Meat that was cooked under saddle. Dried meat in nutrition: types, benefits, contraindications

Started by user under nickname plandex, I would like to insert my “five cents” (please do not throw in too many slippers, since this article is my first serious statement of thoughts on this site)…

I currently live in Kazakhstan. I have many Kazakh friends who introduced me to the colorful national Kazakh cuisine, and the use of horse meat for food, in particular. I would like to immediately note that in Kazakhstan, the use of horse meat as food in no way belongs to the category of extreme cuisine, but on the contrary, it is a kind of delicacy.

The history of eating horse meat dates back thousands of years. The wild horse, along with other animals, was the subject of hunting by primitive man, and was domesticated, according to a number of scientists, precisely as a meat animal. Horse meat and mare's milk are mentioned as valuable food products in the works of the great thinkers of antiquity - Herodotus, Strabo and Abu Ali Ibn Sina. The peoples of the East historically preferred horse meat to beef and lamb, and before the church ban adopted in the 1st century AD, ordering Christians not to eat horse meat, the Slavs also ate horse meat. By the way, this ban was caused by economic expediency: with the expansion of trade relations, the development of agriculture and the creation of equestrian armies, horses began to be assigned three main roles - draft, work and military. In the second half of the 19th century, when mechanized vehicles and agricultural machines appeared, the ban on the consumption of horse meat was lifted (in Austria - in 1854, in France - in 1866, in Russia - in 1867, in Germany - in 1879 -m, in England - in 1883). Among the nomadic peoples of the East, meat and dairy horse breeding developed throughout all these centuries. Huge tracts of pastures and the possibility of year-round herd keeping of horses on pasture contributed to this, and traditionally horse meat predominated in the diet of nomads.

Horse meat and horse fat are highly valued by Kazakhs for its taste and purity. Horse meat is known to be hypoallergenic. The protein content in horse meat can range from 21% to 27%. The ratio of amino acids is balanced, horse fat is rich in unsaturated fatty acids. Horse meat activates metabolism. Horse meat is also characterized by a very low amount of cholesterol. Horse meat, like meat, contains vitamins A, B, E, PP, minerals and microelements important for humans - calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, copper. If beef is completely digested in the human body in 24 hours, then horse meat takes only 3. Horse fat occupies an intermediate position between animal and vegetable fats and has a choleretic effect. Horse meat lowers cholesterol levels in the blood, acts as an excellent regulator of metabolism, is used in diet therapy for obesity and supplies the body with a number of essential microelements, vitamins, and essential fats. Horse meat is endowed with the ability to increase male strength (they say the skin from kazy is especially useful) and neutralize the harmful effects of radiation.

Since ancient times, Kazakh cooking has been distinguished by its unique technology. Features of the way of life Kazakh people left its mark on food preparation methods. In traditional Kazakh cuisine, preference has always been given to cooking. It is this process that allows you to obtain soft and delicate flavors of meat, giving it juiciness and aroma. Great place was allocated to the workpiece and long-term storage products. During the slaughter of livestock, part of the meat was stored for future use, for which it was salted, dried, and sometimes smoked.

It is from horse meat that such characteristic Kazakh cuisine national products such as kazy, karta, shuzhuk, etc. The names of most meat dishes are not related to the composition of the raw materials or the method of preparation, but to the name of the parts into which the horse carcass is cut in accordance with national traditions.

One of the main options for cutting the carcass (for 10 cuts): 1 – beldeme (sube), 2 – sting, 3 – kazy, 4 – kabyrga, 5 – toast (breast, chel), 6 – zhau-ryn, 7 – zhanbas, 8 – moin (neck), 9 – kara-zhilik (shank), 10 – asykty-zhilik (shank).

In culinary practice, a horse carcass is cut into the following parts.
Beldeme (sube) is one of the best parts of a horse carcass. Corresponds to the thin edge of a cattle carcass.
The sting is an oblong deposit of fat under the skin and the upper under-mane of the neck, reminiscent of the taste of an udder.
Kazy - the last 11 ribs with peritoneum and layers of fat.
Kabyrga - corresponds to the thick edge (entrecote) of cattle. Has good taste qualities boiled and fried.
Toast (brisket, shank) – used boiled.
Zhauryn (shoulder blade with a shoulder edge) - used boiled and stewed.
Zhanbas (hind leg) - used boiled, stewed, fried, and also for making zhai.
Moin (neck) – used boiled, stewed and for making minced meat.
Kara-zhilik (knuckle) - the lower part of the shoulder blade, is a low-value part of the horse carcass.
Asykty - vein (shank) - the lower part of the hind leg. It is a low-value part of the carcass.

