Modern mankind, as they say, keeps pace with the times. People want to try new things and conquer the unknown. This desire also affected culinary art.
Recently, exotic crocodile meat has become especially popular. Of course, it does not already cause a storm of interest in countries where these reptiles traditionally live. But in our country, crocodile meat is a welcome delicacy that any gourmet wants to see on his table. However, to find this exotic in ordinary stores will not work. Even in the capital, you can’t always find a restaurant serving crocodile meat dishes, to say nothing of small towns.
What is it and what is it like
What does crocodile meat look like, what is the highlight of its taste? These are perhaps the two most common questions that arise in people who have not yet tasted exotic goodies.
Reptile meat is very similar to chicken or turkey meat. It is very tender and tastes good. The color also has a whitish, like chicken breast. It has a low calorie content and is therefore a welcome guest at many European tables. Crocodile meat is suitable for cooking various dishes. From it, surprisingly satisfying and rich broths and soups, aromatic curries and steaks are obtained. Even pies and pies are prepared in some countries with a crocodile meat filling.
Calorie content
Crocodile meat is a leader in the list of different types of this product. It contains a higher percentage of protein (21 g) than chicken (18 g) or beef (19 g). This product also has the lowest fat content (2 g). If you compare, then 100 grams of chicken contains 10 g of fat, in beef - about 16 g, and in pork - more than 30 g.
As for calories, here the crocodile meat wins. One hundred grams of the product contains only about one hundred kilocalories. This is much lower than in the most popular diet meats.
Beneficial features
Besides the fact that reptile meat is considered an excellent source of protein and contains an insignificant amount of cholesterol, it is also a storehouse of vitamins and minerals, such as:
- The whole group of vitamins B (especially a lot of vitamin B 12 ).
- PP
- FROM.
- BUT.
- N.
- Calcium and potassium.
- Cobalt and phosphorus.
- Nickel and magnesium.
- Zinc, copper and iron.
- Sodium and selenium.
But the biggest advantage that crocodile meat has is its ecological purity. It is proved that reptiles, unlike domestic animals or birds, do not have any chemical effects.
What crocodiles can I eat
So, we figured out what the crocodile meat tastes like, how it is useful for the human body. It remains to be seen whether all crocodiles can be eaten and where such a large amount of reptile meat comes from, if it is known that many species are protected by law.
Experts say that you can eat only about a dozen species. Inedible crocodiles are much more than edible. Only an experienced specialist can understand the quality of meat. But even among the edible reptiles, there are often species that are under protection. There are only a few types of reptiles that a person, roughly speaking, can kill and eat.
By the way, another difference between reptile meat and others is that more adult animals are recommended to eat. It is known that the best beef is a young calf, and the most delicious pork is a milk pig. But with crocodiles the opposite. The more “seasoned” the meat, the more tender and juicier it is.
Crocodile farm
But where does so much meat come from for export? As soon as people realized how economically profitable to sell it, crocodile farms immediately began to appear. It is here that the gathering point of all professionals who are versed in breeding and eating reptile meat.
A crocodile farm is not only a place where animals are bred and then killed for sale. Most farms employ experienced professionals who conduct excursions, talk about the life of reptiles, their features. Here you can learn how to choose the right crocodile meat and what you can cook from it later.
It is here that experienced specialists can find out that the most delicious part of the carcass is the tail. Any crocodile farm sells a tail meaty portion as an expensive delicacy. Meat located on the back of a reptile is considered the most rarely eaten. It is tough and practically unsuitable for cooking.
On farms in Thailand - a popular and beloved resort by many - you can find a huge number of farms that specialize in crocodile farming. Here you can taste incredible salads with reptile meat or feed bloodthirsty animals with live chicken tied to a long rope.
Recently, Germany and France have sharply increased purchases of crocodile meat. This is due to outbreaks of bird flu and various diseases that affect livestock. Maybe crocodile farms will appear in our country soon, and reptile meat will cease to be such an exotic?