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Whaler's Beef

PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 10:13 pm
by grisell
My own recipe. One can use beef instead, but then it's more a 'hunter's beef'. :wink:

Ingredients: Butter, potatoes, onion, whale beef (I had to use some lard too since I ran out of butter)

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In a greased pot, peeled and sliced but not rinsed potatoes. On top of that, fried onion, beef boullion powder, 1 tsp flour, bay leaf, thyme and juniper.
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The meat is quickly seared on high heat, sliced and put on top. Quite a lot of salt and pepper too.
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Another layer of potato slices and half a litre of beer is added. Some butter on top, brought to a boil on the stove and everything is baked, uncovered, in a 225 C oven for 45 minutes until some of the liquid has evaporated and the potatoes are browned. Served with chopped chives on top. Worcestershire sauce on the table.
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 9:20 am
by johnfb
That's REAL whale meat ?

PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 9:27 am
by grisell
Of course.

PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 3:49 pm
by Ryan C
:shock: :shock: :shock:
Wow, I've never seen whale meat before ( well, none that wasn't attached to a whale anyway). Much darker than I thought. Looks bloomin' delicious though! 8) 8) ......Sorry Greenpeace! :roll:

PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 5:43 pm
by johnfb
Well I am sure the scientific testing was necessary.

PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 5:53 pm
by Vindii
Never seen whale here either. I looks good though. Id give it a try.

I was looking through some of your cooks last night. Very impressive.

PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 10:14 pm
by mitchamus
mmmmmm Sea Cow!

what does it taste like?


(don't say chicken ) :lol:

PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 10:57 pm
by NCPaul
It's organic and free-range. :D

PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 11:02 pm
by grisell
Whale tastes a lot like beef. It's very lean and tender. I have led several of my friends to think that it's actually fillet of beef when I served it grilled like a tournedos with red wine sauce or garlic butter. It has a hint of shellfish in the taste. Some say it tastes like liver, but I don't agree. As with beef, it must not be overcooked since it gets hard. The dark colour is because of the whale's muscles' extremely high myoglobin content that allows him to hold his breath for half an hour and dive a thousand meters deep.

It's a pity they don't sell it here in Sweden. In Norway it's inexpensive and available in any supermarket.

And for you environmentally active: It's not from a species under threat of extinction. :wink:

PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 11:16 pm
by grisell
One can't make sausage from it though. I've tried. It's very sensitive to oxidation and can't be minced. :(

PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 1:48 am
by crustyo44
Hi Andre,
If you lived in Australia and showed this whale meat you would be publicly hung, drawn and quartered.
Regards,
Jan.
Brisbane.

PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 8:17 am
by grisell
I know. :? Public opinion here is similar but maybe not that extreme.

Personally, I don't see the difference between hunting whales and other mammals such as deer and venison. As long as the whales aren't of a threatened species, I don't see the problem. After all, a whale is tens of tons of meat, so it's quite efficient.

PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 8:39 am
by Frank
grisell wrote:Personally, I don't see the difference between hunting whales and other mammals such as deer and venison. As long as the whales aren't of a threatened species, I don't see the problem. After all, a whale is tens of tons of meat, so it's quite efficient.


Andre, you may not see the difference....but surely you can see the connection?

PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 9:39 am
by grisell
Whaling is controlled by international agreements. The species mostly hunted in Norway is the minke whale. I quote from Wikipedia: "...[Norway] resumed a commercial hunt in 1993. The quota for 2006 was set at 1,052 animals, but only 546 was taken." The minke whale has a population of over 700,000. Their real enemy is the killer whale, not man.

PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 9:50 am
by Frank
grisell wrote:Whaling is controlled by international agreements. The species mostly hunted in Norway is the minke whale. I quote from Wikipedia: "...[Norway] resumed a commercial hunt in 1993. The quota for 2006 was set at 1,052 animals, but only 546 was taken." The minke whale has a population of over 700,000. Their real enemy is the killer whale, not man.


Oh, so that must be ok then :roll: