Muskrat meat: taste, calories, benefits and harms, cooking features. Muskrat meat: taste, calorie content, benefits and harms, cooking features Do people eat muskrat

In many countries, muskrat meat is considered a delicacy and is expensive. Dishes from it can be found in the most sophisticated restaurants. In the cookbooks of the peoples of Europe, North and South America, the muskrat occupies a worthy place. In our country, few people know about the benefits and taste of the meat of this animal, which is why it is not so popular.

Useful properties of muskrat meat

If we consider muskrat meat as a dietary product, then, first of all, it is worth noting its good digestibility by the human body. This indicator significantly exceeds even rabbit meat, which is considered the champion and leader in nutrition in terms of ease and speed of digestion.

It is worth emphasizing the fact that not only the meat of this animal is well absorbed, but also its fat. This is due to the fact that it melts and begins to decompose at a temperature of +30 ° C, which distinguishes it from lamb and even pork fat. In addition, muskrat fat contains many unsaturated acids that are beneficial to the body. In beef, pork and lamb fat, they are practically absent.

The beneficial properties of meat make it possible to include muskrat dishes in the diet of people whose bodies are significantly weakened by long-term illnesses or for other reasons, for example, in the postoperative period. It is also useful to use it for diseases of the digestive system, diabetes and excess weight.

It is worth knowing about the health benefits of muskrat meat for men. In Eastern medicine, muskrat meat is a strong aphrodisiac and is sold in stores and pharmacies in dried form. Its regular use will help to permanently get rid of problems associated with potency and other ailments. genitourinary system in men.

Use in cooking

The appearance of the meat of a fur-bearing animal does not cause a negative impression. It resembles rabbit meat, the only difference is that the color is more saturated and dark. This is due to the content in the muscle fibers of a large amount of hemoglobulin.

As for taste, muskrat meat combines several tastes at the same time - rabbit, hare and wild bird. Of course, it has a specific aftertaste, but we can say that this is an amateur and connoisseur.

Before cooking muskrat, it is worth considering one important point- removal of the near-anal musk glands, since they are responsible for the release of odorous secretion. If they are removed incorrectly, the meat will acquire a not very pleasant aftertaste, but even in this case there is a way out - the carcass must be soaked in cold water for several hours and change it regularly.

You can cook muskrat in different ways: it is stewed, boiled, fried, baked on the grill and in the oven. But, according to hunters and culinary specialists, such meat is best processed in the oven or on the grill. However, so that it does not become hard, it is better to boil it first (at least an hour in lightly salted water). If the meat is planned to be fried, then it is advisable to marinate it with spices for several hours. It should be noted that a properly prepared dish of muskrat meat goes well with any classic sauces.

Muskrat Meat Recipes

In Europe and the USA, muskrat dishes are served as delicacies. They are prepared with various sauces, and served on a pillow of a variety of vegetables and with all kinds of rice.

In our country, dishes prepared from this animal are considered non-traditional and are known mainly to hunters and fishermen, since it is not difficult for them to catch this animal.

Today, many dishes of this meat are known. All recipes are quite simple and include well-known and affordable ingredients, so cooking them at home is not difficult.

• muskrat meat from one carcass;
• white cabbage - a medium-sized fork;
• 200 g of onion;
• 10% cream - 300 g;
• 60 g rast. oils;
• 5-6 teeth garlic (chopped through a press);
• 2 tbsp. l. lemon juice;
• 0.3 tsp. ginger and nutmeg (ground);
• a mixture of peppers - a few peas;
• salt - to taste.

Cooking:

1. Pre-beat the carcass, salt. Prepare the marinade: beat the vegetable oil with garlic and spices until smooth with a whisk or blender. At the bottom of the baking dish, put a pillow of onion, cut into rings. Lay the meat on top and pour the marinade over it, after which, put a wooden cutting board on top of the meat and put oppression (load).
2. The meat should marinate for 2-3 hours. After this time, put it out of the mold, and put cabbage leaves scalded with boiling water on the bottom. Put large pieces of meat on them, pour cream and cover with a layer cabbage leaves.
3. Close the form with a lid, simmer the dish in the oven for 1.5-2 hours.

