Experiencing the slot flavor is not something everyone can dream of. However, people who have tasted sloth meat say that it does not have a delectable flavor that will win you over. These adorable creatures are known for their weird lifestyle and bizarre food habits. Thanks to all this their meat is tough with a gamey taste.
You may feel curious about what do sloths taste like. But coming across this meat is highly improbable due to various legal restrictions. Sloths don’t offer a flavorful treat. You would not even find a fatty taste that is often expected from sedentary animals.
Only a few indigenous people of South America eat sloths. But if you love daring experiences of taste, we can offer more on this topic.
What is a Sloth
Sloths live in the rain forests of central and northern parts of South America. They are arboreal creatures that move sluggishly. Spending a good part of their lives hanging down on trees, they eat a high nutrition-deficit diet. Sloths feed on fibrous leaves, buds, and occasional munches on small animals and insects. This low-energy diet renders them lead a slow-paced life.
According to the IUCN, one of the six species of sloths is critically endangered. Another species has gone vulnerable. Though their diet consists of poisonous leaves and algae, their meat isn’t toxic.
Can You Eat Sloth
The answer to this question is technically a yes. Sloths are famous for their cute, smiling faces, not for meat. It isn’t toxic or dangerous, yet not widely eaten anywhere. Several reasons contribute to the cold treatment received by sloth meat. Restricted availability and low palatability stand as the leading reasons behind this behavior.
The limited habitat of sloths and human encroachments has prompted conservation efforts. Countries like Brazil have placed bans on sloth hunting. So the availability is almost non-existent.
The main reason for the low appetite stems from how it tastes. Only a few indigenous tribes eat sloths, while others consider it taboo. Another risk factor is the crossing over of dangerous pathogens to humans from consumption.
What Does Sloth Taste Like
Sloths have a gamey flavor accompanied by a chewy texture. The taste isn’t that appealing and may feel strange. There is a certain sliminess you will feel when chewing the meat. It adds to the unnatural vibe the flavor holds for you. This meat doesn’t offer much pleasure to your taste buds but is just an exotic experience.
The taste of sloth meat is sharp thanks to the odd mixture of flavor and texture. You may acquire a liking to it by continuous usage. But even native tribes of Central American rain forests don’t prefer sloths as regular food. Some researchers who came across it have claimed that it remotely reminds you of pork.
The palatability of sloth meat may differ from person to person. This animal has tough, dark meat. As evident from its structure, it doesn’t offer you much meat. Most people who have ever tasted this rarity stated that it feels distasteful.
Sloths may lead a laggard life, but never expect a fatty flavor from their meat. Their muscles are slow-switching ones that don’t contain much fat content. This once again negatively affects the flavor profile. Umami and fat recipients of your tongue won’t be much excited about having a sloth.
How Do You Eat Sloths
Tribal people eat sloths by simply roasting them over a fire. First, they remove hair and gut the animal. Then they put whatever muscle pieces you get from the animal on sticks and roast them. After this, they just peel and have the meat when it is cooked and ready.
Sloths have symbiotic moths, algae, and many other organisms living on their fur. If you want a cleaner and hygienic sloth meat, remove the skin and fur. Then thoroughly pressure-cook the meat. It will tenderize it. This process also kills harmful microbes that could be present. You can use salt, herbs, and other seasonings to improve the taste.
Conclusion
Sloths hold an intriguing flavor that most people may not come to like. The meat tastes gamey and feels slimy and tough. Sloths eat leaves and twigs that are low in nutrition and energy. This is the main reason for the slow-moving behavior. You will see that this diet has a role in the low palatability of the meat.
The chewy muscles of sloths contain slow-twitching muscles. You may look forward to fatty tasting meat from such a lethargic animal. But these muscles and the energy deficit diet make the meat fatless and dark. Sloth meat lacks savoriness and a fatty flavor that makes meats delicious.