According to tradition, every year the Kazakhs carry out the winter slaughter of livestock - sogym; they prepare for this ritual in the summer: they select large livestock, and in rich families there are 2-4 heads of livestock, put them on fattening and provide special care. The custom of making sogym (sogym is the preparation of meat for the winter) has existed for a very long time. The distant ancestors of modern Kazakhs, having calculated everything, realized that it was profitable to slaughter cattle in late autumn. Firstly, you will have something to eat all winter (it is worth considering that during the cold season, meat consumption increases, the body needs more calories and energy). Secondly, in winter there are no problems with storing meat; it does not spoil in the cold. Thirdly, it is in the fall that animals gain the most weight. Most often, pre-fed, always fatty, horse meat is slaughtered for sogym. To perform the sogym ritual, a day is appointed, a professional butcher - “kasapshi” is invited, who cuts the carcass, observing all the requirements of the ritual. The carcass is cut without damaging the bones, at the joints, since each bone has a special meaning. Women deal with tripe and intestines, they need to be processed so that there are no damaged areas. Particular attention is paid to horse intestines, from which gourmet sausages are made - kazy and karta. The horse's head is not cut, it is boiled whole - it is considered sacred.

Today, when the world talks a lot about natural and genetically modified products, about organic meat and meat from animals raised on feed with artificial additives, about food that is harmful to health and, on the contrary, can protect the human body from all sorts of ailments, horse meat appears before us in a new, certainly very favorable light. Horses are raised in Kazakhstan on natural pasture, and unlike European cows, they are not at risk of foot-and-mouth disease or something like “mad cow disease,” which, according to scientists, was caused by food supplemented with sheep bone meal. After the epidemics of foot and mouth disease and “mad cow disease,” the popularity of horse meat in European countries increased. In France, where residents previously consumed horse meat as a delicacy, consumption of this meat has increased by more than 60 percent. In Italy, where they decided to remove beef from school menus, they are thinking about replacing it with horse meat. The largest Swiss meat concern in Europe, Transkarna, is going to buy horse meat in the Bashkir Trans-Urals and plans to supply there the necessary equipment for the primary processing of meat.

Multi-page works have been written about the benefits of horse meat, and it is not possible to talk about all its advantages from a medical point of view. But one of the most amazing things is that, for all its beneficial qualities, properly prepared horse meat and especially delicacies made from it are also amazingly tasty. By eating aromatic meat and receiving true gastronomic pleasure from the process, gourmets can also experience the satisfaction of knowing that they are simultaneously healing their body.

Below are several dishes from the Kazakh national cuisine, in the preparation of which horse meat is used:

Boiled horse meat
Products: meat 120/90 g.
The meat of the dorsal, lumbar, scapulohumeral, and hip parts of the carcass is cleaned, excess fat is cut off, and cut into pieces of 1.5-2.0 kg. The prepared pieces are poured with cold water at the rate of 1-1.5 liters per 1 kg. meat. The meat in the dish should be completely covered with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the foam and simmer over low heat until tender for 2-2.5 hours. 30 minutes before the end of cooking, add carrots, onion, white roots - 15 g per 1 kg of meat. Salt to taste.
Ready-boiled horse meat is juicy, soft, and does not disintegrate into fibers. Store the meat in a small amount of broth. When serving, cut into portions across the grain. Serve with a side dish, first pouring sauce or melted butter.
Dietary dishes are subsequently prepared from boiled horse meat - goulash, azu, stew, pilaf and others.

