or starvation, horses are viewed as a food source of last resort. Despite the general [[Anglosphere|Anglophone]] taboo, horse and donkey meat was eaten in Britain, especially in [[Yorkshire]], until the 1930s,<ref>''Eating Up Italy: Voyages on a Vespa'' by [[Matthew Fort]]. 2005, p253. ISBN 0-00-721481-2</ref> and in times of post-war food shortage surged in popularity in the United States<ref>Charles Grutzner, [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10E11FD385C107A93C7AB1782D85F428485F9&scp=4&sq=horse%20meat&st=cse Horse Meat Consumption By New Yorkers Is Rising; Newark Dealer Reports 60% of Customers Are From City--Weinstein Will Not Prohibit Sale of the Flesh Here] 25 Sept 1946</ref> and was considered for use in hospitals.<ref>James E. Powers, [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60B11FB385C107A93CBAB1782D85F428485F9&scp=10&sq=horse%20meat&st=cse NEAR-BY HOSPITALS DOWN TO MINIMUM OF MEAT SUPPLIES], The New York Times, 29 September 1946</ref> A 2007 ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine article about horse meat brought in from Canada to the United States characterized the meat as sweet, rich, superlean, oddly soft meat, and closer to beef than venison.<ref name=Time2007-02-08 /> == Taboo == ===Attitude of various cultures=== Horse is commonly eaten in many countries in Europe and Asia.<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.flyingfilly.com/horse_slaughter.htm |title= 2008 - It is Time to Tell the Truth ...about Horse Slaughter |publisher=flyingfilly.com |accessdate=2008-05-20 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080418011736/http://www.flyingfilly.com/horse_slaughter.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2008-04-18}} (See the list headed "Horsemeat&mdash;By Any Other Name")</ref> It is a [[taboo food]] in [[Anglosphere|English-speaking countries]] such as the [[United Kingdom]], [[Ireland]], the [[United States|US]], [[English Canada]] and in [[Australia]]; it is also taboo amongst the [[Romani people]] and in [[Brazil]] and [[India]]. Horse meat is not generally eaten in [[Spain]], although the country exports horses both "on the hoof and on the hook" (i.e., live animals and slaughtered meat) for the French and Italian market. Horse meat is consumed in some [[North America]]n and [[Latin America]]n countries, and is illegal in some countries.{{citation needed|date=February 2011}} In [[Tonga]], horse meat is eaten nationally, and Tongan emigrees living in the United States, New Zealand, and Australia have retained the taste for it, claiming Christian missionaries originally introduced it to them.<ref>Simoons, F.J., 1994, Eat not this Flesh, Food Avoidances from Pre-history to Present, University of Wisconsin Press.</ref> In many [[Muslim countries]] today, horse meat is considered ''[[makruh]]'', meaning it is not forbidden, but strongly discouraged. One reason given for its prohibition is the need for horses in military and other uses, and as such, considering the decline in use of horses for such purposes, some consider its consumption permissible. Horse meat is eaten in some Muslim [[Central Asia]]n countries with a tradition of [[nomad]]ic [[pastoralism]], e.g., [[Kazakhstan]], [[Kyrgyzstan]] and [[Turkmenistan]]. In other [[majority-Muslim countries]], there have been many instances, especially wars and famine, when horses were slaughtered and eaten.{{Citation needed|date=June 2007}} In the past, horse has been eaten by [[Persian people|Persians]], [[Turkic people|Turks]], some [[hanafi]] [[Egyptian people|Egyptians]], and [[Tatar people|Tatars]]; but it has never been eaten in the [[Maghreb]].<ref>Françoise Aubaile-Sallenave, "Meat among Mediterranean Muslims: Beliefs and Praxis", ''Estudios del Hombre'' '''19''':129 (2004)</ref> Horse meat is forbidden by [[Kashrut|Jewish dietary laws]] because horses do not have [[cloven hoof|cloven hooves]] and they are not [[ruminants]]. It has been suggested that this holds a practical purpose as horses were used as a means of transportation and did work, although this is doubtful due to the lack of the [[horse collar]] at the time of the formation of these laws. In the eighth century, Popes [[Pope Gregory III|Gregory III]] and [[Pope Zachary|Zachary]] instructed [[Saint Boniface]], missionary to the Germans, to forbid the eating of horse meat to those he converted, due to its association with Germanic pagan ceremonies.<ref>William Ian Miller, [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0026-2234(199108)89%3A8%3C2081%3AOOCHAW%3E2.0.CO%3B2-X "Of Outlaws, Christians, Horsemeat, and Writing: Uniform Laws and Saga Iceland"], ''Michigan Law Review'', Vol. 89, No. 8 (Aug., 1991), pp. 2081-2095 {{subscription|date=October 2010}}</ref><ref>Calvin W. Schwabe, ''Unmentionable Cuisine'', University Press of Virginia, ISBN 0-8139-1162-1</ref> The people of [[Iceland]] allegedly expressed reluctance to embrace [[Christianity]] for some time, largely over the issue of giving up horse meat.<ref name=IGHA-USDA>{{cite web |url=http://www.igha.org/USDA.html |title=U.S.D.A. Promotes Horse & Goat Meat |publisher=International Generic Horse Association |accessdate=2007-08-09}} (quoting a 1997 USDA report said to be no longer available online)</ref> In the end, the eating of horse meat was a concession granted in perpetuity when the pagan Norse [[Icelanders]] eventually [[Christianisation of Iceland#Adoption by arbitration|adopted Christianity]] ''en masse'' in the year 1000 (although, in fact, the Church reversed its position soon afterwards). Horse meat is now currently consumed in Iceland and many horses are raised for this purpose. The culturally close people of [[Sweden]] still have an ambivalent attitude to horse meat, said to stem from this time. [[Henry Mayhew]] describes the difference in the acceptability and use of the horse carcass in London and Paris in ''[[London Labour and the London Poor]]'' (1851).<ref>vol 2 p 7-9</ref> Horse meat was rejected by the British, but continued to be eaten in other European countries such as France and Germany, where knackers often sold horse carcasses underhand despite the Papal ban. Even the hunting of wild horses for meat continued in the area of [[Westphalia]]. Londoners also suspected that horse meat was finding its way into sausages, and that [[offal]] sold as that of oxen was in fact equine. About 1,000 horses were slaughtered a week. ===Reasons for the taboo=== In some countries, the effects of this prohibition by the [[Roman Catholicism|Roman Catholic Church]] have lingered and horse meat prejudices have progressed from [[taboos]], to avoidance, to abhorrence.