Random food question....

[mom'sfolly]

For those of you who eat meat, is all meat the same?

What I mean is horse, cow, dog, pig, songbird, shell-fish, or insects all the same? Would you choose not to eat certain meats? Would you condemn someone for eating a kind of meat you find disgusting?

For me, knowing that eating meat means that an animal dies, I find a moral equivalency in eating all types of animals with the possible exception of animals that show a certain level of intelligence. While I might not choose to eat certain types of meat, mainly due to a cultural EEEWWW factor, I don't condemn others for doing so. Oops, I just have to add another couple of caveats...I would regard eating an endangered species immoral, except for a starvation situation, and I would feel the same about eating primates.

I know there are religious prohibitions of various types, that keep people from eating certain kinds of meat, or any meat at all. If you follow these convictions, do you condemn others who do not? Or are those restrictions just for you and yours?

 

[Happy Chooks]

No, not all meat is the same. I've never eaten horse and don't plan to ever try it. Beef, pork and chicken all have a different taste. And grocery store beef vs home raised beef is completely different as well. Home raised beef has a sweeter smell and taste, while store beef almost smells rancid to me anymore. I absolutely LOVE shellfish, but I only eat it when I go out. (picky eaters here at home that won't eat it and I'm not cooking 2 different meals) Even different types of fish taste different. I can eat mild fish such as fresh caught trout or swordfish - not wild about salmon or other strong tasting fish.

Meat I can't stand.............lamb. It has a strong flavor that I just don't like. New Zealand lamb is far better than American lamb (mutton). I can tolerate it - meaning I eat lots of bread - (DH and DH's family love it) but I don't cook it at home.

We have had dinner guests that do not eat pork due to religious beliefs. I respect their choice to not eat it and serve a pork-free meal for them. I don't know that I could do the same for someone that doesn't eat any meat, but that's just because I don't know how to cook vegetarian/vegan.

 

[mom'sfolly]

I understand what you are saying. Personally, I can taste the difference in my farmer raised meat, and commercial store bought meat. I hate the mushy texture of catfish, and can't bring myself to eat any raw seafood.

But my question, I guess, is more of the moral idea of "is all meat equivalent". That is, do you consider it more distasteful for someone to eat horse than beef, and would you condemn them for doing so? I know my unwillingness to eat horse, or songbirds, or insects is cultural; but it isn't something that I personally feel the need to get over. This is especially true because I have plenty of other options.

For me, also, having the animal raised a certain way is also important. But for some people, the type of animal or the way it is slaughtered is important too.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Sorry, from your question, I thought you are vegetarian. I don't usually respond to these type of posts, but yours was put in a respectful manner, so I thought I would give my opinion.

For me, all meat is not equivalent. I would not choose to eat horse, insects, raccoon, squirrel, frog legs, snake, etc. as I have more preferable options. However, if I was starving............that's another matter.

Morally, I do not look down on others for eating them, they just don't appeal to me. I feel people do the best with what they have - if all you have around are rodents, then you do what you need to survive. (just like any animal)

 

[booker81]

I've eaten a lot of different meat, and would have minimal caveats on eating pretty much anything - if it's dead, it's better to consume and continue life that to let it rot for bacteria. That said, there are things I wouldn't intentionally kill for consumption, as you said, endangered etc. If it's already dead and being served, we'll, may as well partake.

I don't condemn others for their choices that don't coincide with my own. I have no issue with vegan/vegetarianism, and would cook a meal without meat if requested. When I bring game meats to work (wild duck summer sausage, venison chili etc), I always CLEARLY label it as a game meat, because I respect the choices of those who don't choose to eat game meats. I think it's pretty unfair to put someone down for their food choices based on what you choose to eat. Similarly, I have no problem with religious choices that choose to not consume certain animals - if they don't eat pork, more bacon for me!

I pretty much will eat anything that won't eat me first though. I've eaten a lot of the above mentioned critters (other than primates).

 

[UnderHisWings]

Chicken and Pig and Cow all taste different. I could not eat dog(I've had a pet dog!), horse, of insects( yuck!!) unless for survival,but I guess if others don't mind it I don't mind them eating those things- unless they make me eat it. I don't thinks its morally wrong to eat such weird kinds of meat, I would just find it gross.

 

[mom'sfolly]

I have to admit it huge cultural EEEWWW's for things like horse, cat and dog. The idea of eating insects grosses me out, but so do some living insects. I do not eat bivalves, cause I think they taste like what they look like, and I'm not fond of lamb; moose on the other hand, I will gladly eat.

But I don't condemn anyone else for eating fido of fifi, or raw oysters. I'm might think you are crazy for eating the oysters, but I wouldn't condemn you.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Oh gross, raw oysters.............tried them once and literally gagged. Spit it out super fast. My grandmother loves them.

 

[Cluky]

My husband loves oysters. I hate them even though I do like other shellfish or cooked oysters. Meat wise? Well meat does all taste different. I am a big foodie though so I do think everything is up for grabs....goose, duck...rabbit... My belief is that if the animal has been treated well during its life, eating it is ok.

 

[mom'sfolly]

One of my male friends, long ago, tried to tell me that raw oysters were an aphrodisiac. My immediate and automatic response was "that's because anyone who would swallow one of those would swallow anything". I think he choked laughing.