Since when do Canadians eat horse?

Question

I really don't want to have to ask this, but my curiousity must be satisfied!

The other day, I heard about my friend's family having horse meat for dinner; this was aparantly nothing unusual.

Is this normal?

Answer 1

I am Canadian and I have never heard of this nonsense before now.  Must be slang for something else.

Answer 2

well it's normal in France (and Belgium) which is probably were the tradition in Canada comes from

http://www.chow.com/stories/10298

The English don't eat them, which probably set the early precedent for Americans

Answer 3

I am a former chef and it is not a staple dish here but is available if you know some one who buys it, actually most of the human consumed horsemeat in Canada is export to Japan and Europe.

I have had it in France, a steak similar to a striploin in beef cattle, it is milder in taste and is less fatty, not a big deal, as some have said it is common in some countrys and seen as nothing spectacular, I would not buy it very often, and the cuts are very limited as most horse are either farm animals or others and worked hard so the meat in other areas is mildly tougher.

Answer 4

I don't know about Canadian cuisine, but it's pretty easy to find horse meat in Portugal, and I've known some farmers to eat it.

It's not unlike venison, or beef, really.

Answer 5

I've never heard of Canadians eating horse.

Answer 6

i'd eat it if i could find it , i may have at one point b-4 a buffet was closed down { serving horsemeat + calling it something else } personnally they could have had it on the menu + i would have no prob w/ it . true it made the papers here in athens georgia

Answer 7

I think you have to look into the laws Governing Livestock..

"Animals raised solely for food.."

Horses and pets are not on that list..

Many new laws were added to prevention of cruelty codes after the Viet Nam refugees flooded into America.

I know nothing of Canada's laws BUT

Equine meat was avaliable in Sacramento until the 80's..

and you can look here ::

http://www.exoticmeats.com/home.aspx

Answer 8

An eastern-european friend of mine speaks very highly of horse meat and rues the fact it is almost impossible to find in southern Ontario.

The Muse