The hunting recipe is the simplest, for its preparation you will need:

• one or two muskrat carcasses (cut into pieces);
• 200 g of onion;
• 200 carrots;
• 50 g of vegetable oil;
• 2-3 tbsp. l. low-fat mayonnaise;
• 0.5 bunch of fresh herbs;
• bay leaf, pepper, salt.

The carcass should be washed well, soaked for 3-4 hours, cut into portions. Fry pre-prepared vegetables with pieces of muskrat in a pan in vegetable oil until a uniform crust. Add salt, spices, mayonnaise, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Sprinkle the cooked dish generously with herbs. You can serve wild rice, boiled potatoes or any vegetables as a side dish.

Another recipe for such a dish is known, only using other ingredients:

Before cooking it, the muskrat must be marinated for 3-4 hours with kiwi, salt and vegetable oil. Cut kiwi fruits into rings, put in a container with meat, add oil, salt and mix well. Kiwi juice will serve as a marinade, eliminate unpleasant odors and make the meat soft. Unlike marinade prepared with vinegar, this one is natural. It does not split meat fibers, gives a piquant taste and does not add a sharp taste and aroma to the dish.

Muskrat with vegetables is a tasty and vitamin-rich dish. Its composition includes:

• muskrat carcass (500-700 g);
• 500 ml vegetable broth;
• 1-2 pcs. onion;
• 300 g cabbage (finely chopped);
• 200 carrots (grated);
• a tomato;
• bell pepper;
• 50 g cl. oils;
• 150 grams of sour cream;
• salt, a mixture of peppers.

Cooking:

1. Rinse the carcass, cut into pieces, salt, sprinkle with a mixture of spices and fry until half cooked in a pan. Next, put the meat in a duck dish, put vegetables on top: onion, cabbage, carrots, sliced ​​​​tomatoes and sweet peppers. Salt again, add spices, bay leaf.
2. Put sour cream on top of the dish and pour hot broth so that it covers the contents of the chicken about half. If there is no broth, you can use hot water, but the taste of the finished dish will turn out to be less saturated.
3. Place the form in the oven for an hour, simmer at t 180 ° C. Serve with vegetable side dish, boiled potatoes, rice or as an independent dish.

It is worth noting that the final result of cooking muskrat meat, its benefits and taste directly depend on how accurately the processing and cooking rules are followed. If everything is done correctly, the dishes will turn out tasty and healthy, and their taste will be unforgettable.

I want to state right away:
- Nutria, this is not a rat! The nutria is a relative of the porcupine. Here is a muskrat - a rat! More precisely - a musk rat!
Just do not treat these "rats" with prejudice. Rat to rat - discord! After all, do people eat such muck as rabbit and hare? Are eating!
And nutria and muskrat are much tastier! In North America, the muskrat is even called the "water rabbit". And in culinary terms, the muskrat is very popular there.
Nutria has absolutely fat-free, soft, tender and juicy meat without any unpleasant odors. And it contains absolutely no cholesterol. Really diet food!
Muskrat meat is fatter than nutria, although it is tougher, but just as juicy, and also does not contain cholesterol.
The only problem is that not everyone knows how to cook them!
Here we go!

Cooking nutria.

Cooking nutria is very simple. There are many ways and recipes for its preparation. Probably the same as a chicken.
Personally, I prefer stewed nutria.
First we prepare the carcass.
The head, tail and tips of the paws are removed from the carcass. None of this has any culinary value. We cut the carcass into portions, rinse well and marinate for 5-6 hours either in marinade (1), or in garlic sauce (2), or in kvass (3).
There are no special methods or recommendations for preparing nutria stew. Can be cooked like Tobacco Chicken by frying in a special frying pan (4). I prefer stewed nutria. I put it out in two ways:
- in sour cream - I make a mixture of 1 cup of refined sunflower oil. 1 cup homemade sour cream, 1 tablespoon ground tammerik and 3 cups water in this mixture carcass nutria;
- in kvass - in 1 liter of okroshka kvass (5) I stir 4 tablespoons with a top of "Russian Mustard", add 1 tablespoon with a top of ground tammerik, 1 tablespoon with a top of crushed garlic; in this mixture carcass nutria.