<ref name=IGHA-USDA/> In other parts of the world, horse meat has the [[social stigma|stigma]] of being something poor people eat and is seen as a cheap substitute for other meats, such as [[pork]] and [[beef]]. According to the anthropologist [[Marvin Harris]],<ref name="Harris">{{Citation |last=Harris |first=Marvin |authorlink=Marvin Harris |title=Good to Eat: Riddles of Food and Culture |publisher=Waveland Pr Inc |year=1998 |isbn=1577660153 |url=http://books.google.com/?id=B1oGAAAACAAJ}}</ref> some cultures class horse meat as taboo because the horse converts grass into meat less efficiently than [[ruminant]]s. When breeding cattle for meat, a cow or a sheep will produce more meat than a horse if fed with the same amount of grass. There is also an element of sentimentality, as horses have long enjoyed a close relationship with many humans, on a similar level to household pets – this can be seen projected in such [[English language|Anglophone]] cultural icons such as ''[[Black Beauty]]'' and ''[[My Little Pony]]''. Compare with the [[anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] animals in ''[[Babe (film)|Babe]]'', ''[[Charlotte's Web]]'', and [[Freddy the Pig]]. [[Totem]]istic taboo is also a possible reason for refusal to eat horse meat as an everyday food, but did not necessarily preclude ritual slaughter and consumption. [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] sources state that the goddess [[Epona]] was widely worshipped in [[Gaul]] and southern Britain. Epona, a triple aspect goddess, was the protectress of the horse and horse keepers, and horses were sacrificed to her;<ref>Powell, T. G. E., 1958, The Celts, Thames and Hudson, London</ref> she was paralleled by the [[Irish mythology|Irish]] [[Macha]] and [[Welsh mythology|Welsh]] [[Rhiannon]]. The [[Uffington White Horse]] is probable evidence of ancient horse worship. The ancient Indian [[Brahmin]]s engaged in horse sacrifice (Ashwamedh Yaghya) as recorded in the [[Vedas]]; but within context of the ritual sacrificial is not being 'killed' but instead being smothered to death.<ref name="Campbell 1962">Campbell, Joseph, ''Oriental Mythology: The Masks of God'', Arkana, 1962, pp190-197 ISBN 0-14-019442-8</ref> In 1913, the Finnic [[Mari people]] of the [[Volga]] region were observed to practice a horse sacrifice.<ref name="Campbell 1962"/> In ancient [[Scandinavia]], the horse was very important, as a living, [[working animal|working creature]], as a sign of the [[social status|owner's status]], and symbolically within the old [[Norse religion]]. Horses were slaughtered as a [[sacrifice]] to the gods and the meat was eaten by the people taking part in the religious feasts.<ref>{{Citation |title=Medieval Scandinavia: an encyclopedia |author1=Phillip Pulsiano |author2=Kirsten Wolf |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=1993 |isbn=9780824047870|page=[http://books.google.com/books?id=d-XiZO8V4qUC&pg=PA523 523] |url=http://books.google.com/?id=d-XiZO8V4qUC |postscript=. }}</ref> When the Nordic countries were Christianized, eating horse meat was regarded as a sign of paganism and prohibited. A slight skepticism against eating horse meat is still common as a reminder of this in these countries even today.<ref>{{Citation |title=Old Norse Religion in Long Term Perspectives: Origins, Changes and Interactions, an International Conference in Lund, Sweden, June 3–7, 2004 |author1=Anders Andrén |author2=Kristina Jennbert |author3=Catharina Raudvere |publisher=Nordic Academic Press |year=2006 |isbn=9789189116818 |page=[http://books.google.com/books?id=gjq6rvoIRpAC&pg=PA131 131] |url=http://books.google.com/?id=gjq6rvoIRpAC |postscript=. }}</ref> It is notable that, despite horses having been bred in England since pre-Roman times, the [[English language]] has no widely used term for horse meat, as opposed to four for [[pig]] meat ([[pork]], [[bacon]], [[ham]], gammon), three for [[sheep]] meat ([[Lamb (food)|lamb]], [[Lamb and mutton|hogget]] and [[mutton]]), two for cow meat ([[beef]] and [[veal]]), and so on. [[English speaking countries]], however, have sometimes marketed horse meat under the [[euphemism]] "cheval meat" (''cheval'' being the [[French language|French]] for horse). Also, note that the words pork, bacon, mutton, veal, and beef all derive from [[Anglo-Norman language|Anglo-Norman]] vocabulary, because of the class structure of England after [[Norman conquest of England|the Norman Conquest]] in 1066 [[Common Era|CE]]: the poor (Saxons) tended the animals, while the rich (French-speaking Normans) ate the meat. The peasants had very little to do with horses. ==Production== In most countries where horses are slaughtered for food, they are processed in a similar fashion to cattle, i.e., in large-scale factory [[slaughter house]]s (abattoirs) where they are [[stunning|stunned]] with a [[captive bolt gun]] and [[exsanguination|bled to death]]. In countries with a less industrialized food production system, horses and other animals are slaughtered individually outdoors as needed, in the village where they will be consumed, or near to it.<ref>C.J. Chivers, [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/26/international/asia/26horse.html?hp&ex=1135659600&en=ebc2553086dd95e4&ei=5094&partner=homepage A Sure Thing for Kazakhs: Horses Will Provide] The New York Times</ref> In 2005, the eight principal horse meat producing countries produced over 700,000 tonnes of this product. :{|class="wikitable sortable" |+Major Horse meat Production Countries, {{nowrap|2005<ref name=production2005>{{Citation |url=http://www.animalwelfarecouncil.com/html/pdf/consequences.pdf |format=PDF|title=THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF A BAN ON THE HUMANE SLAUGHTER (PROCESSING) OF HORSES IN THE UNITED STATES |publisher=[http://www.animalwelfarecouncil.org The Animal Welfare Council, Inc.], citing FAO-UN Horticultural Database |date=May 15, 2006 |page=10 |accessdate=2008-11-06}}</ref>{{Update after|2010|11|29}}}} ! Country !! Animals !! Production in metric tons |- | China || 1,700,000 || 204,000 |- | Mexico || 626,000 || 78,876 |- | Kazakhstan || 340,000 || 55,100 |- | Mongolia || 310,000 || 38,000 |- | Argentina || 255,000 || 55,600 |- | Italy || 213,000 || 48,000 |- | Brazil || 162,000 || 21,200 |- | Kyrgyzstan || 150,000 || 25,000 |- class="sortbottom" | '''Worldwide<br />Totals''' || 4,727,829 || 720,168 |} In 2005, the 5 biggest horse meat-''consuming'' countries were China (421,000 tonnes), Mexico, Russia, Italy, and Kazakhstan (54,000 tonnes).