Can you eat wolf?

In this article, we will answer the question “Can you eat wolf?” and discuss how to prepare it?

People who experienced wolf damage had significantly more negative attitudes toward wolves than others. Changes in individual attitudes over time and across wolf range in Wisconsin indicated that between 2001/2004 and 2009 there was a 9–31% increase in negative attitudes/beliefs about wolves (1).

 Can you eat wolf?

Yes, you can eat wolf. Wolf meat is considered inedible by many cultures since it has been ingrained non their minds and handed down through the centuries. However, wolf meat is indeed edible and can be cooked and prepared in a way that makes it both delicious and nutritious.

Wolves have been exterminated from most of Europe in the last two centuries and they probably reached a minimum number around the middle of this century. Not all European wolf populations were hunted to extermination and small but healthy populations survived in all three Mediterranean peninsulas. Larger populations survived in many east-European and Balkan countries. Today there is a great variation of wolf numbers in various European countries, but often these populations are isolated and still show negative numerical trends (2).

Despite the fact that wolf hunting is only authorized in four states, it is a popular pastime in the United States. Grey wolf hunting is forbidden unless you live in Alaska, Montana, Idaho, or Wyoming, where it is permitted (3). You can cook and eat your hunted wolves if you live in these states, so don’t worry if you aren’t sure. In a nutshell, yes, wolf flesh is edible.

The internet doesn’t have much on this, and wolf meat is considered unpalatable by some. But most people think it’s erroneous, and others believe it’s incorrect because wolf meat is an acquired taste. A weird flavor doesn’t imply it’s unappetizing to consume.

Wolf meat isn’t eaten by as many people as it should be.

As wolves are one of the most powerful predators in their ecology, humans pose the greatest danger to them. Other than a human, there aren’t many creatures that can take the life of a wolf.

So, you’ve successfully hunted and killed a wolf, so what’s next? As long as you can obtain a sufficient quantity of flesh out of the corpse, you don’t have to leave the meat out in the weather for other creatures to benefit from.

People rely on wolf meat as a food source when other options are limited, and many explorers do as well. Wolf meat is a nutritious winter diet because of its high-fat content, which acts as insulation as well as a protein supply.

Having said that, you should exercise caution while consuming meat. There are several common misconceptions about how to properly prepare venison, just as there are with any other kind of meat.

There are many dangerous plants and animals that wolves can consume in the wild, and they may be completely healthy before you hunt them if they swallow something that isn’t harmful to them. However, because of the toxin that remains in their system, eating their flesh might cause significant illness.

Alaria alata is a widespread trematode that is considered a potential cause of a human disease called alariosis, which is associated with the consumption of raw or undercooked game meat. The definitive hosts are carnivores, including foxes, wolves, raccoons, lynxes, martens, badgers, dogs, and cats. They become infected by eating frogs or tadpoles that contain mesocercariae, whose length can reach up to 0.5 mm. In studies on the distribution of the parasites in the small intestines of foxes, A. alata were detected mostly in the anterior parts of the intestines in almost all infected foxes (99.4%) (4).

Wolves have been known to return to the scene of death numerous times, which means they feed on the decaying remains of their prey and rotting flesh. If the wolf meat isn’t properly cooked, people are at risk of contracting deadly parasites and germs.

What is the flavor of wolf meat?

Diet and age both affect the flavor of wolf meat, thus it’s impossible to generalize about wolf flavoring. The flesh of a juvenile wolf has been compared to chicken by some, whereas the meat of an older wolf tastes more like a pig.

It’s preferable to eat wolves that live in colder regions since their flesh is more succulent. There have been reports online, however, that wolf meat tastes harsh, weird, and unpalatable to certain individuals.

In general, game meat is described as a healthy meat. Their meat has low fat content (<3 g/100 g for large and <4 g/100 g for small wild game species), high protein content (20–26 g/100 g) and low energy content (90–113 kcal/100 g). Wild game meat has a healthier fatty-acids profile compared to other meats, showing a higher proportion of PUFA, especially n-3, and consequently more favorable PUFA/SFA ratio. However, most of the game meats are herbivore animals. 

Wolf meat is probably more similar to bear meat, which is also carnivorous. A study showed that the fat content in brown bear meat was 7 % and was higher than that reported for other omnivores and herbivore wild game species. The higher meat fat content in brown bears compared with other species could be species-related and attributed to different diets and specific fat metabolism characteristics due to hibernation, i.e., wintering. The protein, moisture, and ash contents were 20%, 71% and 1%, respectively (6).

It’s possible that the wide variety of opinions is due to the latter group consuming meat from wolves who had poor diets or died at the end of their life cycle. The manner the meat is prepared and cooked also plays a role in the varying flavors of wolf meat. In order to prevent the meat from spoiling too rapidly, be sure you keep it appropriately.

Is there any nutritional value in wolf meat?

Cooking wolf meat will increase its nutritional content, but it’s not much. You may increase the nutritious content of the meat by cooking it over an open fire for a short period of time. Wolf is a carnivore species. 

As a result, the meat will be both tough and flavorful and with a higher proportion of fat compared to other game meats from herbivores. Wolves are a great source of protein, as any other game meat (5)..

Do you know how to prep and cook wolf’s meat?

Wolf meat is not widely available online, but the scant information we’ve gleaned suggests that you should marinate the flesh before cooking in order to achieve the finest taste. The following is an example of a beer and wine marinade ingredients list that I discovered online:

• A mixture of dark beer and red wine
• A source of rock salt
• Red chili powder
• Some juniper berries for garnish
• Leaves Rosemary Bay

A week-long marinade made with these ingredients should be left on the wolf meat while it is still on the bone. Reducing this liquid over medium heat will allow you to utilize it as a sauce in the future. Another method is to marinate the meat in a whiskey-vodka mixture. For the next 24 hours, marinate the meat in this marinade.

To learn more about eating wolf meat click here

Conclusion

In this article, we answered the question “Can you eat wolf?” and we discussed how to prepare it?

Reference

1. Olson, Erik R., et al. Pendulum swings in wolf management led to conflict, illegal kills, and a legislated wolf hunt. Conserv Lett, 2015, 8, 351-360.
2. Boitani, Luigi. Action plan for the conservation of wolves in Europe (Canis lupus). No. 18-113. Council of Europe, 2000.  
3. Hoag, Dana, et al. Economic Consequences of the Wolf Comeback in the Western United States. Western Econ Forum, 2022, 1.
4. Korpysa-Dzirba, Weronika, et al. Alaria alata in Terms of Risks to Consumers’ Health. Foods, 2021, 10.
5. Soriano, Almudena, and Carlos Sánchez-García. Nutritional composition of game meat from wild species harvested in Europe. Meat and Nutrition, 2021.
6. Kelava Ugarkovic, N., et al. Proximate Chemical Composition, Fatty Acid Profile, and Lipid Qualitative Indices of Brown Bear Meat. Foods, 2021, 10, 36.