Giraffes are majestic creatures, and most Westerners have a sentimental attachment to them based on wildlife documentaries and seeing them in the zoo. However, people in Africa have a very different relationship with the tallest animal in the world. In this article, we are going to look at giraffe meat and break down whether it is safe and legal to eat, and also explore what giraffe meat tastes like!

Can you eat giraffe? You can eat giraffe as long as the animal has been properly slaughtered and cooked and has not been poached. It is 100% safe for human consumption. Giraffe is actually very flavorsome and tastes like extra venison. Giraffe steaks should be cooked medium rare!

Is Eating Giraffe Safe?

Giraffe is safe for human consumption! Giraffe is also very nutritious and is loaded with lots of protein, B12 and nutrients just like venison. The only issue with eating giraffes is that there is a big poaching problem in many African countries, and the meat is sold illegally. This giraffe meat should be avoided as it is illegal to buy, and there are no health procedures being followed.

You can easily become sick from eating poached giraffe meat as hunters could slaughter a sick animal, harvest the meat incorrectly and store the giraffe meat in an unsanitary fashion. If you purchase giraffe meat from legal suppliers or eat it in legitimate restaurants you will be able to enjoy a 100% legal, safe and tasty meal!

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Is it illegal to eat a giraffe? It is illegal to eat a giraffe if the animal was poached. However, there is legal trade in giraffe meat and farmers are able to kill their own giraffes for their meat. You should never purchase giraffe meat in local markets as it is likely poached meat.

It is not illegal to consume giraffe and has become a fairly popular meat in some African countries. However, there is a widespread poaching problem where illegal hunters will kill giraffes and sell their meat on the sides of roads and at local markets. This giraffe meat is illegal to consume and dangerous to eat due to lack of food health and safety.

Why Do People Eat Giraffe Meat?

Many Africans eat giraffe meat because it is very affordable, tasty, and nutritious, and they don’t have access to other types of meat. Giraffe meat costs between $0.4 to $0.6 per pound which is 4 to 5 times  less than the price of beef. Giraffes also have a lovely flavor similar to sweet venison or extra tender horse.

Many African countries struggle to produce meat affordably due to a lack of suitable land and poor farming techniques. The result is that meat can often be unavailable and very expensive. This is why Africa has a booming bushmeat industry where hunters will slaughter exotic animals and sell their meat to butchers and in the markets. One bush meat that has proved incredibly popular is giraffe. A single giraffe can yield a whopping 660 pounds of meat and they are surprisingly delicious. Giraffes taste better than horse and many enjoy it more than venison thanks to its lovely sweet flavor.

As much of the trade-in giraffe meat is illegal the price is incredibly low. Giraffe meat can cost as little as $0.3 per pound when you buy it from a butcher and can be even less if you buy it directly from the poachers. Buying poached giraffe meat is illegal but many locals who can’t afford beef or lamb don’t seem to mind and it is estimated that over 6 million tons of illegal meat is harvested in Africa every single year!

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Where Do People Eat Giraffe?

Giraffe is eaten in a number of African countries including Kenya, South Africa, Namibia, Tanzania, Angola, Botswana and Zimbabwe. Wherever there are giraffes, people are eating them!

In many African countries it is illegal to poach giraffes. However, that doesn’t stop illegal hunting and sale of illegal bushmeat. Farmers are still able to legally kill their giraffes and sell the meat. The legal trade of giraffe meat is small compared to the illegal trade and it can be difficult to find ethically sourced giraffe meat.

How Much Is Giraffe Meat Per Pound?

Giraffe meat is incredibly cheap and costs $0.4 to $0.6 per pound which is 4 to 5 times less than the cost of beef. The low price is because a large percentage of giraffe meat is illegal, and the trade is run by criminal gangs.

In Kenya it is illegal to slaughter giraffes and all meat is poached. The price of beef is around $2 to $3 per pound. In comparison, illegal giraffe sells for just $0.4 to $0.6 per pound. Many of the population can’t afford beef and therefore turn to the illegal bushmeat to get their meat fix. Criminal gangs kill the giraffes and then sell them to butchers. There is enough local demand for giraffe meat to make poaching profitable.

What Does Giraffe Taste Like?

Giraffe meat has a rich earthy, and sweet flavor. It tastes like a mixture between horse and venison. It is sweeter than venison and much more tender and juicy than a horse. Giraffe meat is gamey with a smooth beefy flavor. 

Giraffe meat is delicious! It is lean but not too lean! Giraffe meat is very sweet and will remind you of a cross between venison, horse with some beef elements. It is surprisingly soft and tender with a nice amount of juice. It has a sweet, rich, and gamey flavor. It tastes like an exotic sweet, rich beef.

How To Eat Giraffe?

Giraffe steaks taste incredible! Giraffe should be cooked rare to medium-rare. When you cook giraffe right it is very sweet, juicy and melts in your mouth. Giraffe meat easily becomes dry so you need to be careful not to overcook it!

Whatever you do, don’t cook your giraffe steak well-done! It will become leathery and dry. Giraffe steak should be cooked rare to medium-rare and be nice and pink in the middle. This ensures that it is juicy, soft and will melt in your mouth!

What does giraffe go with? Giraffe goes extremely well with mashed potatoes, cheesy broccoli, and asparagus. You can even turn giraffe into patties and create burgers or ground it up and turn it into pasta bolognese sauce!

Giraffe is similar to venison and is just as versatile. You can make a lovely sweet, rich pasta meat sauce, create exotic burger patties or cook juicy melt in your mouth steaks. Steaks are the most popular way to serve giraffe and there is nothing better than a medium-rare giraffe steak with a big side of creamy mashed potatoes!

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Final Thoughts

Giraffe is 100% safe for human consumption. It is eaten throughout Africa and is known for being extremely cheap ( $0.4 to $0.6 per pound). Giraffe is known for being delicious and tastes like extra sweet venison or soft and tender horse. However, there is a problem with poaching and the illegal sale of giraffe meat. The best way to source legal giraffe meat is from big game hunting farms that can slaughter and sell their giraffes legally.

FAQ

How much does giraffe meat cost?

Giraffe meat costs between $0.4 to $0.6 per pound. The very low price is because most of the meat is poached and sold illegally to the butchers, roadside stalls, or markets.

Is giraffe meat edible?

Giraffe meat is not only edible but is super tasty. Giraffe meat tastes like extra sweet venison or soft and tender horse. You need to be careful that you only buy giraffe meat from legitimate suppliers as there is a large poaching and illegal bushmeat problem in Africa.

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Are you allowed to eat giraffe meat?

You can only eat giraffe meat that wasn’t poached. Some farmers kill giraffes legally and sell their meat to butchers or restaurants. You should be careful about buying giraffe meat as much of it is illegal bushmeat.

Where do you buy giraffe meat?

You can buy giraffe meat from certain specialty butchers in Africa or you can contact farmers directly and see if they are planning to slaughter any animals. Some restaurants also sell meat.