<ref>[http://www.afac.ab.ca/reports/08horsereport.pdf The Alberta Horse Welfare Report, 2008]</ref> As horses are relatively poor converters of grass and grain to meat compared to cattle,<ref name=Harris /> they are not usually bred or raised specifically for their meat. Instead, horses are slaughtered when their monetary value as [[equitation|riding]] or [[draft animal|work animals]] is low, but their owners can still make money selling them for horse meat, as for example in the routine export of the [[south England|southern English]] ponies from the [[New Forest pony|New Forest]], [[Exmoor pony|Exmoor]], and [[Dartmoor pony|Dartmoor]].<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/south/series2/new_forest_ponies_commoners_breed_improvements.shtml - BBC Inside Out - New Forest Ponies]</ref><ref name=countrysideonline237>[http://web.archive.org/web/20061007150933/http://www.countrysideonline.co.uk/plugins/content/content.php?content.237 - BBC Inside Out - NFU Countryside Online: Passports for Ponies] (archived from [http://www.countrysideonline.co.uk/plugins/content/content.php?content.237 the original] on 2006-10-07)</ref> [[British law]] requires the use of "[[animal passport|equine passports]]" even for semi-[[wild horse]]s to enable [[traceability]] (also known as "provenance"), so most slaughtering is done in the UK before the meat is exported,<ref name=countrysideonline237 /> meaning that the animals travel "on the hook, not on the hoof" (as carcasses rather than live). Ex-racehorses, riding horses, and other horses sold at auction may also enter the [[food chain]]; sometimes these animals have been stolen or purchased under false pretenses.<ref>[http://www.netposse.com/stolenmissing/storyladyslaughter.htm Slaughter of Lady]</ref> Even famous horses may end up in the [[slaughterhouse]]; the 1986 [[Kentucky Derby]] winner and 1987 [[Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year]] winner, [[Ferdinand (horse)|Ferdinand]], is believed to have been slaughtered in Japan, probably for [[pet food]].<ref>[http://horsesdaily.com/news/racing/2003/07-21-derbywinner-ferdinand.html Death of a Derby Winner]</ref> There is a misconception that horses are slaughtered for pet food, however. In many countries, like the United States, horse meat was outlawed in pet food in the 1970s. American horse meat is considered a delicacy in Europe and Japan, and its cost is in line with veal,<ref>[http://www.haras-nationaux.fr/portail/uploads/tx_vm19docsbase/DIP_ECO_03_HORSEMEAT_01.pdf Horsemeat in France] (June 2006), Librairie des Haras nationaux.</ref> so it would be prohibitively expensive in many countries for pet food. The British newspaper ''[[The Daily Mail]]'' reports that every year, 100,000 live horses are transported into and around the [[European Union]] for human consumption, mainly to Italy but also to France and Belgium.<ref name=DailyMailHorses>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=455953&in_page_id=1770 |title=The English horses being sent to France to be eaten |author=Tom Rawstone |date=19 May 2007 |publisher=Daily Mail |accessdate=2007-10-04}}</ref> Meat from horses that veterinarians have [[Animal euthanasia|put down]] with a lethal injection is not consumed, as the toxin remains in the meat; the carcasses of such animals are [[cremation|cremated]] (all other means of disposal are problematic, due to the toxin). == Opposition to production== {{Main|horse slaughter}} The killing of horses for human consumption is widely opposed in countries such as [[USA]] and [[UK|Britain]]<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/tx/weekinpictures/180507.shtml?select=03 Week in pictures - Who wants to eat horsemeat?]</ref> where horses are generally considered to be companion and sporting animals only.<ref>[http://www.sptimes.com/2002/09/04/Columns/Americans_squeamish_o.shtml Americans squeamish over horse meat], ''St. Petersburg Times''. Retrieved November 5, 2009.</ref> French actress and [[animal rights]] activist [[Brigitte Bardot]] has spent years crusading against the eating of horse meat. However, the opposition is far from unanimous; a 2007 readers' poll in the [[London]] magazine ''[[Time Out (company)|Time Out]]'' showed that 82% of respondents supported [[celebrity chef]] [[Gordon Ramsay]]'s decision to serve horse meat in his restaurants<ref>''[[Time Out (company)|Time Out]]'' 30 May–5 June 2007</ref> (see further discussion [[Gordon Ramsay#Food views|here]]). ==Nutritional value== {|class="wikitable sortable" |+Selected nutrients per 100&nbsp;g (3.5&nbsp;oz)<ref>[http://www.nutritiondata.com/tools/compare Compare foods], [http://www.nutritiondata.com/ NutritionData.com].</ref> |- !Food source ! Calories || Protein !! Fat !! Iron !! Sodium !! Cholesterol |- |Game meat, horse, raw | 133 || 21&nbsp;g || 5&nbsp;g || 3.8&nbsp;mg || 53&nbsp;mg || 52&nbsp;mg |- |Beef, sirloin, raw | 140 || 21&nbsp;g || 7&nbsp;g || 1.7&nbsp;mg || 53&nbsp;mg || 42&nbsp;mg |} <!-- Edited 2009-12-25. prior content: Horse meat contains 25% less fat, nearly 20% less sodium, double the iron and less cholesterol than high quality beef cuts, and when compared to ground beef 25% less fat, 30% less cholesterol and 27% less sodium.{{Citation needed|date=April 2009}}<!-- See the following: http://www.calories-nutrition.buddyslim.com/horse-meat-cooked-roasted/ http://www.calories-nutrition.buddyslim.com/chuck-roast-beef/ http://www.calories-nutrition.buddyslim.com/flat-steak-very-lean-3oz/ though it's not clear to me that the serving sizes here are comparable [[WP:RS]] status might be questioned http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/chance88.html Says "Nutritionally, horse meat has around 40 percent fewer calories than the leanest beef, while supplying 50 percent more protein and as much as 30 percent more iron; and horse is considered an excellent health-conscious deep-frying alternative, especially for delicately-flavored foods that are easily overpowered by heavier oils.", but how a?out WP:RS?; a;so, does Don Chance, the purported author, have any relevant credentials? http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ie50130a016 %protean: Kid=38.8, Rabbit=28.1, Horse=28.6, Seal=30.0 %fat: Kid=11.5, Rabbit=20.1, Horse=4.1, Seal=3.1 Seemingly good source; too bad it doesn't compare with Beef http://www.fitbit.com/foods/Horse,+Meat,+Raw/271 (88 cal from fat per 100 grams) http://www.fitbit.com/foods/Chicken+Broiler+Thigh+Meat+Water+Chill+Raw/28373 http://www.fitbit.com/foods/Chicken+Roasting+Light+Meat+Raw/27583 Browsing, I see http://www.fitbit.com/foods/categories/Beef/3 Which leads to http://www.fitbit.com/foods/Beef+Brisket+Whole+Raw+Slf/5641 (67 cal from fat per oz) http://www.fitbit.com/foods/Beef+Chuck+Arm+Pot+Roast+Raw+Slo/385 (17 cal from fat per oz) http://www.fitbit.com/foods/Beef+Chuck+Blade+Roast+Raw+Slo+top+Blade+/828 (15 cal from fat per oz) etc. {{convert|1|oz|g}} says that one oz is 28 grams fitbit.com is a pay-subscribe site of unknown WP:RS status The info in this section is unsupported, unverifiable, and likely incorrect. --> == Preparation == [[Image:Horsemeatsandwich.