Foie Gras Delicious or Animal Abuse?
By ChefMazda
@ChefMazda (56)
United States
March 21, 2009 8:56am CST
This is a hot topic in the food industry today, and will most likely be banned in the U.S. sometime soon (already illegal in Chicago). For those of you who dont know what foie gras is-it is goose or duck liver that has been fattened. The way they do this is during the last month of the birds like, they feed they a high fat diet of carn and grain which goes straigh to the liver. A normal goose liver weight is approx .5 pound, after feeding the liver blows up to a staggering 2.5-3 pounds. That would be the same if your liver weight was about 15 pounds-not normal. During this month long diet the birds do not eat what they want but are actually force fed by humans with funnels. Honestly I feel foie gras is a true delicacy and if cooked correctly a memorable experience, but I have been thinking about how these birds are treated and I may have a change of heart.
What do you think-Delicious or Animal Abuse?
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1 response
@laydee (12798)
• Philippines
21 Mar 09
I have never tried that but they say it really tastes good. I don't think it's animal abuse because it's not like they kill the duck and throw away everything else but the liver. It's just a new way of raising your poultry to serve a particular delight. How could it be animal abuse if you need to slaughter the duck before it grows old in the first place right?
I don't really understand people. They're so concerned about animals but they could easily kill people and let the fugitives just go. They could care so much with animals but couldn't care less about the homeless.
@ChefMazda (56)
• United States
21 Mar 09
The part of it that is controversial is during the last month they feed the birds 4 times a day by sticking a funnel down their throat and shove down the corn and grain. Once they reach optimal weight, they are slaughter. They definatley use the reast of the product but they are bred and fed for their liver as this is where they get 90% of their income as it sell for $40-70/pound when 90% of it is fat and renders away in the pan. As for the other meat it is low quaility since there is so much fat on the body.
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