Has any of you actually eaten zebra. Are they considered decent table fare or are you just harvesting the hides?

Thanks

Yes…several times. Zebra filets are good.

A camp chef in the Caprivi made a zebra cordon bleu that was to die for….

quote:

Originally posted by Coloradoyaler:
Has any of you actually eaten zebra. Are they considered decent table fare or are you just harvesting the hides?

Thanks

Many times and was excellent. I would say had “steaks” and/or filets
Usually with a sauce etc
Always was delicious

I’ve had it twice.The first time was in Namibia. The hostess who prepared it for me must have been quite a chef. To this day, it is the best meat I have ever had. I shot another Zebra years later. I couldn’t wait for the meal from it. It was OK, but nothing special.

They make it with breadcrumbs and fried.

I don’t like it.

Botswana…chopped heart, liver , kidneys stuffed inside large intestines and grilled on open fire…excellent fare

It is very good with one caveat...

You have to get all the silverskin/yellow fat off of it before cooking or it will not be very good.

I've had it twice and wouldn't try it again.

Had it in SA and TZ. Both excellent meals.

quote:

Originally posted by Hogbreath:
I've had it twice and wouldn't try it again.

We were once presented Leopard back-straps as Warthog fillets and everyone thought they were absolutely delicious.

Just goes to prove how the mind works.

quote:

Originally posted by fulvio:

quote:

Originally posted by Hogbreath:
I've had it twice and wouldn't try it again.

We were once presented Leopard back-straps as Warthog fillets and everyone thought they were absolutely delicious.

Just goes to prove how the mind works.

When I shot my first leopard, I asked Roy Vincent if they were good to eat. He told me he’d didn’t know as he didn’t eat leopard, then he said the crew ate the meat so maybe it wasn’t too bad. So, we grilled the back straps over an open fire. They were good, a lot like pork loin chops. I even had 2nds. But we all knew we were eating a cat.

I’d have leopard again.

quote:

Originally posted by fulvio:

quote:

Originally posted by Hogbreath:
I've had it twice and wouldn't try it again.

We were once presented Leopard back-straps as Warthog fillets and everyone thought they were absolutely delicious.

Just goes to prove how the mind works.

Heard a story, true as it was first hand, that an American hunter shot a leopard, and insisted on eating all himself!

Only had it once, mountain zebra in Namibia a long time ago. We had the filets adorned with some blue cheese crumble. To this day it remains my favorite meal I’ve had on safari.

I hve had it a few times a liked it a lot. Ever one who has been with me on my trips once they tried it they all wanted more. It was always the better cuts of meat from it and grilled over the fire.

I’ve eaten zebra several times. My understanding is that the butcher needs to remove all fat from the meat as soon as possible.

As long as that is done, and it was done on the ones I sampled, the steaks are delicious.

In fact, since eating zebra, I have seldom looked at a horse without wondering.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
In fact, since eating zebra, I have seldom looked at a horse without wondering.

This is exactly my problem. Zebra tastes great, but I won't eat it. Don't like the idea.

Regarding the fat, its not really a time issue, but you need to remove the yellow fat. Has a bitter taste to it.

I've enjoyed zebra with Guy Whittall at Humani. His camp chef is marvelous. Impala used to be my favorite game meat but zebra is now at the top of my list. If only they could be domesticated!

.

Zebra steaks many a time - as Charlie said as long as all the yellow fat is off it is great meat. Shared a camp in Namibia with a German hunter, he's been a regular there for a decade plus, always shoots a zebra on day one and they make him a 1 KG zebra steak in the evening which he devours! Was there to witness it!

Had buff balls as a starter last week in Gokwe!

Shot a lion in Bots years ago and they served small fried pieces as a fire side snack. When in Rome etc but nothing special.

Best liver I have ever eaten was bushbuck and best meat IMO is either eland or Karoo springbok.

.

It's good eating. I've eaten it on countless occasions.

I've eaten horse also often, but domestic horse meat is a bit different to Zebra meat I think.

I've eaten almost all African game including the big 5, baboon, snakes, monitor lizards etc.
The only thing I found to be not good was elephant.

Ive eaten Zebra a number of time but I'm a carnivore at heart! Liked Mt. Lion back straps, meats meat for the most part IMO..The only meat I don't like is pronghorn antelope, but I've tried it a dozen times.

Fulvio is right about how the mind works when eating something they have a bad opinion about.

I once shot a Zebra and the cook prepared it in a delicious curry. Peter Johnstone was coming to visit us in camp at Deka, bringing a fellow I knew with him. Rene Vincent warned me that Peter hated Zebra, so we were going to tell him it was something else, I think Kudu.

Peter arrived with his guest and we all eventually settled down for dinner. The ‘Kudu Curry’ was passed around and it was simply delicious. Peter enjoyed it so much that he had a 2nd helping. Just about the time he finished his meal, Roy asked someone to pass the ZEBRA curry. Peter stopped in mid-chew and asked what meat the curry was made from. Rene had a good chuckle telling him the Kudu was actually Zebra.

Peter thought it tasted much better when it was kudu.

The only thing I've eaten in Africa that was not good was puffader. Tasted kind of fishy and not in a good way. Elephant tasted fine but too tough for my jaws.

To the initial question zebra is very good but Thompson's gazelle is my favorite. You can shoot it, immediate cut some chops off the back, grill and eat. Fantastic!

Mark

I love mountain zebra! I think that the last couple of times that I ate at Joe's Beer House in Windhoek I ordered zebra! Never have tried Burchells as the yellow fat seemed to be the governing factor so we always gave the meat to someone else or used for lion bait.

About the only dish that I am not really interested in eating again over there is what they called 'Kudu bones'. Not fond of marrow although the other folks raved about it .

I’ve braised shoe leather into a very good meal. Hard to think that any game animal is beyond excellent table fare given a few basic ingredients and more importantly, method.

I think the difference between Mountain zebra and plains zebra is significant. The fat doesn't need to come off Mountain zebra and the steaks are lovely. Like fulvio though I can't get the thought of horse out of my mind.

When they announced the featured item for dinner was the Zebra I had shot the night before, I thought to myself that I was about to eat a white & black horse. And I was not keen on the notion. I took a small piece to be polite. Of course it was outstanding.

I've seen horse meat for sale in some (nice) super markets in various African counties and am told it shows up in areas of Europe.

quote:

Originally posted by BaxterB:
I’ve braised shoe leather into a very good meal. Hard to think that any game animal is beyond excellent table fare given a few basic ingredients and more importantly, method.

And as they say, "Hunger is the best sauce!"

Two items I always ask to NOT be included in the daily menu while on safari.

1) Liver
2) Zebra

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Norman:
When they announced the featured item for dinner was the Zebra I had shot the night before, I thought to myself that I was about to eat a white & black horse. And I was not keen on the notion. I took a small piece to be polite. Of course it was outstanding.

I've seen horse meat for sale in some (nice) super markets in various African counties and am told it shows up in areas of Europe.

I visited a friend in northern Sweden once and we ate what they called "roast meat" every morning in a pita stuffed with meat, cheese and yellow pepper. I loved it.

One day my friend asked me, "Do you know what you've been eating every morning"

"Roast beef..?"

"No, horse."

And that was how I learned I liked to eat horse...

First time I had Zebra it was served with many other meats a a nightime brie it was by far 5he tastiest meat from five or six choices.
I have had it several times and it was always very good to excellent.

Some of the best meat I have ever eaten. I have had it on over half a dozen hunting trips here in Africa. Recently we went with another couple that also lives here with us and had it at the Carnivore Restaurant outside of Joburg.

We had terrific mountain zebra steaks in Namibia.
I agree with Mark on elephant, it was tough, but I'm glad I tried it and the flavor wasn't terrible.

Of all the animals I’ve shot over there, the only ones I’ve not tried were lion, hyena, colobus monkey and baboon.

Lion was not tried because the PH was violently opposed.

Some have had some texture issues like elephant- very tough.

Every game animal I had I liked better than any fish…

Leopard was surprisingly good, making me wonder what the lion would taste like.

Hyena smells so bad I can’t imagine what it tastes like.

Baboon and monkey- I draw the line at primates. I figure your odds of some sort of zoonotic disease are way too high and it also smells.

That being said, if you are hungry enough, you can pretty much eat anything.

Zebra I initially refused because of the horse thing, but after multiple PH’s said it was good, I tried it and liked it… except for one time, when they didn’t get the fat off it, and that was almost rancid tasting. I was told the cook was drunk that day…

"Of all the animals I’ve shot over there, the only ones I’ve not tried were lion, hyena, colobus monkey and baboon."

I've eaten lion as well. It was good, like Leopard.
I'm a no on primates and hyena as well.

quote:

"Of all the animals I’ve shot over there, the only ones I’ve not tried were lion, hyena, Colobus monkey and baboon."

Hyena would be a definite no seeing no scavenger, its own kin included, seems to want to touch it other than Crocodile.

Lions will kill but not eat it and the only reason I can figure is that it flesh must have some toxicity; it must by loaded with powerful antibodies to combat the bacteria it ingests from the putrid carcasses it consumes.

My wife made a stunning Mtn Zebra loin, with dry rub, refrigerated for 4 days and then slow finished on the braai to just shy of medium. Wrapped and let stand for 10 minutes, sliced and served. It was a hit in every camp. Also a Kudu loin Wellington with the appropriate mushroom pate. Sometimes she made both for larger groups. People would fight for each to the last slice...
Those were the days.

Folks,

I have not eaten hyena or any primates. Nobody even suggested we eat the hyenas plus monkeys and baboons look too much like my family members. I will say in Cameroon I was encourage to shoot a baboon as the camp staff loved them.

Lion to me was just a bigger muscled version of leopard but the PH wouldn't even have his sandwich in the same container that our lunch lion was in.

It always surprises me when a client says he/she or some of his observers only eat beef, pork or chicken. IMO their loss.

I remember having to ask the PH what we were eating for dinner one night as I was clueless. It did not resemble anything I had eaten before. He said turkey but it was probably the worst meal I ever had on safari.

Mark

Zebra makes fine meat.

But like many have stated....the yellow fat from Plains zebra needs to be removed!


.

My wife won't eat our white tail deer. No matter how I make it, she doesn't like the taste, but she absolutely loves Zebra. I do as well.