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Smoked and salted horse meat on bread.]] Horse meat has a slightly sweet taste reminiscent of a combination of beef and [[venison]]. Meat from younger horses tends to be lighter in color while older horses produce richer color and flavor, as with most [[mammals]]. Horse meat can be used to replace beef, pork, mutton, venison and any other meat in virtually any recipe, although the cooking time is shorter than that of beef or pork. Horse meat is usually very lean and tender. Jurisdictions which allow for the slaughter of horses for food rarely have age restrictions, so many are quite old. However, unlike many other types of meat, horse meat becomes more tender as the animal advances in age. Those preparing [[sandwich]]es or cold meals with horse meat usually use it smoked and salted. Horse meat forms an ingredient in several traditional recipes of [[salami]]. ==Horse meat in various countries== In 2009, a British agriculture industry website reported the following horse meat production levels in various countries: {|class="wikitable" |+{{nowrap|Horse meat production levels}}<br />as of 2009<ref name=farminguk2009-01-17>[http://www.farminguk.com/news/Argentina-Horse-Meat-world-production-figures._10249.html Argentina-Horse Meat world production figures], Farming UK, January 17, 2009. Retrieved March 4, 2011.</ref> |- !Country !! Tons per year |- |Mexico || 78,000 |- |Argentina || 57,000 |- |Kazakhstan || 55,000 |- |Mongolia || 38,000 |- |Kyrgyzstan || 25,000 |- |Australia || 24,000 |- |Brazil || 21,000 |- |Canada || 18,000 |- |Poland || 18,000 |- |Italy || 16,000* |- |Romania || 14,000 |- |Chile || 10,000 |- |France || 7,500 |- |Uruguay || 8,000 |- |Senegal || 9,500 |- |Colombia || 6,000 |- |Spain || 5,000* |} :<small>* Including donkeys.</small> ===Asia-Pacific=== ====Australia==== Australians do not generally eat horse meat, although they have a horse slaughter industry that exports to Japan, Europe, and Russia.<ref>[http://sagowarrior.com/anip/report.pdf Exporting red meat to Russia: Understanding the context], 7 October 2010. Retrieved on 2010-10-22.</ref> Horse meat exports peaked at 9,327 tons 1986, declining to 3,000 tons in 2003. The two abattoirs in Australia licensed to export horse meat are Belgian-owned. They are at Peterborough in South Australia (Metro Velda Pty Ltd) and Caboolture abattoir in Queensland (Meramist Pty Ltd).<ref>[http://www.optimail.com.au/berrime/slaughter.htm Horse slaughter and horsemeat: the facts]</ref> A British agriculture industry website reported that Australian horse meat production levels had risen to 24,000 tons by 2009.<ref name=farminguk2009-01-17 /> On 30 June 2010, Agriculture Minister [[Terry Redman]] granted final approval to [[Western Australia]] butcher Vince Garreffa to sell horse meat for human consumption. Nedlands restaurateur Pierre Ichallalene announced plans to do a taster on [[Bastille Day]] and to put horse meat dishes on the menu if there's a good reaction. Mr. Redman said that the Government would "consider extending approvals should the public appetite for horse demand it".<ref name=thewest7492421>Bob Broadfield, [http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/latest/7492421/butcher-gives-horse-meat-a-run/ Butcher gives horse meat a run], [http://au.news.yahoo.com au.news.yahoo.com].</ref> Mr. Garreffa is the owner of Mondo Di Carne, a major wholesale meat supplier which supplies many cafes restaurants & hotels in Western Australia.<ref>[http://www.mondo.net.au/data/retail.html Welcome to the Mondo's Family];<br /> ^ [http://www.mondo.net.au/data/wholesale.html Mondo Wholesale Meat Supplies].</ref> He commented that there is no domestic market for horse meat, but there is a successful export market, which he believes Western Australia should have a share of.<ref name=thewest7492421 /> By July 2, an online petition had been created to stop the sale of horse meat for human consumption in Western Australia.<ref>[http://www.change.org/petitions/view/stop_the_sale_of_horse_meat_for_human_consumption_in_western_australia Stop the sale of horse meat for human consumption in Western Australia], [http://www.change.org change.org].</ref> This decision has caused some outrage with a petition started to be signed to overturn this decision from the Department of Agriculture. However several local newspaper forums indicated that the general public were not greatly biased either way, in fact many voiced their openness for alternate meats. {{Citation needed|date=July 2010}} ====China==== {{See also|Chinese cuisine}} Horse meat is not available in most parts of China, although it is generally acceptable to Chinese. Its lack of popularity is mostly due to its low availability and some rumors saying that horse meat tastes bad or it is bad for health, even [[poison]]ous. In ''[[Compendium of Materia Medica]]'', a [[pharmaceutical]] text published in 1596, [[Li Shizhen]] wrote "To relieve toxin caused by eating horse meat, one can drink [[carrot juice]] and eat [[almond]]." Today, in southern China, there are locally famous dishes such as Horse Meat [[Rice vermicelli|Rice Vermicelli]] (马肉米粉) in [[Guilin]]. In the northwest, [[Kazakhs]] eat horse meat (see [[Horse meat#Kazakhstan|below]]). In Hebei province and Beijing, Donkey Sandwich （驴肉火烧） is a popular snack.Donkey Sandwich is made of stewed donkey meat in a baked Chinese bun. The two most popular versions of Donkey Burger originate from Hejian and Baoding in Hebei province.<ref>[http://www.globaltimes.cn/www/english/metro-beijing/lifestyle/health&food/2010-03/516236.html Donkey meat: the most traditional way to get a piece of ass] (March 26, 2010), Global Times.