Cooking muskrat.

I usually cook muskrat according to the same recipe as cat meat (6):

1. Preliminary preparation of the muskrat for cooking.
The preparation of the muskrat begins with the release of the carcass from the interior and subcutaneous fat. Muskrat fat has no culinary value. Although, it's a matter of taste. Someone loves and "with bacon." All the fat in the muskrat is deposited in the subcutaneous and visceral layers. It separates easily and without a trace. It must be removed along with the film. To facilitate the removal of fat, you can first rub the carcass with coarse rock salt and leave it for a couple of hours. After removing the fat and fatty film, rinse the carcass well in running water.
After removing the fat, the muskrat carcass must be beaten off and marinated.
To beat, we lay the carcass on a large and thick (preferably oak) cutting board with the back side up. Beating the carcass with a wooden hammer along the back, we spread it on a cutting board. In such a flattened form, the carcass will marinate and stew.

2. Pickling muskrat.
To prepare the marinade, for every 1 kilogram of the net weight of the cat carcass, we take 100 milliliters of boiled cooled water; 50 milliliters of unrefined sunflower oil; 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice; 100 grams of freshly crushed garlic; half a coffee spoon without the top of ground ginger and ground nutmeg; a quarter of a coffee spoon without a top of powdered bay leaf; powdered five dried clove buds and three peas of black, white and pink pepper. Salt - to taste. The mixture is well whipped in a blender into a homogeneous mass. The marinade is ready.
We take a metal enameled baking sheet, spread the entire surface of the baking sheet with thinly sliced ​​​​onion rings (white or yellow; purple or red onions should not be translated). We put the carcass of the muskrat on the onion with the back side up, pour the marinade. From above, the carcass is covered with a smaller baking sheet. But such that he would completely cover the entire carcass. From above we lay oppression: a couple of bricks. You need to marinate the carcass for as many hours as a kilogram of net weight in the carcass, plus one hour.

3. Final cooking of muskrat.
As soon as the muskrat is well marinated, we free the carcass from oppression. We remove the onion and the marinade remaining in the pan. We cover the surface of the baking sheet with cabbage leaves (you should not experiment with grape leaves - this will not improve the taste). Fill the surface of cabbage leaves with about a centimeter layer of 10% cream. We lay the carcass of the muskrat on the cabbage with its back up. Pour a centimeter layer of 10% cream on top. Top completely cover the entire surface of the carcass with cabbage leaves. Cover everything on top with a smaller baking sheet. We put oppression on a baking sheet, and into the oven.
The muskrat is stewed, depending on the weight, for one and a half to two hours at a temperature of 110-120 degrees.

It is served on the table both hot and cold. Before serving, it is divided into portions. Any garnish. Any sauce.
Bon Appetit!
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1 - See the article "Garlic sauce"
2 - See article "Special marinade for game".
3 - See the article "Family kvass recipe"
4 - Such a pan has a lid that is pressed against the pan with a screw clamp.
5 - See the article "Family kvass recipe", sections 1 and 2.
6 - See the article "Cat Meat Dishes".

In many countries, muskrat meat is a delicacy and is very expensive. Muskrat dishes can be found in the most sophisticated restaurants. In our country, the meat of this rodent is not so popular and few people know about its benefits and taste.

