Elephant flesh is not often seen on a dinner table, but this is due to its scarcity.
Nonetheless, it is not unusual in Africa for humans to eat elephants and appreciate the taste of this enormous creature.
If you reside in North America, however, you will almost certainly never be able to try eating an elephant since it is illegal to kill elephants or bring their flesh into the nation.
This blog article will discuss how elephant tastes and what you should know about this unique meat.
Contents
What exactly is Elephant Meat?
In Africa, elephant flesh, often known as bushmeat, is hunted and consumed.
Elephant meat comprises elephant flesh as well as other edible components of elephants, such as their tails.
Elephant flesh is not the most popular sort of meat consumed worldwide.
It’s not even one of the most prevalent varieties in Asian nations where it could be found.
When the Romans invaded Egypt, they ate elephant flesh, although it has not been a popular cuisine item on menus for ages.
Several governments throughout the globe have prohibited elephant hunting in order to conserve their declining populations.
By CITES standards, it is also unlawful to import or export any ivory from an African elephant anywhere in the globe.
Elephant Meat’s Health and Nutritional Advantages
The African elephant is a powerful animal that has been killed for its flesh by Africans in certain areas.
The flesh of an elephant is unexpectedly lean, with fat levels comparable to that of a pig and minimal cholesterol.
Because of its food, which includes nuts, grasses, fruit trees, and bushes, the elephant has more B-vitamins than other mammals.
Elephant flesh is very heavy in iron, 46% greater than beef.
It is also higher in potassium and vitamin C than beef, pig, or chicken.
It also contains a lot of zinc, which helps to improve the immune system.
Elephant flesh has more total grams of protein per 100g than any other animal food, including beef.
Since elephants eat largely grass, they are a low-carbohydrate meal, making them a great option for those who suffer from high blood sugar levels due to diabetes or who follow the ketogenic diet.
Moreover, their bones are supposed to have healing qualities when cooked down into stews, which subsequently have medical benefits on those who eat them.
Is it illegal to eat elephant?
Due of the high demand for ivory tusks, several nations have made eating elephants illegal.
In Kenya, it is forbidden to eat or own any animal with a horn, including rhinos, buffalo, and hippos.
- Ivory commerce was prohibited by the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), which prohibits international commercial sales from member countries when trading might endanger species survival.
- The African elephant is protected under the Endangered Species Act, which restricts the import or export of any live or dead animal component.
It would be impossible for someone in the United States to ingest fresh elephant flesh since it is prohibited to import and export raw ivory.
Yet, as long as you are not bringing in an endangered species, you may be able to get canned or prepared meals containing game meat from numerous animals, including elephants, imported before to 1997, when CITES prohibited commercial trading.
What Is the Taste of Elephant?
While elephant meat is difficult to get, it has been consumed in Africa for ages.
Elephants are herbivores, not carnivores, and from what I’ve heard, they mostly eat fruit or grasses, which have a fibrous feel rather than sinewy sinew.
Elephant meat is supposed to taste similar to beef or veal, however elephant flesh is more gamy than its domestic equivalents.
Elephant flesh is thick and fibrous, which makes it difficult to chew.
As a consequence, it has a milder flavor than pig but a more strong flavor than beef or lamb since its muscles undergo less workout.
The flavor is often likened to venison.
It is frequently served with a sauce or marinade to enhance the flavor.
Garlic and onions are two of the most prevalent components in these sauces, and they assist to remove any gaminess from the meat.
How Do You Prepare Elephant Meat?
Hunters kill elephants and then harvest their ivory.
The meat is smoked for a day over tree branch-fueled barbecues before being char-grilled to consume on the way back to town.
Before cooking elephant meat, it is required to debone and chop the flesh.
It may, for example, be cooked on an open grill while resting sideways on a metal support.
Elephant flesh may be cooked in a variety of ways, but the most frequent are boiling or stewing.
Spices such as salt and oil enrich the food.
Elephant meat has little natural fat since it has a poor metabolic rate owing to its big size, which means it tastes bland with a tinge of gamey.
Elephants, like other red meats, may be grilled or casseroled with a variety of spices, including garlic, basil, cumin, oregano, rosemary, and sage.
Conclusion
So, elephant flesh is a rather unusual delicacy, particularly in the United States, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good.
Before determining whether or not to endorse this, it is critical to understand what elephant flesh tastes like.
Again, we have no intention of eating it and would never recommend it, but if you’re curious in what elephant flesh tastes like and how it’s cooked, here is the place to be.
FAQs
Does elephant meat taste good?
Elephant’s trunk and tongue are also tasty, and after extended boiling, resemble the hump of a buffalo and the tongue of an ox; however all the other flesh is rough, and should only be eaten by a hungry man because of its unusual flavor.
Can humans eat elephant meat?
Currently, all elephant species are targeted exclusively for their flesh. This is particularly prevalent in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Poachers may collect meat as a byproduct for later sale or to feed the hunting party during ivory hunts.
How much is a pound of elephant meat?
Smoked elephant flesh sells for $5.45 a pound, which is much more than any other kind of meat, including beef or pig. A normal woodland elephant, weighing 5,000 to 6,000 pounds and producing 1,000 pounds or more of edible flesh, may fetch a poacher up to $180 for the ivory and up to $6,000 for the meat.
How to cook elephant meat?
Elephant should be cut into bite-sized chunks after around 3 weeks. Cover the elephant chunks with water in a saucepan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then lower to a low heat and simmer for 4 months, or until the elephant flesh is cooked through and soft.
What does gorilla meat taste like?
Gorilla. Gorillas are extensively killed and eaten in regions of Africa, and their flesh is commonly sold as “bush meat” in surrounding marketplaces. Several people describe the flavor of their cuts as rich, smokey, and veal-like.
Can you eat hippo meat?
Even though poaching and fighting have destroyed the population, hippos are still eaten in their native West Africa.
Is Gorilla meat edible?
Bushmeat accounts for almost 80% of the meat eaten in Cameroon. Meat from monkeys and apes is renowned for its alleged succulence, with roughly 3,000 gorillas slaughtered each year for illicit meat markets.
Why can’t we eat horse meat?
Horse flesh in the United States is unsafe for human consumption due to the unregulated administration of hundreds of harmful medicines and other compounds to horses before to slaughter. horses (competitions, rodeos, and races), or previously wild horses kept privately.
What does rhino meat taste like?
The flesh of a rhino tastes comparable to beef but is less fatty. It also tastes like elk meat, as previously indicated, and others compare the flavor to chicken with a meaty texture. The closest comparison would be pork.
Is elephant meat legal in the US?
In Africa, however, it is usual for humans to eat elephants and appreciate the taste of this enormous creature. If you reside in North America, however, you will almost certainly never be able to try eating an elephant since it is illegal to kill elephants or bring their flesh into the nation.