</ref><ref>[http://www.shopping-in-beijing.com/beijingshops/donkey-meat-restaurant-313.html Fatty Wang’s Donkey Sandwiches (王胖子驴肉火烧)] (August 17, 2010), [http://www.shopping-in-beijing.com shopping-in-beijing.com].</ref> ====Kazakhstan==== {{See also|Kazakh cuisine}}In [[Kazakhstan]] horse meat is a large part of the diet, due mainly to the nomadic roots of the population.<ref>[http://www.foodbycountry.com/Kazakhstan-to-South-Africa/Kazakhstan.html "Food in Kazakhstan"]. ''Food in Every Country''. Referenced 5/6/08.</ref> Some of the dishes include sausages called ''kazy'' and ''shuzhuk'' made from the meat using the guts as the sausage skin, ''zhaya'' made from hip meat which is smoked and boiled, ''zhal'' made from neck fat which is smoked and boiled, ''karta'' made from a section of the rectum which is smoked and boiled, and ''sur-yet'' which is kept as dried meat.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20080610023546/http://www.zheruik.kz/rus/traditions/meet1.php Horse meat dishes in Kazakhstan]. Retrieved 13 January 2009. (archived from [http://www.zheruik.kz/rus/traditions/meet1.php the original] on 2008-06-10)</ref> ====Indonesia==== {{See also|Indonesian cuisine}} In [[Indonesia]], one type of [[satay]] (chunks of grilled meat served with spicy sauce) known as Horse Satay ([[Javanese language|Javanese]]:''sate jaran'', [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]]:''sate kuda'') is made from horse meat. This delicacy from [[Yogyakarta]] is served with sliced fresh [[shallot]] (small red onion), pepper, and sweet soy sauce.<ref> {{Cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Lesehan Jaran - Jogja | work = | publisher = | date = April 2, 2007 | url = http://ngincip.blogspot.com/2007/04/lesehan-jaran-jogja.html | doi = | accessdate = }} </ref> ====Japan==== {{See also|Japanese cuisine}} [[Image:Horse-meat.jpg|thumb|left|''Basashi'' from [[Kumamoto, Kumamoto|Kumamoto]]]] In [[Japan]]ese [[Japanese cuisine|cuisine]], raw horse meat is called ''sakura'' (桜) or ''sakuraniku'' (桜肉, ''sakura'' means [[cherry blossom]], ''niku'' means meat) because of its pink color. It can be served raw as [[sashimi]] in thin slices dipped in soy sauce, often with ginger and onions added.<ref>''[[Metropolis (free magazine)|Metropolis]]'', "Straight From the Horse's Mouth", #903, 15 July 2011, pp. 12-13.</ref> In this case, it is called ''basashi'' ({{lang-ja|馬刺し}}). ''Basashi'' is popular in some regions of Japan and is often served at ''[[izakaya]]''. Fat, typically from the neck, is also found as ''basashi'', though it is white, not pink. Horse meat is also sometimes found on menus for ''[[yakiniku]]'' (a type of barbecue), where it is called ''baniku'' (馬肉, literally, "horse meat") or ''bagushi'' (馬串, "skewered horse"); thin slices of raw horse meat are sometimes served wrapped in a [[perilla|shiso leaf]]. [[Kumamoto prefecture|Kumamoto]], [[Nagano Prefecture|Nagano]] and [[Ōita Prefecture|Ōita]] are famous for ''basashi'', and it is common in the [[Tohoku region]] as well. Some types of canned "corned meat" in Japan include horse as one of the ingredients.<ref>[http://www.puntofocal.gov.ar/notific_otros_miembros/jpn163_t.pdf Brief Overview of the Draft Revision of Quality Labeling Standard for Canned and Bottled Livestock Products], Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (from [http://www.puntofocal.gov.ar PuntoFocal Argentina]).</ref><ref>[http://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CBoQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.moit.gov.il%2FNR%2Frdonlyres%2FAFFC01EB-9F99-4C1D-AA7F-6F52C1DD6155%2F0%2FNot0116JPN163.doc&ei=8TV3TOHoMIuqca-L9fcF&usg=AFQjCNGtYj7JCVG65qtgIVTUPAEEYSYDGA&sig2=qy31w64MvfcujMQGPgyn4A NOTIFICATION], World Trade Organization, 16 January 2006.</ref> There is also a dessert made from horse meat called ''basashi'' ice cream.<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/1214clay1214.html |title=When it comes to eating horse, most say nay |author=Clay Thompson |date=14 December 2006 |publisher=The Arizona republic |accessdate=2007-11-15}}</ref> The company that makes it is known for its unusual ice cream flavors, many of which have limited popularity. ====Mongolia==== [[Image:Mongolian horse meat.jpg|thumb|Packaged Mongolian horse meat]]{{See also|Mongolian cuisine}} [[Mongolia]], a nation famous for its nomadic pastures and equestrian skills, also includes horse meat on the menu. Mongolians also make a horse milk wine, called airag. Salted horse meat sausages called ''kazy'' are produced as a regional delicacy by the Kazakhs in [[Bayan-Ölgii]] aimag.<ref>{{Citation |title=Mongolia |author=Michael Kohn, |publisher=Lonely Planet |year=2008 |isbn=9781741045789 |page=[http://books.google.com/books?id=7JVGCF-MPB0C&pg=PA43 43] |url=http://books.google.com/?id=7JVGCF-MPB0C |postscript=. }}</ref> In modern times, Mongols prefer beef and mutton, though during the extremely cold Mongolian winter, many people prefer horse meat due to its low cholesterol. It is kept non-frozen and traditionally people think horse meat helps warms them up.<ref>[http://www.khaliuntravel.com/what-to-eat-in-mongolia What to Eat in Mongolia], khaliuntravel.com</ref> Other Asian nations import processed horse meat from Mongolia.<ref>[http://www.eng.hochiminhcity.gov.vn/eng/news/default.aspx?cat_id=619&news_id=3032 Tasting Mongolian horse meat at Seventeen Saloon], hochiminhcity.gov.vn</ref><ref>[http://www.canada-mongolia-connection.com/meat-production-in-mongolia.html Meat Production in Mongolia], canada-mongolia-connection.com</ref> ====Tonga==== {{unreferenced section|date=February 2011}} In [[Tonga]], horsemeat or "lo'i ho'osi" is much more than a just a delicacy; the consumption of horsemeat is generally only reserved for special occasions. These special occasions may include the death of an important family member or community member or as a form of celebration during the birthday of an important family member or perhaps the visitation of someone important like the King of Tonga. In Tonga, a horse is one of the most valuable animals a family can own because of its use as a beast of burden. Therefore the slaughter of one's horse for the purpose of consumption becomes a moment of immense homage to the person or event the horse was slain for. Despite a [[diaspora]] into Western countries like [[Australia]], [[USA]] and [[New Zealand]] where consumption of horsemeat is generally tabooed, Tongans still practice the consumption of horse meat perhaps even more so because it is more readily available and more affordable. ===Europe=== ====Austria==== {{See also|Austrian cuisine}}[[Image:Pferdeleberkäse Ad.jpg|thumb|left|Fast food shop selling horse ''Leberkäse'' (''Pferdeleberkäse'') in [[Vienna]]]] Horse ''[[Leberkäse]]'' is available and quite popular at various hot dog stands. Dumplings can also be prepared with horse meat, spinach or Tyrolean ''Graukäse'' (a sour milk cheese). They are occasionally eaten on their own, in a soup, or as a side-dish. ====Belgium==== {{See also|Belgian cuisine}} In Belgium, horse meat (''paardenvlees'' in [[Dutch language|Dutch]] and ''viande chevaline'' in French) is highly prized. It is used in [[steak tartare]], in which, compared to the beef equivalent, the richer flavor of the horse meat lends itself better to the pungent seasoning used in preparation.