Many residents of our country consider muskrat meat to be “dirty”, since the animal lives in water and is also a rodent. However, this is just a myth that does not have a single compelling argument and reason:

1. The muskrat is a very clean animal, devoting a lot of time to cleaning food before eating,
2. The muskrat feeds mainly on plant foods, the proportion of food of animal origin in its diet is negligible,
3. The muskrat categorically does not eat carrion, any kind of waste, spoiled food.

Animal meat is not only one of the cleanest and safest, but also healthy.

The only point that needs to be taken into account when preparing is the competent removal of the near-anal musk glands.

It is these glands that are responsible for the release of odorous secretions, and if they are removed incorrectly, the meat may acquire a not very pleasant aftertaste. However, in this case, there is a way out - soak the meat for several hours and periodically change the water. Muskrat tastes more like a rabbit, although some fans of this game claim that the taste is closer to duck.

Beneficial features

Muskrat meat is quite healthy and belongs to the diet. In many respects, muskrat meat surpasses even rabbit meat, which many nutritionists consider the best dietary meat. That is why in some European countries, as well as in the USA and countries of South America, doctors strongly recommend eating muskrat meat to people suffering from:

• digestive problems,
• problems with the heart system
• improper metabolism,
• diabetes,
• excess weight.

In addition, the meat of this aquatic rodent is very useful for people who have undergone surgery or are weakened by long-term diseases of a very different nature.

Muskrat meat cannot be classified as fatty, but even its fat is well and quickly absorbed. The melting point of fat is low - only thirty degrees, so by the end of cooking there is no trace of rare streaks. Animal fat contains a lot of various acids that are not formed in the human body, but are very useful. In addition to acids, muskrat meat contains a large amount of protein. In the muscle fibers of the animal, the protein content can reach twenty percent, which is much higher than that of lamb, pork, beef, and even rabbit meat. It is also important that most of the protein belongs to the type of complete.

Do not forget about the benefits of muskrat meat for men. In Eastern medicine, animal meat is a very strong aphrodisiac and is sold in many stores in dried form.

Regular consumption of protein-rich and pure meat of this small animal can permanently relieve many male problems associated with potency.

Use in cooking

In Europe and the USA, muskrat meat is served as a delicacy. It is cooked with various sauces, served on a bed of vegetables, with wild rice, stewed, fried and grilled. In our country, the meat of the animal is known mainly to hunters and fishermen, for whom it is not difficult to catch this animal.

Hunting recipe for cooking muskrat

The hunting recipe is the simplest.

• a carcass or two muskrats, previously cut into portions,
• several bulbs,
• several root vegetables of carrots,
• Bay leaf,
• a few tablespoons of mayonnaise,
• salt,
• black pepper,
• chopped fresh herbs.

Before cooking, the carcass must be washed well, and it is better to soak for several hours in water, and cut into small portions. Onions are cut into rings, carrots can be grated on a coarse grater. In a pan with a thick bottom or in a cauldron, onions, carrots and pieces of muskrat are fried until an even golden crust is formed. Mayonnaise, salt and spices are added, the cauldron is covered with a lid. The dish is stewed over low heat for about 20 - 25 minutes. The finished dish is sprinkled with fresh herbs. You can serve boiled potatoes or mashed potatoes, rice, any vegetables as a side dish.

Many cook muskrat meat according to this recipe, changing only the recipe of the preparatory process. Before cooking - muskrat can be marinated for an hour and a half with kiwi. For the marinade, you will need a few ripe kiwi fruits, a little salt and olive oil (if desired). Kiwi is cut into rings and laid out in a container with meat. Mixes well. Salt and a couple of tablespoons of oil are added. Kiwi juice makes the meat soft, eliminates any unpleasant odors. Unlike vinegar, kiwi marinade does not break down meat fibers, does not add any harsh aroma and taste.

Muskrat meat in cream

For cooking you will need:

• kilogram of muskrat meat,
• 55 ml oil
• lemon juice - three large spoons,
• about a hundred grams of finely chopped garlic cloves,
• a little ground ginger
• on the tip of a knife - ground nutmeg,
• a few peas of multi-colored pepper (white, black, pink),
• salt,
• medium cabbage head,
• a few medium bulbs
• ten percent cream - about 300 ml.

