Seal meat refers to the flesh, organs, and blubber that is gotten from seals to serve as food for humans or animals. Seals are always hunted for their fur, and the rest of the carcass is left to rot. But now, especially in Canada and some parts of Asia, seal meat is being enjoyed as a delicacy.
There are controversies surrounding seal meat. Many people, celebs, and influential people have tried to put a stop to the killing and eating of seals. They have stated reasons like sustainability and depletion of aqua life. But the processing of seals for food is highly regulated, and their population increases instead of declining.
What does seal meat taste like? The taste of seal meat is distinctive. You can compare it to a beef steak with a hint of liver or a hybrid concoction of ahi tuna and moose. Other people that have had a taste of seal meat compare it to a cut of liver without the taste of blood. It is described to have a gamey flavor that is full of the taste of iron. Instead of tasting more like meat, it feels and tastes like an internal organ.
In many parts of the world, seal meat is eaten for sustenance or a regular diet. If seal meat is gotten fresh, the taste of the sea still clings to the meat.
Nutritional Benefits of Seal Meat
Seal meat is referred to as the Canadian superfood. It is regarded as one of the most nutritious meats on the planet. It is nutrient-dense, meaning that it offers an excellent protein-to-fat ratio (high in protein but low in fat). It has a highly nutritious stack of micronutrients and minerals. You have zinc, iron, magnesium, folate, and vitamins A, C, B12, and D.
Seal meat is an excellent source of protein. Protein keeps the overall well-being of the human body by being responsible for the development, enhancement, and reparation of muscles in the body. It also helps to repair the skin and renew aged blood cells.
Organs from the seal are edible like the brain, liver, eyes, and the meat itself produce vitamin D in varying amounts. Vitamin D helps us keep healthy teeth and maintain a good bone structure. It can also prevent the occurrence of diseases like rickets and diabetes.
Seal intestines and liver are a good source of vitamin C which acts as an immune system booster. It can keep our teeth, gums, and skin healthy while protecting us from everyday illnesses.
Seal meat provides a very healthy amount of nutrients and micronutrients to keep our body functioning. The average serving of seal meat can provide five times the daily intake of vitamin A and two times the daily intake of vitamin D.
Seal meat can also help to promote the formation of red blood cells, reduce accumulated fatigue while increasing energy, repair body tissues and improve muscle function.
Culinary Uses of Seal Meat
Seal meat is very lean, so it requires a very short cooking time, else it gets dry and chewy. In order to keep your meat moist, take time to let it rest after cooking so it can settle down and become tender and juicy.
Seal meat is very delicious, it is dense in flavor and has a unique taste among all other meats. It can be seared, served raw, roasted, or enjoyed like a cut of steak. Seal meat makes it into a lot of recipes and dishes although they might not be all that common.
Seal meat makes up an integral part of Canadian cuisine. Seal meat can be used in recipes like Seal Tartare, in some places, it is incorporated into a pie and eaten together with root vegetables and a very rich gravy. Seal meat can even be used in desserts or used as a replacement for veal and other similar lean meats in recipes and dishes.
What is the History of Seal Meat? How to Procure It?
There have been controversies surrounding seal meat. People just deem the animals to be too cute and intelligent to be killed in such a manner. It is true that if the population of seals goes unchecked, they could go extinct in a few years.
However, eating seals is actually a way to prevent waste. These animals are hunted for their fur and left to die. The remaining part of the animal about 80 percent is left to go to waste. Eating seals prevents that waste.
In countries like the United States, Russia, Taiwan, and the European Union have organizations like PETA and Humane Society that are pushing anti-sealing efforts. These countries even have a ban on the import of seal meat and its products.
Seal meat is an important part of the Canadian culture; the government even sees it as an important economic and cultural activity. The consumption of seal meat is regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The amount intended for human consumption has to comply with Canadian harvest, transport, processing, and export regulations.
If you want to procure seal meat, you might have to travel to Canada to eat in one of their restaurants that has it on the menu. Or pay an online purveyor to procure it for you.
How Much Does Seal Meat Cost?
In the United States, a plate of seal meat costs no less than $16. It usually comes out with a purple hue bearing a semblance to a beet salad. But, beet is not used as one of the ingredients when preparing it and it is definitely not beet salad. If you are trying it for the first time, it might be a little bit unpleasant.
Facts You Don’t Know About Seal Meat
- Seal meat is usually hung and dried after preparation and before consumption.
- Seal meat is not polluted by mercury, like some other aquatic life. It meets all the health and safety requirements when it comes to concerns about mercury poisoning.