Azu from boiled horse meat
Products: horse meat 120/90, wheat flour 5/5, butter 5/5, onions 10/8, tomato paste 5/5, pickled cucumber 22/22, horse meat broth 50/50.
From the boiled meat (side and outer parts of the hind leg of the carcass), cut into cubes 3-4 cm long, weighing 10-15 g, lightly fry, pour in broth, add sautéed onions, carrots, tomato paste, simmer until tender for 20-30 minutes. 10 minutes before the end, add pickled cucumbers, cut into slices, into the broth. Serve the finished dish with finely chopped parsley or dill.

Meat in Kazakh style
Products: horse meat broth 200/200, horse meat 120/90, wheat flour 50/50, egg 1/8 pcs, onions 10/8, potatoes 30/20, greens 7/5.
Fresh meat is boiled. While it is cooking, prepare the dough. For kneading, use warm water or broth and eggs at the rate of 1 egg per 200 ml of liquid. The dough is kneaded steeply, kneaded for 2-3 minutes, and allowed to sit covered for the gluten to swell for 10-15 minutes. From ready dough Roll out the juices very thinly and cut them into squares 10x10x-15x15 cm.
The potatoes are peeled, 20 minutes before the end of cooking the meat, the whole potatoes are dipped into the boiling broth. When ready, the potatoes are removed from the broth along with the meat. Place the juicy squares into the boiling broth and boil for 5-7 minutes over low heat. The finished juices are removed from the broth with a slotted spoon and laid out on a flat dish, pouring evenly with the sauce prepared in advance.
The cooked meat is cut into thin slices (japyrak) across the fibers and placed on the dough; sliced ​​potatoes are placed along the periphery. Place sautéed onions on top and pour over ready dish sauce.
The sauce (tuzdyk) is prepared as follows: cut the onion into rings, lightly sprinkle with red and black pepper, and place in a separate bowl. The mass is poured boiling, removing the fatty upper layers of the broth, adding salt to taste.
From a common dish, serve portions. The dish is served in a separate bowl (kes) with surpa - broth sprinkled with finely chopped herbs.

Pilaf of their boiled horse meat
Products: horse meat 120/90, rice 75/75, butter 20/20, tomato paste 5/5, carrots 18/15, onions 10/8.
Cut the boiled meat into cubes weighing 20-30 g, lightly fry, adding finely chopped onions and carrots. Pre-soak the rice in cold water for 20-30 minutes. Place the squeezed rice on the meat with carrots and onions, add water so that the water level above the food is at least 1 cm. Bring to a boil over high heat, simmer over low heat until cooked and in a steamer, placing a saucepan covered with a lid. , for 40-50 minutes after the dish thickens.

Boiled horse meat stew
Products: horse meat 120/90, butter 5/5, wheat flour 5/5, tomato paste 5/5, greens 7/5, potatoes 140/100, carrots 50/40, green pea 25/20, sour cream 5/5.
From boiled meat (shoulder, brisket, ribs), chop pieces with bones weighing 20-40 g. Peel the prepared vegetables, cut into slices, fry separately, put in a saucepan. Pour broth over vegetables, add green peas and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the prepared pieces of meat into the broth and simmer until done for another 15 minutes. Prepare a sauce from dried flour, tomato, and vegetable broth. 5 minutes before readiness add sour cream and sauce.

This dish is loved by gourmets and is served in elite restaurants all over the world. And many chefs create original recipes for its preparation. It's about about the meat dish - steak tartare. We will not delve into the intricacies of preparing this nutritious meat dish, but will dwell on the history of its origin. Oddly enough, the authorship is attributed to the ancient Pechenegs.

What kind of people are these?

It is known that these steppe peoples Central Asia conducted many merciless military campaigns. But they did this not for the sake of conquering lands, but solely for profit. They ravaged the territory, killed its inhabitants, filled their bags with loot and disappeared.

First, the Pechenegs attacked the Byzantine lands, and in the middle of the 11th century they went beyond the Danube.

Food of the Mongols

The main food of the Pechenegs was rice and millet; they cooked cereals in milk and did not add salt. The nomads milked their horses and drank their milk instead of water. Raw meat was not fried. Instead of heat treatment they put pieces of meat under the saddle, where they warmed up. I must say, the recipe is not very appetizing.

However, this method of preparation was forced. The conquerors could not afford to light fires in the steppe, because the fire could easily be noticed by the opponents of the Pechenegs. Therefore, they had to warm raw pieces of meat under the saddle, from where the Mongols took them out, sprinkled them with seasonings and ate them.

