Whale
I want to hear more about the whale. Taste? Texture? Comparison? I’m fascinated.
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The whale was a northern minke whale. Unlike other species, these are not endangered and are sustainably harvested with regulated quotas. Norway, Iceland and Japan are the only countries that allow whale harvesting, other than by native groups. Taking our summer vacation in Norway, I knew we had to give it a try.
The whale was sold as “hvalbiff”, or literally “whale beef”. Think a better translation is whale steak. I have no idea as to the “cut” and it doesn’t seem like they distinguish like you would with beef.
Surprisingly, the meat was extremely lean. I seared it with the lid open and there were no flare ups. I cooked it about medium rare. As for taste, the best way I could describe it would be “gamey beef”. Not too strong, almost like venison. I ate moose when I lived in Newfoundland and that had a stronger flavor.
I would cook it and eat it again if I had the opportunity, but I would probably not eat too much because of the mercury concern.