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}} Besides being served raw, it can be broiled for a short period, producing a crusty exterior and a raw, moist interior. Smoked horse meat is very popular as breakfast and sandwich meat. Horse steaks are also very popular; the city of [[Vilvoorde]] has a few restaurants specializing in this dish. Horse-sausage is a well known local specialty in [[Lokeren]] with European recognition. ====France==== [[File:Jielbeaumadier contrefilet de cheval 2010.jpg|thumb|right|Contrefilet of horse meat, in France.]] [[File:Chevaline Pezenas.jpg|thumb|280|A butcher shop specializing in horse meat in Pezenas, Languedoc, France.]] {{See also|French cuisine}}In France, specialized butcher shops (''boucheries chevalines'') sell horse meat, as ordinary butcher shops have been for a long time forbidden to deal in it. However, since the 1990s, it can be found in supermarket butcher shops and others. ====Germany==== {{See also|German cuisine}} In [[Germany]], horse meat is occasionally used in ''[[Sauerbraten]]'', a strongly marinated type of sweet-sour braised meat dish. Other traditional horse meat dishes include the [[Bavaria]]n ''Rosswurst'' (horse sausage). In recent times, the eating of horse meat has become a controversial issue and beef is nowadays often substituted for the horse meat in Sauerbraten. However, horse meat, sold by specialized ''Pferdemetzgereien'' (horse butcheries), is still occasionally used for steaks, roasts and goulash by many people in all parts of Germany, since it is supposed to be healthier than beef and pork while being cheaper than venison. It is however far from a common supermarket item. Especially cat and dog breeders and owners value horse meat as a lean and healthy pet food. ====Hungary==== {{See also|Hungarian cuisine}} In [[Hungary]], horse meat is only used in salami and sausages, usually mixed with [[pork]]. These products are sold in most supermarkets and many butcher shops and are not very popular. ====Iceland==== {{See also|Cuisine of Iceland}} In [[Iceland]], it is both eaten minced and as steak, also used in [[stew]]s and [[fondue]], prized for its strong flavor. It has a particular role in the culture and history of the island, as its consumption was one of the concessions won when the pagan Norse [[Icelanders]] eventually [[Christianisation of Iceland#Adoption by arbitration|adopted Christianity]] in the year 1000. ====Italy==== [[Image:macelleria equina venezia.jpg|thumb|right|[[Venice|Venetian]] horse meat [[butcher]]]]{{See also|Italian cuisine}} [[Italian cuisine]] is highly regional: thus, horse meat is popular e.g. in [[Veneto]], [[Friuli-Venezia Giulia]] and [[Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol]], or in [[Sardinia]]; while it not very popular in most part of Italy, used just by a few consumers or even seen as a bad thing (like eating a pet). Horse meat is used in a stew called ''pastissada'' (typical of [[Verona]]), served as horse or colt steaks, as [[carpaccio]], or made into [[bresaola]]. Horse fat is used in recipes such as ''[[b:Cookbook:Pezzetti di Cavallo|pezzetti di cavallo]]''. In the region of [[Veneto]] a dish is prepared which consists of shredded, cured horse meat on a bed of [[arugula]], dressed with olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Also in Veneto, horse meat sausages called ''salsiccia di equino'' or salami; and thin strips of horse meat called ''sfilacci'' are sold (a popular local pizza is made with ''sfilacci'' on it). In Veneto a smaller horse steak is typical and often called, with a [[Venetian Language|Venetian]] name, ''straeca''. In Sardinia [[sa pezz'e cuaddu]] is one of the most renowned meats and is sold in typical kiosks with bread [[panino con carne di cavallo]]. Chefs and consumers tend to prize its uniqueness by serving it as rare as possible. [[Donkey]] is also cooked, for example as a pasta sauce called ''stracotto d'asino''. According to British food writer [[Matthew Fort]], "The taste for donkey and horse goes back to the days when these animals were part of everyday agricultural life. In the frugal, unsentimental manner of agricultural communities, all the animals were looked on as a source of protein. Waste was not an option."<ref>Eating Up Italy: Voyages on a Vespa by [[Matthew Fort]]. 2005, p253-254. ISBN 0-00-721481-2</ref> ====Luxembourg==== Horse meat is commonly found on menus in Luxembourg.{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}} ====Malta==== {{See also|Maltese cuisine}} In [[Malta]], stallion meat ({{lang-mt|Laħam taż-żiemel}}) is usually fried or baked in a white wine sauce. A few horse meat shops still exist and it is still served in some restaurants.<ref>{{Citation |title=Malta & Gozo |author=Carolyn Bain |year=2004 |publisher=Lonely Planet |isbn=17405917 |url=http://books.google.com/?id=lqHLlLsgi1IC&pg=PA56&lpg=PA56&dq=%22horse+meat%22+malta |accessdate=2007-09-14 |page=56 |quote=Did you know? Many of the village restaurants specialising in rabbit also feature horse meat on their menu.}}</ref> ====Netherlands==== {{See also|Dutch cuisine}} [[Image:Horse meat in package.JPG|thumb|Horse meat from the Netherlands]]In the [[Netherlands]], smoked horse meat (''paardenrookvlees'') is sold as sliced meat and eaten on bread. There are also beef-based variants. Horse meat is also used in sausages (''paardenworst'' and [[frikandel]]<ref>Brabants Dagblad "[http://www.brabantsdagblad.nl/regios/brabant/4534973/Deurnese-vinding-de-frikandel.ece Deurnese vinding de frikandel]", 19 februari 2009</ref>), fried fast food snacks and ready-to-eat soups.<ref>[http://www.streekproduct.be/producten/detail.phtml?id=18&start=54& Lokerse paardenworsten], streekproduct.be.</ref><ref>[http://www.