First you need to prepare the marinade - for this, the oil is whipped (you can use a whisk or a blender) with garlic and spices until smooth. The carcass of the muskrat must first be beaten off. Cut the onion into rings and put on the bottom of the baking dish. Meat is laid out on top of the onion and poured with ready-made marinade. Any wooden plank is placed on top and a load is placed. The minimum marinating time is two hours. After the time has elapsed, the meat is removed from the mold, and the bottom is covered with cabbage leaves. Pieces of meat are laid out on cabbage. Everything is covered in cream. Next, the muskrat should be salted and covered with another layer of cabbage leaves. Be sure to close the mold with a lid. It is stewed in the oven at a temperature of 120 -130 degrees for about two hours.

Muskrat stewed with vegetables

For cooking you will need:

• muskrat carcass, weighing about 500 - 700 grams,
• about 450 grams of finely chopped cabbage leaves and grated carrots,
• medium bulb,
• tomato and sweet pepper,
• 120 grams of fat sour cream,
• 50 grams of butter,
• salt,
• a mixture of black, white, red pepper,
• Bay leaf,
• vegetable broth.

Rinse the carcass well, cut into portions, salt and sprinkle with a mixture of spices (you can add any to your liking) and fry in a deep frying pan with a thick bottom until golden brown. Then the pieces need to be placed in a duck dish, put grated carrots, cabbage, onion cut into rings, sliced ​​​​tomato and sweet pepper, a few bay leaves on top. Salt and pepper again. Put sour cream on top and pour everything with hot broth so that the broth covers all the contents by about half. If desired, you can use hot water instead of broth, but the taste will be less intense. Put the ducklings in the oven preheated to 180 degrees and simmer for about 35-46 minutes. You can serve with any vegetable side dish or rice, as an independent dish.

Dear women!

Here's a tasty start for you: we men love meat.

And no matter what government ideologists say, suggesting that you need to earn little and live in poverty, the miraculous properties of meat have long been known to us, men.

In our country, over the past 20 years, little literature has been published confirming healing properties meat; as in any crisis country, we are told about the benefits of bread cutlets. However, not without reason, in all ages, they tried to support the weakened and sick with meat broth on the bone. Such a broth is even useful for our joints and cartilage, and improves the quality of the interarticular fluid.
It is enough to drink such a broth and eat it with jellied meat so that in old age you do not have to be treated with expensive shark cartilage pills ...

But it's not even about that, but about the high energy efficiency of meat.
It is known that the muscles that make up a larger percentage of the tissue mass in men (unlike women who accumulate fat, why in the old days it was said "a woman is an empty meat") require a huge amount of energy, more than fat mass. This energy, if you like it or not, where - you have to take it.
This is where meat comes to the rescue.

It has been noted that wolves that eat... properly, meat, having had a hearty meal, may not eat for several days afterwards. After all, the energy stored by them from meat is enough for a long time.
A similar effect was described by Darwin in his notes on a round-the-world trip on the Beagle. He noticed that Latin American justice is strict, and there were often criminals who tried to hide from him in the expanses of the prairies. The pursuit of the criminal, which consisted of mounted men, could last 3-5 days in a row, during which the representatives of justice did not have "poppy dew" in their mouths ... because the day before they ate meat in large quantities. Darwin observed the same effect in livestock breeders who ate fresh meat, retaining strength and vigor even during forced fasting for many days.

I am not a doctor or a biologist, but now I offer a fact that is worth thinking about. If you, dear ladies, have beloved men, feed them meat so that men are hardy.

By the way, the facts are known when fat people, "planted" on a meat diet, lost weight. Meat really gives energy, maintaining human muscle tissues in good condition, but does not favor the accumulation of body fat.
I note that in some sanatoriums of the Soviet Union there was such a diet - meat, which doctors prescribed to their patients.