The Pechenegs were treated with herbs. They knew well which plant helped with what. Thus, with the help of herbs, the Pechenegs could improve the quality of vision, and shooting a bird in flight the first time was not a problem for them.

Where did the Pechenegs go?

By the 14th century, the nation practically ceased to exist, dividing into several small tribes. The Pechenegs disperse to different territories, where they absorb the customs and beliefs of other nationalities. Gradually, this strong tribe, which made many raids on Rus', completely disappeared from the face of the earth.

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  Legend has it that Genghis Khan’s warriors took basturma with them on their journeys. Thinly cut slices of our dish were kept by the male warriors under the saddle of the horse, where it was dried and cooked under the weight of the rider.

  Basturma recipe

  Basturma is truly delicious meat, a real delicacy. But don’t think that it will take a lot of time to prepare this dish - no, half an hour at most. And it will turn out very tasty and healthy - it’s a natural product after all. Our appetizer can be prepared from any meat, but classically it is still prepared from beef. Any festive table will be decorated with basturma - meat in its natural form, without impurities or additives. Is it possible to compare it with store-bought sausages?

  Ingredients:

  • beef (fillet, long piece) – 300 g;
  • water – 100 ml;
  • salt – 500g;
  • chaman (spice mixture) – 100g;
  • sumac (seasoning with fruity sourness) – 50g.

  How to cook basturma

  So, we present to you a recipe for delicious basturma. Let's cook.

  1. A long piece of beef should be cut in half lengthwise if it is thick.

  2. Pour a layer of salt into a deep bowl and place the meat on it. Sprinkle salt over the beef so that it is not visible. Place in the refrigerator for 4 days. Every day we pour out the resulting juice.

  3. After four days, take the meat out of the refrigerator, rinse it thoroughly under running water, even to the point of keeping it in water for about 10 minutes - removing the salt.

  4. Wrap the washed meat in a dry cloth and put it under pressure for another 4 days. Store in the refrigerator, change the cloth every day and turn the meat over.

  5. Prepare a mixture of spices: pour the seasonings into the water, mix, let it brew for half an hour. The spices will swell and form a fragrant paste. Sumac is very popular in Iran and Turkey - there it is sprinkled on rice and it turns out to be such a popular snack.

  6. Spread the prepared mixture of seasonings generously over the beef on all sides. We wrap everything in gauze, twist it with a string and hang the pieces to dry for another 4 days. Hang your basturma in a dry, well-ventilated area, out of the sun. Perfect option- near the stove. Well, in the city - just in the kitchen, just not over the stove.

  The aromatic snack is ready. Cut it into thin slices when serving. Enjoy the taste of natural jerky!

The Pechenegs' tactics are simple. They quickly attacked villages, created panic, killed the defenders, filled their bags with loot and disappeared. They never had the task of settling the occupied territories.

The Pechenegs first attacked Byzantium, and then crossed the Danube around the second half of the 11th century. This became the great transition of the Pecheneg Horde, which had a significant impact on the development of history.

The Pechenegs were pagans. Bon, a religion of Tibetan origin, was native to them. They didn't like to wash themselves. They did not cut their hair; they braided it in long black braids. A hat was placed on top of the head.

They are melted across rivers using specially made leather bags. All the necessary ammunition is placed inside, and then it is all sewn together so tightly that not a single drop of water gets through. Their horses were famous for their speed. They covered large spaces with ease. Arrows soaked in snake venom led to inevitable death even with a slight scratch.

Exotic food

The main food is millet and rice. Pechenegs boil cereals in milk. No salt. They milked the horses and drank mare's milk instead of water; they did not fry the raw meat, but put it under the saddle, so it warmed up. If hunger was completely unbearable, they did not disdain cats and steppe animals. They were treated with infusions of various steppe herbs. They knew what herbal infusion to drink to increase their range of vision. Many of them could shoot a bird on the fly the first time. They swore an oath of allegiance to each other by piercing their finger and took turns drinking drops of blood. The nomadic tribes of the Pechenegs lived in the Trans-Volga steppes, then began to inhabit the territory beyond the Volga and the Urals, from where they left to the west.