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail.aspx?articleID=111hv83f Erkende Lokerse paardenworst wil Europees], nieuwsblad.be, 28 September 2007.</ref> ====Norway==== {{See also|Norwegian cuisine}} In Norway, horse meat is commonly used in cured meats, such as vossakorv and svartpølse, and less commonly as steak, hestebiff. In pre-Christian Norway, horse was seen as an expensive animal. To eat a horse was to show that you had great wealth, and to sacrifice a horse to the gods was seen as the greatest gift you could give. When Norwegians adopted Christianity, horse-eating became taboo as it was a religious act for pagans, and thus it was considered a sign of heresy.<ref>{{Citation|last=Jochens|first=Jenny |title=Women in Old Norse Society|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=3h-lkgBWercC|year=1998|publisher=Cornell University Press|isbn=9780801485206|pages=[http://books.google.com/books?id=3h–lkgBWercC&pg=PA87 87–88]}}</ref> ====Poland==== {{See also|Polish cuisine}} Horse meat is used in production of ''[[kabanos]]'', but it has recently been declining in popularity. Live, old horses are often being exported to Italy to be slaughtered. This practice also garners controversy. Horses in Poland are treated mostly as companions and the majority of society is against the live export to Italy. You can find some shelters for old and unwanted horses that are rescued from slaughter, The Tara Rescue and The Animals of Eulalia Faundation. ====Serbia==== {{See also|Serbian cuisine}} Horse meat is generally available in [[Serbia]], though mostly shunned in traditional cuisine. It is, however, often recommended by General Practitioners to persons who suffer from anoemia. It is available to buy at three green markets in [[Belgrade]], a market in [[Niš]], and in several cities in ethnically mixed [[Vojvodina]], where [[Hungarians|Hungarian]] and previously [[Germans|German]] traditions brought the usage. ====Slovenia==== {{See also|Slovenian cuisine}} Horse meat is generally available in [[Slovenia]], and is highly popular in the traditional cuisine, especially in the central region of [[Carniola]] and in the [[Kras]] region. Colt steak (''žrebičkov zrezek'') is available in some restaurants and there is a popular fast-food restaurant in [[Ljubljana]] called Hot-Horse that serves hamburgers made of horse meat.<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.ljubljana-life.com/eat/restaurants_details/96-Hot_Horse |title=Hot Horse |publisher=ljubljana-life.com |accessdate=2007-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.sloveniatimes.com/en/inside.cp2?uid=9233471E-2FB7-2359-C795-B29EDCF6A4A2&linkid=news&cid=762059D5-F84D-020A-FBA5-2AD66B5F38CB |title=Taste Ljubljana&mdash;Capital Ideas |date=14 December 2006 |author=Dan Ryan |accessdate=2007-12-03}}</ref> ====Sweden==== {{See also|Swedish cuisine}} Smoked/cured horse meat is widely available as a [[cold cut]] under the name ''hamburgerkött'' (hamburger meat). It tends to be very thinly sliced and fairly salty, slightly reminiscent of deli-style ham. ''Gustafskorv'', a smoked sausage made from horse meat, is also quite popular, especially in the province of Dalarna, where it's made. It is similar to [[salami]] or [[medwurst]] and is used as an alternative to them on sandwiches. It is also possible to order horse beef from some well-stocked grocery stores. ====Switzerland==== {{See also|Swiss cuisine}} The ordinance on foodstuffs of animal origin in [[Switzerland]] explicitly list [[equine]]s as an animal species allowed for the production of food.<ref>[[Federal Department of Home Affairs (Switzerland)|FDHA]] Ordinance of 23 November 2005 on food of animal origin, [http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/rs/817_022_108/a2.html Art.2].</ref> Horse steak is quite common, especially in the French-speaking west, but also more and more in the German-speaking part. A speciality known as ''mostbröckli'' is made with beef or horse meat. Horse meat is also used for a great range of sausages in the German-speaking north of Switzerland. Like in northern Italy, in the Italian-speaking South, local "salametti" (sausages) are sometimes made with horse meat. Horse meat may also be used in [[Fondue#Fondue Bourguignonne|Fondue Bourguignonne]]. ====United Kingdom==== {{See also|British cuisine}} In the United Kingdom, the slaughter, preparation and consumption of horses for food is not against the law, although in practice it has been out of fashion since the 1930s and there is a strong taboo against it. It was eaten when other meats were scarce, such as during times of war<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/foodprogramme_20040425.shtml - Food Programme, April 2004]</ref><ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/25/a7269825.shtml - BBC - WW2 People's War - Horsemeat, A Wedding Treat]</ref> (as was [[whale meat]], never popular and now also taboo). The sale of horse meat in supermarkets and butchers is minimal, and most of the horse meat consumed in the UK is imported from Europe, predominantly the [[South of France]], where it is more widely available.<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/06/nramsay06.xml - We Should Eat Horse Meat]</ref> Horse meat may be consumed inadvertently. A [[2003]] [[Food Standards Agency]] investigation revealed that [[salami]] and similar products such as [[chorizo]] and [[pastrami]] sometimes contain horse meat without this ingredient being listed.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2963554.stm Horse meat found in salami], BBC News, june 4, 2003.</ref> Listing is legally required.<ref>[http://www.food.gov.uk/foodlabelling/ull/ UK labelling laws]</ref> ====Ukraine==== In Ukraine, especially in Crimea and other southern steppe regions, horse meat is consumed in the form of sausages called Mahan and Sudzhuk. These particular sausages are traditional food of the [[Crimean Tatars|Crimean Tatar]] population. ===North America=== ====Canada==== {{See also|Canadian cuisine}} Agriculture in [[Quebec]] seems to prosper under the prohibitions from the United States. There is a thriving horse meat business in [[Culture of Quebec|Quebec]]; the meat is available in most supermarket chains. Horse meat is also for sale at the other end of the country, in [[Granville Island]] Market in [[downtown Vancouver]] where, according to a [[Time magazine|''Time'' magazine]] reviewer who smuggled it into the United States, it turned out to be a "sweet, rich, superlean, oddly soft meat, closer to beef than venison".