A Meat Called Horse

Published on Tuesday, May 8, 2007, by Stephanie365 / Edit Post

The wonderfully, hysterically, exhaustively offensive Gordon Ramsay is on a roll these days. There’s the dead deer drag, the Silence of the Lambs taunting of Posh Spice, and now horse meat. Not just eating horse meat, mind you, but cooking up horse meat patties and serving them at Cheltenham Racecourse.

It’s just another day in the life of Ramsay’s TV show The F Word, and Ramsay and F Word presenter Janet Street-Porter hope to educate the general public about the benefits of eating the Old Gray Mare.

Both Ramsay and Street-Porter claim that not only do they like the taste of the gamy meat, but also horse has lots of iron and is packed with those miraculous omega-3’s we keep hearing about. However, health benefits aside, both the Vegetarian Society and the International League for the Protection of Horses are pretty steamed over this idea.

The ILPH announced, “It’s irresponsible to promote eating horse meat while failing to inform viewers about the appalling abuses of animals in the industry,” and the Vegetarian Society claimed, “Most people will find the idea of eating horse abhorrent.”

Although it’s all taking place on Ramsay’s show, the Sun piece does make it appear as though Ramsay—or his handlers—has attempted to downplay his direct involvement:

Channel 4 said Ramsay does not urge viewers to eat horse on the show, screened on May 22, but ‘merely states that he has liked it’.

A spokeswoman added: ‘Gordon’s only involvement in the investigation is at the end when he agrees with Janet that horse meat tastes good.’

Maybe so, but I’m not particularly looking forward to the day when my farmers’ market starts offering artisanally produced Blackadder-y horse sausages.

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  • I think the difference between eating horses and eating pigs is that, in our culture, horses are more like companion animals than livestock (eg, chickens or pigs).

    There's some legislation floating around in my state about horse slaughter. Can't remember the specifics, but of course, there's a lot of talk about how horribly cruel the slaughtering process is (and apparently much less regulated).

    ...+READ

    I think the difference between eating horses and eating pigs is that, in our culture, horses are more like companion animals than livestock (eg, chickens or pigs).

    There's some legislation floating around in my state about horse slaughter. Can't remember the specifics, but of course, there's a lot of talk about how horribly cruel the slaughtering process is (and apparently much less regulated).

    Fair or unfair, we do hold a different standard for the treatment--and consumption--of our pets. I know I wouldn't feel right eating horsemeat, anymore than I would eating dog meat, and no matter how delicious it may be.-COLLAPSE

  • I have had horse several times in Northern Italy. It is called cavallo and I have had it typically just seared and lightly seasoned. It is good, but a bit gamy. I disagree with serving at a horse race, however the losers in the horserace will probably end up as dog food or glue, so what is the difference.

  • After seeing the ludicrous "Hell's Kitchen", I can safely conclude that Gordon Ramsey will say and do absolutely anything to get his face and name in the American media, so I'm not surprised that he'd serve grilled horsemeat at a horserace.

    Gordon, stay in Britain. We already have a cilinary horse's ass: his name is Bobby Flay, and this stable ain't big enough for the both of you.

  • "Many omnivores will eat pigs, but are repelled by the thought of eating horses. It's amazing how we draw these lines."

    I figure repulsion is based on the fact that horse meat isn't currently a part of our culinary culture. We have bacon martinis, bacon ice cream, bacon gums, and all sorts of other things to revere pork, but horse -- except on the apocalyptic television show Jericho -- isn't...+READ

    "Many omnivores will eat pigs, but are repelled by the thought of eating horses. It's amazing how we draw these lines."

    I figure repulsion is based on the fact that horse meat isn't currently a part of our culinary culture. We have bacon martinis, bacon ice cream, bacon gums, and all sorts of other things to revere pork, but horse -- except on the apocalyptic television show Jericho -- isn't popularly consumed.-COLLAPSE

  • Honestly what is the difference from eating a burger made of beef or one made of horse? Nothing I can see except a shortage of movies and books romaticizing the cow like has been done in the west for horses.

    Ramsay may be a bit of a bull in china shop (sorry for the horrible pun) in his methods but he's right - most people have no idea about where their food comes from. I grew up in a small...+READ

    Honestly what is the difference from eating a burger made of beef or one made of horse? Nothing I can see except a shortage of movies and books romaticizing the cow like has been done in the west for horses.

    Ramsay may be a bit of a bull in china shop (sorry for the horrible pun) in his methods but he's right - most people have no idea about where their food comes from. I grew up in a small town where my dad was a deer hunter, and woke up many fall mornings to see a deer carcas left to hang from the tree outside my sister and I's bedroom window (it was the best tree for the job - location be damned) and we grew up with a deep respect for animals and an understanding of where our dinner came from.

    Posh Spice and people like that drive me crazy - where do they think the leather for their fancy shoes comes from?-COLLAPSE

  • I had horse meat in Kazakhstan (although both times not knowing what I was eating until after the meal) and it is very tasty. The Kazakhs were a horse culture though, and it was my understanding that they were simply eating meat from horses that had died naturally (or had to be put down). It is interesting to me how we draw the lines of what we eat or don't eat. Many vegetarians will eat fish....+READ

    I had horse meat in Kazakhstan (although both times not knowing what I was eating until after the meal) and it is very tasty. The Kazakhs were a horse culture though, and it was my understanding that they were simply eating meat from horses that had died naturally (or had to be put down). It is interesting to me how we draw the lines of what we eat or don't eat. Many vegetarians will eat fish. Many omnivores will eat pigs, but are repelled by the thought of eating horses. It's amazing how we draw these lines.
    Even the animals slaughtered in the US (if reports are correct) are animals that would have been killed in any case (for lameness, back problems, etc). It's an interesting question in our age of sustainability. Is it more of a sin to eat a somewhat intelligent animal or to waste meat?-COLLAPSE