War with Russian princes

In the Nikon Chronicle you can find a story about the first summer clash between the troops of the Kyiv princes Askold and Dir with the Pechenegs in Transnistria.

Igor Rurikovich, who ascended the throne, was able to make peace with the Pechenegs, but they, despising such treaties, no longer carried out a short-term raid, but marched on a wide march through Rus'. Therefore, Igor Rurikovich again enters into battle with them. The Pechenegs go to the steppe.

Pecheneg reconnaissance worked well

They had well-equipped intelligence. When Svyatoslav Igorevich and his army set off on a campaign against Bulgaria, the Pecheneg hordes unexpectedly besieged Kyiv. Citizens defend their city with all their might in the absence of main combat units. A Russian intelligence officer, who knew the Pecheneg language well, was able to get through their cordons, swim across the Dnieper and call the governor Pretich for help. He immediately hurried to the aid of the besieged - the Pechenegs thought that it was the main troops of Svyatoslav Igorevich coming and rushed to escape, but stopped near the Lybid River and sent envoys to the governor to find out if it was really Svyatoslav coming. The voivode answered them that it was his advanced units that were in front, and the main units behind them. The Pecheneg Khan immediately became a friend and offered a gift - a saber and a horse.

While negotiations were ongoing, Svyatoslav was able to direct his troops against the invaders and drive them far back.

Pechenezh Khan Kuryu was defeated by the son of Svyatoslav

The Pechenegs were able to defeat Svyatoslav only when he was returning from the Byzantine campaign. Near the Dnieper rapids, the Pechenegs organized several ambushes and killed all the Russians. The prince died too. The Pecheneg Khan Kurya made a golden cup from his skull and showed off this trophy to other Pechenegs.

Svyastoslav's eldest son, eleven-year-old Yaropolk, under the command of his regent Svenald, avenged his deceased father in 978 and imposed a large tribute on his enemies.

Russian "Snake Shafts"

Large fortifications, the “Snake Ramparts,” were built as protection against attacks by steppe nomads. The Russians organize round-the-clock watch not only on the ramparts, but also send reconnaissance detachments far into the depths.

In 988, Prince Vladimir tries to come to an agreement with the Pechenegs, attracting some princes to his side. But two years later, other Pecheneg princes again raided the territory of Rus', causing enormous harm. The response followed immediately - Vladimir and his army completely defeated the Pechenegs. But two years later the Pechenegs again gathered their army and stood near the Trubezh River. Russian troops, warned by intelligence, were already standing on the opposite side of the river. The Pechenezh fighter challenged the Russian hero Yan to a duel. The Russian won. Then the troops, inspired by this victory, attacked the Pechenegs and put them to flight.

The last raid on Rus' under Yaroslav the Wise

After the death of Vladimir, the Pechenegs supported Svyatopolk, and Yaroslav had to achieve victory on two fronts. In the battle near the city of Lyubech, the Pechenegs did not participate against Yaroslav; they were cut off by the lake and did not want to force it.

After coming to power, Yaroslav spent a lot of time and effort strengthening borders and cities.

Finally, in 1036, the last battle took place. When Yaroslav was in Novgorod, they besieged Kyiv. But the Russian prince was able to return to the battlefield and organize a defense. The Pechenegs attacked first along the entire front. The Russian counterattack came as a surprise to them. The battle lasted the whole day, but Yaroslav was able to win. True, as historians note, with great difficulty.

Where did the Pechenegs disappear?

The remnants of the Pechenegs went deep into the steppes and never again attempted attacks on Rus'. Their leader, Prince Tirah, attacked Bulgaria, then Byzantium, but was exhausted in continuous battles and gradually his army disintegrated. Some went to serve as mercenaries in the Byzantine, Hungarian and Russian troops. Other Pechenegs moved to the southeast, where they merged with other nationalities.

Modern descendants of the Pechenegs

They became the ancestors of the Karapalkaps, Bashkirs, Gagauzes (Turkic people living in Bessarabia, Odessa region of Ukraine, on the territory of Moldova as part of the autonomous territory of Gagauzia). The Kyrgyz large family Bechen trace their origins to the Pechenegs.