<ref name=Time2007-02-08>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1587279,00.html "Horse — It's What's for Dinner"] by Joel Stein, Time magazine, 8 February 2007.</ref> Horse meat is also available in high end [[Toronto]] butchers and supermarkets. Aside from the heritage of French cuisine at one end of the country and the adventurous [[foodie]]s of Vancouver at the other, however, the majority of [[Canada]] shares the horse meat taboo with the rest of the [[Anglosphere]]. This mentality is especially evident in [[Alberta]], where strong [[horse racing]] and breeding industries and cultures have existed since the province's founding. ====United States==== {{See also|Cuisine of the United States}} {{See also|Horse slaughter#The underlying issue in the United States}} Horse meat is rarely eaten in the United States. Horses are raised instead as pets, for working purposes (Farming, police work, and ranching), or for sport. Horse meat holds a very similar taboo in American culture, the same as the one found in the United Kingdom previously described, except that it is rarely even imported. Restriction of human consumption of horse meat in the U.S. has generally involved legislation at the state and local levels. In 1915, for example, the [[New York City]] Board of Health amended the sanitary code, making it legal to sell horse meat.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F03EFD61239E333A25751C2A9649D946496D6CF ALLOW HORSE MEAT FOR FOOD IN CITY] The New York Times, 22 December 1915</ref> During [[World War II]], due to the low supply and high price of beef, [[New Jersey]] legalized its sale, but at war's end, the state again prohibited the sale of horse meat. In 1951, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine reported from Portland, OR: "Horsemeat, hitherto eaten as a stunt or only as a last resort, was becoming an important item on Portland tables. Now there were three times as many horse butchers, selling three times as much meat." Noting that "people who used to pretend it was [[dog food|for the dog]] now came right out and said it was going on the table," and providing tips for cooking pot roast of horse and equine fillets. A similar situation unfolded in 1973, when inflation raised the cost of traditional meats. ''Time'' reported that "Carlson's, a butcher shop in Westbrook, CT that recently converted to horse meat exclusively, now sells about 6,000 pounds of the stuff a day." The shop produced a 28-page guide called "Carlson's Horsemeat Cook Book" with recipes for chili con carne, German meatballs, beery horsemeat, and more.<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/05/opinion/05weil.html |title=We Eat Horses, Don’t We? |author=Christa Weil |date=March 5, 2007 |publisher=The New York Times |accessdate=2008-09-05}}</ref> [[Harvard University]]'s Faculty Club had horse meat on the menu for over one hundred years, until 1985.<ref>[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB112812616763357437.html The Pros and Cons of Eating Horses]</ref><ref>[http://www.hfc.harvard.edu/about_history.html About the Club : History], The Harvard Faculty Club.</ref> [[California Proposition 6 (1998)]] was passed by state voters, outlawing the consumption of horse meat in California and barring slaughter of horses for human consumption. Until 2007, a few horse meat slaughterhouses still existed in the United States, selling meat to zoos to feed their carnivores, and exporting it for human consumption, but the last one, Cavel International in [[Dekalb, Illinois]], was closed by court order in 2007.<ref>{{cite court |litigants=BELTEX CORPORATION; DALLAS CROWN, INC., v. TIM CURRY, District Attorney Tarrant County |vol= |reporter= |opinion=05-11499 |pinpoint= |court5th Cir |date=19 January 2007 |url= http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions%5Cpub%5C05/05-11499-CV0.wpd.pdf |format=PDF}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070629/horse-slaughter/ |title=Last US Horse Slaughterhouse to Close |author=Tara Burghart |date=29 June 2007 |publisher=The Huffington Post |accessdate=2007-07-16}}</ref> The closure reportedly caused a surplus of horses in Illinois.<ref>WIFR (Illinois), [http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/17031041.html "Cavel International Shutdown Causes Abundance of Horses"], March 26, 2008</ref> ====Mexico==== As of 2005, Mexico was the second largest producer of horse meat in the world.<ref name=production2005 />{{Update after|2010|11}} It is used there both for human consumption and animal food.{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}} ===South America=== ====Chile==== {{See also|Chilean cuisine}} In [[Chile]], it is used in ''[[charqui]]''. Both in [[Chile]], horse meat was the main source of nutrition for the nomadic indigenous tribes, which promptly switched from a [[guanaco]]-based economy to a horse-based one when the horses brought by the Spaniards bred naturally and became feral. This applies specially for the [[Pampa]] and [[Mapuche]] nations, who become fierce warriors on horseback. Pretty much like the [[Tatars]], they ate raw horse meat and milked their animals. ==See also== {{cookbook|Horse}} *[[Taboo food and drink]] *[[Horse slaughter]] *[[Repugnant market]] *''[[Blood of the Beasts]]'' (''Le Sang des bêtes''), a 1949 [[documentary film]] * [[List of meat animals]] '''People''' * [[Carl_C._Rasmussen#Positions|Carl C. Rasmussen]], Los Angeles City Council member, proposed adding charcoal to horse meat to make it inedible by humans ==References== {{Reflist|30em}} ==External links== {{Commons category}} *{{Cite web |url=http://www.igha.org/USDA.html |title=U.S.D.A. Promotes Horse & Goat Meat |publisher=International Generic Horse Association |accessdate=2007-08-09}} (quoting a 1997 USDA report said to be no longer available online) *[http://www.viande-chevaline.fr La Viande Chevaline], a web site made by the French Horse Meat Industry structure, called ''Interbev Equins'' (French) {{Cuisine}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Horse Meat}} [[Category:Article Feedback Pilot]] [[Category:Germanic paganism]] [[Category:Horse products]] [[Category:Japanese ingredients]] [[Category:Meat]] [[ar:لحم الخيل]] [[cs:Koňské maso]] [[de:Pferdefleisch]] [[es:Carne de caballo]] [[eo:Ĉevalaĵo]] [[fr:Viande de cheval]] [[id:Daging kuda]] [[kk:Жылқы етi]] [[ms:Daging kuda]] [[nl:Paardenvlees]] [[ja:馬肉]] [[pl:Konina (mięso)]] [[ru:Конина]] [[sk:Konské mäso]] [[fi:Hevosenliha]] [[sv:Hästkött]] [[tr:At eti]]'