Can you eat Beaver?
In this brief article, we will answer the question, “Can you eat Beaver?” and methods to cook Beaver.
Can you eat Beaver?
Yes, you can eat Beaver. Consuming Beaver also has more benefits than risks. According to an assessment conducted near the Slave river Delta region in 1999, even though Beaver had trace levels of Cadmium, it was still found to be safe to consume.
According to the assessment, you can safely consume 34 Beaver livers a year.
What exactly are Beavers?
Beavers are rodents that are found near aquatic areas in the Northern hemisphere. They can stay in the water as well though they are primarily land-based creatures. Beavers eat plants and the beavers that stay on land are less likely to be contaminated.
What is the nutritional profile of Beaver?
The liver and feet of the beaver are very good sources of protein. It also contains good amounts of iron and vitamin A. It has also been used for medicinal uses.
How does Beaver taste like?
The taste of the Beaver is somewhat similar to pork. It also is chewy. A Beaver that has been killed in winter will have more fat than if it has been killed in other seasons. So if you are planning to try Beaver, eat the ones that have been killed in winter.
The tail of the Beaver also contains fat. The color of the Beaver meat is dark.
How to cook Beaver meat?
Before cooking the Beaver, it is better to soak them in water that contains salt. This helps in removing blood or other impurities stuck on the meat.
Frying the Beaver would be an ideal way to consume it. Many individuals advise against consuming the tail of the Beaver as it is a source of high-fat content.
If you wish to consume the tail of the beaver, you can roast it to consume them. Beaver also contains castor glands. You would have to remove them before planning to cook the beaver.
Beaver Roast
Ingredients
- 2 Beaver backstraps and 1 beaver hindquarter
- 1 medium carrot (chopped finely)
- 1 medium onion (chopped finely)
- 1 medium potato (chopped finely)
- Vegetable oil for cooking
- 1 cup seasoned flour
- 1 beer
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
Method
- Place the Beaver in seasoned flour and roll it around to coat it with flour evenly. Keep the meat in the flour for a while to allow the flour to stick to the meat.
- Finely chop the onions, potatoes, and carrots. If you prefer consuming larger pieces of veggies, you need not chop them finely.
- In the dutch oven, heat oil. Let the oil turn hot. Add the beaver meat over the Dutch oven. Let one side of the meat cook for 3-5 minutes. Flip the meat and let the other side of the meat cook for 3-5 minutes as well.
- Cook the sides till it turns golden brown.
- Add the veggies to the Beaver. Add salt and pepper to the Beaver meat.
- Add beer to the Beaver meat in the Dutch oven. Cover it using a lid. You can place charcoals using tongs under the oven to obtain a smoky flavor. Serve.
You can also season the beaver with flavorings of your choice. Add fresh parsley, potatoes, egg noodles, bread crumbs. You can also consume wine as an accompaniment along with the Beaver.
Beaver (slow-cooked)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless beaver meat
- Salt and pepper
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 1 carrot (finely chopped)
- Few garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- Parsley (for garnishing)
Method
- Season the beaver with salt and pepper and keep it aside for 25-30 minutes.
- In the Dutch oven, cook the Beaver till it becomes brown and crispy.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and cook Beaver in batches. Add veggies too and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add all the ingredients to a slow cooker and cook for 8-10 hours. Garnish with parsley.
Are Beavers safe to consume?
Beavers can contain a lot of contaminants like cadmium. This is because Beavers are exposed to heavy metals and pollution. Smokers are exposed to high levels of cadmium through smoke because of which smokers might need to consume fewer amounts of Beaver.
Certain groups of beavers might contain high levels of contaminants. As a result, you might need to analyze the area before hunting a beaver. Also, the beaver meat needs to be cooked at a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you do not like to consume excess fat, you can discard the tail of the Beaver.
Conclusion
In this brief article, we have answered the question, “Can you eat beaver?” and methods to cook Beaver.
