Camel - update 🐫

(KM) #1

:camel::dromedary_camel::camel::dromedary_camel::camel::dromedary_camel::camel::dromedary_camel:

Yes, camel. I can’t seem to help myself, found “camel meat diced cubes” in the international market. So I have a bit over a pound of dark red, quasi-ruminant meat, no bones, seemingly no fat. Not necessarily ‘cubed’, it looks more like a whole steak but I assume will come apart in pieces when it defrosts. No idea what part of the camel this might be from.

My go-to these days for mystery meat is liberally salt and pepper, throw in a 450 degree oven for about 15 minutes, drop the temp and let it slow roast for hours around 285. Tends to come out well done and highlighting the flavor of the meat, but not particularly tender or juicy, sort of a cross between roast and jerky. I’ve done it for goat, for ribs, for lamb ribs. This looks super low fat, so I might drop a pat of butter on top.

Any other ideas for how to specifically treat or season a camel??

#2

Now that’s an interesting type of meat! I honestly loved easting kangaroo and elk burgers several years ago, and I’ve been thinking of getting some kangaroo again. You’re really making me curious of what camel tastes like.

(KM) #3

I’m a bit uneasy that I guess I’m eating the African / Middle Eastern equivalent of a horse; I have no idea if this is a social faux pas. It looks like a gigantic slab of pure protein to me!

I’ll update how it comes out, probably cooking it tomorrow.

(Doug) #4

It tends to be lean, and it sure sounds like your piece is. Not known as a tender meat - sounds like lower, versus higher temperatures, are called for, and measures to keep it moist - sous viding, braising, slow-roasting sounds good - perhaps with basting or covering with foil?

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #5

Now, let me see . . . where did I leave my Bedouin cookbook? :rofl::rofl:

#6

We here eat horse too (not alone, mixed into sausage occasionally) so I don’t see any problem with that personally.

I have no idea how to eat camel but sounds interesting :slight_smile: It is lean so it must be moist to enjoy if you are anything like me (though I dislike really lean meats in general. but a moist, tasty one is still good even if it’s lean. just not as good as fattier meat)…

(Bob M) #7

One of the best meals I had was horse cheek stew, in a French restaurant while in Finland. I’ve tried to recreate it with beef cheeks, but my cooking abilities are nowhere near that level.

(KM) #8

I just finished making it and WOW, this is delicious! If I didn’t know what it was I’d have guessed braised shortribs. Super tender and tasty, I’d say it tastes more like beef than any other meat I’ve had.

Just in case you’re all clamoring for camel now, I melted about 3T butter in a pan and quick seared the meat which I had salted and peppered. (yes, it broke into chunks when defrosted). I moved the meat to a casserole dish, poured the pan remains (basically browned butter) over it, deglazed the pan with about 1/4 cup of water which I then added to the casserole, and sealed the dish with foil. 15 minutes at 450, then it sat in the oven at 285 for about four hours. I don’t know how I’m going to keep my hands off this til dinner time.

(KCKO, KCFO 🥥) #9

I loved camel meat when I was in Australia. Never see it here. They have a real over population of wild camels. So it is fairly common if you are in the center of the AU to see it available.

(Geoffrey) #10

Given the circumstances nothing is off limits.

#11

True. In starving situations when the options are limited, people tend to very quickly lose these things and realize meat is meat and survival is important.
It’s very different when we have lots of choices. Or if we need to kill for it directly, some of us aren’t fit to do that (and in the trickier cases, we would refuse it on a moral base).

Thanks for the info, @kib1! Now I know camel is probably tasty (tastes differ and camels too so it’s never sure), too bad I probably never will eat any. But who knows? I still like knowing things :slight_smile:

(KCKO, KCFO 🥥) #12

https://a-z-animals.com/blog/camel-meat-a-guide-to-the-nutritional-benefits-of-camel-meat/

(KM) #13

I did not find it to be gamey or dry. Perhaps the cut I got was part of the hump. In any event, delicious. It was a little over $8 per pound, so cheaper than fancy supermarket beef cuts like ribeye, more expensive than stewing cuts. But it was 100% meat, I did not throw out so much as a teaspoon of fat or gristle.

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(With my overripe cucumbers, which hide from me, looking on). What you see is about half the package, I’d already eaten the rest. :stuck_out_tongue:

#14

Looks interesting! Good job making it look appetizing. :+1: