Be more confident: How to Eat Roadkill

How to Eat Roadkill

Roadkill is edible and people have been living off it since horse
coaches and cars have been killing wildlife in the hundreds of
thousands. If you're squeamish about the idea of consuming roadkill,
then it's not going to be for you but for a growing number of
freegans, foragers, back-to-nature lifestylers, and for those with
budgetary constraints, eating roadkill can be a great source of
nourishment, as well as being a form of treating the killed animal
with respect by using its meat, skin, and fur rather than leaving it
to rot unceremoniously by the roadside.

Plenty of people are doing it, it's not wrongheaded or bizarre, and
it's a good way to not let good meat go to waste. If you're
interested, here's what to do.

!! Steps !!

Overcome your squeamishness [1]. While eating roadkill isn't going
to seem like an attractive option for many people, if you're the
slightest bit curious, at least learn about it and then make up your
mind. Roadkill has been consumed by people in impoverished
situations or for ethical [2], environmental, and pragmatic reasons
for as long as there have been roads and human vehicles to knock
over animals.[1] [3] Eating roadkill offers an affordable means of
obtaining meat, and with an average of about one hundred million
roadkills in America alone every year, it's a plentiful food
source.[2] [4] It can be a chance to eat meat you'd never normally
contemplate, like bear or squirrel meat. And for a growing number of
people around the world, it's an environmentally responsible and
considerate way to dispose of animals killed on our many roads.[3]
[5] Even vegetarians and vegans [6] have been known to enjoy a feast
of roadkill.[4] [7][5] [8] Finally, for those who are still feeling
squeamish, there are people who argue that knowing how to eat
roadkill is an essential survival skill [9] for those times when
disaster strikes or you're hopelessly lost and hungry.[6] [10] As
one commentator has stated: "As long as the meat is reasonably fresh
and well cooked, it will not matter one iota how the animal met its
end."[7] [11]

* By removing roadkill, you're possibly saving another life or more.
Roadkill begets roadkill as scavenger animals come along to enjoy
the meal and themselves turn into additional roadkill victims.[8]
[12]

* If you're still revolted, consider the thought that it is waste
[13] that is more unpalatable than responsible adults making a
decision based on common sense and diligence to eat meat that's
offered for free.[9] [14]

Investigate the possibilities. The best thing you can do at the
start is to get to know people already foraging [15] for roadkill
and learn off them. They can show you how to find the roadkill
opportunities in your area and they can teach you the signs of what
to look for to assess the safety or otherwise of the roadkill for
consumption. Look for adverts in local papers or ask around for
skill-sharing workshops which are enthusiastically promoted by those
who believe in the value of eating roadkill.[10] [16] Such workshops
teach you about how to spot good roadkill, how to skin it, how to
cook it, and how to store it.

Know which animals are probably the most suitable. Roadkill animals
that are considered edible include:

* Badger, hedgehog, otter, rabbit [17], pheasant, fox, beaver,
squirrel, deer (venison), moose, bear, raccoon [18], opossum,
kangaroo, wallaby, possum, rabbit, etc. [11] [19] Reptiles can
also be eaten, but they might be fairly squashed.

* Rats may carry Weil's disease and are therefore best avoided.[12]
[20]

* The gray area is eating cats and dogs; for some, this is too
squeamish as these are pets (especially when they have their
collars on); but for others, they're not really concerned.[13]
[21] On balance, it's probably the kindest to pull the pet off the
road and to alert the owners to come and collect it.

Know the law. It's important to check the laws of your state,
province, region, or country as to roadkill collection and eating.
In some American States, for example, it isn't legal to eat
roadkill, while in others, it is legal but sometimes the ownership
of certain animals vests in the local wildlife departments and must
be distributed through them first, or you may need a permit.[14]
[22] There may also be local or temporal bans based on increased
risk of certain diseases etc., that might have flared up. It's a
good idea to stay knowledgeable about the rules and disease risks.

Learn the signs of healthy roadkill. Roadkill is safe to eat in many
instances but there are risks of rotting, rabies [23], and disease.
You can avoid these risks by knowing what signs to look for and
using common sense:[15] [24]

* Look for freshness. Obviously, if you have witnessed the animal
being hit, it's fresh. In terms of coming across roadkill, signs
of freshness include clear eyes, fleas [25] still active on the
fur or hide of the animal and general signs of it looking fresh.
Rigor mortis sets in quickly, so stiffness of the body does not
mean that the animal is not fresh.

* Use the temperature as a guide. Roadkill in winter is likely to
remain fresher longer than roadkill in summer.

* Avoid roadkill that has maggots [26], fly, or other scavenging
insect infestations, as this indicates a lack of freshness.
However, the presence of fleas is a good sign and means that the
animal is probably still edible.

* If the animal's eyes are milky, clouded, or white, it is less
fresh but may still be edible.

* If it stinks of rotting flesh, trust your nose but be aware that
there will be some stench just as a result of the impact, as wind,
excrement, etc. is forced rapidly through the body. This odor may
release when moving the carcass too, so odor isn't the sole
indicator of the state of the meat.

Roadkill to be avoided... Look for whole roadkill. Roadkill that has
to be scraped off the road because it has been flattened or is so
crushed up as to be unrecognizable is not worth it and won't be
healthy for you to consume. Avoid roadkill in the middle of roads.
Instead, look along the side of roads, on the shoulders and beyond,
where bodies often end up from impact or after crawling away from the
hit point.

Avoid getting rabies. Although rabies [27] dies quickly once the
host is dead,[16] [28] it's advisable to wear gloves when handling,
gutting, and skinning warm-blooded animals and to ensure that you
don't have open wounds that could be infected. The cooking process
kills rabies but it is probably a good idea to boil known rabies
carriers first (foxes, skunks [29], raccoons, etc.).[17] [30]

Cook the meat thoroughly. This step is vital to ensure that you kill
off pathogens or parasites [31] (such as worms) that might be
present in the meat.[18] [32] Use a temperature that's higher than
usual to ensure that the meat is well cooked.[19] [33] Make it a
part of the occasion; have a backyard party while the meat cooks
well.

Bless [34] your roadkill. For many promoters of eating roadkill,
it is an indictment on our fuel-driven, human-centric society that
so many animals die each year on our roads for the sake of humans
going from A to B for purposes we find important but that
completely disrupt the lives of animals and their normal foraging,
hunting, mating, and migration patterns. Following this line of
thinking through, by eating roadkill you're making the most of a
terrible outcome from the animals' perspective, and the least the
animal deserves is your compassionate blessing.

!! Video !!

!! Tips !!

* Use the leftovers. Tan the hide, make something from the fur, make
your own shoes, etc.

* Question people who find this revolting. Is it any more revolting
than driving at 70 mph, slamming straight into a noble beast and
leaving it there for dead? It comes nowhere near that.

* Drive slowly in your quest for roadkill. Not only will this enable
you to find more roadkill but it will also help stop you from
being yet another cause of a senseless animal death.

* In countries where rabies is not an issue, still take care when
handling the carcass.

* There are roadkill cookbooks available, some less serious than
others; google for them if you're curious.

!! Warnings !!

* Wear highway bright clothing and use common sense around roads. Do
not go near moving cars. Have a lookout if you are moving anything
off a road - cars can be quieter than you realize, especially if
you're concentrating on something else.

* Rabies virus dies fast once the host is dead. if you're concerned,
wear gloves when handling the animal. Cooking destroys the virus.

* Check for young in pouches or hanging around. They may need
rescuing and nurturing. Baby joeys are often found in the pouches
of hit kangaroos and wallabies.

* Injured animals are dangerous. Be absolutely certain the animal is
dead before getting too close, or know how to care for an injured
animal and your own safety if you do go close.

!! Things You'll Need !!

* Gloves for handling roadkill

* Cooking and carving equipment

* Thermometer to check cooking temperatures

!! Related WikiHows !!

* How to Cook Deer Meat [35]

* How to Make Venison Jerky [36]

* How to Make a Deer Steak and Colby Jack Cheese Burrito [37]

* How to Fry Deer Steak [38]

* How to Avoid a Moose or Deer Collision [39]

* How to Escape from a Bear [40]

* How to Cook a Snake [41]

!! Sources And Citations !!

!! Article Tools !!

* Read on wikiHow

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Tuesday 18 January 2011

How to Eat Roadkill

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