Wild meat

Hi Guys,

Adventure into the forest and mountains has great scenery and trails for the outdoor enthusiasts and even outdoor motor sport, which I am sure one can find most places.  But have you ever went hunting wild meat, I guess it’s pretty common in most parts as well. For it is a cultural part of Trinidad and I would be remiss to omit such a past time.

Northern Range with Poui trees blossoming. Source: roughguides.com 

Once the hunting season opens, the poor creatures in the wild has to fear for their lives, as they are great delicacies.  Deer, agouti, lappe, tattoo, manicou, wild hog, iguana and probably a few more, which eludes me at this time, are all sort after catches.  Friends and family would go into the wild with their dogs and spend at least 1 night chasing their prey.  Some would sell their catch as they can fetch a high price, a pound of deer meat is about US$20.00 and the other meat are just as or higher price, so its not just all for fun and sport.

Arriving back at the campsite the catch would be cleaned and cook; having a good curry in the forest to some is even better than curry duck at Caura River.  Most hunters would try as much to live off the land as possible in a bit to be like man verses wild I assume.  They would stock the staples such as salt, sugar, rice in different locations and retrieve when the hunt is over, that way they have little load to carry, they would also sort ground provisions such as Cassava and Dasheen and even fish to complement their cook.

Coconut curry Deer. Source: caribbeanpot.com

I recall some Rastafarians going to catch fish at a river, they carried rice and some green seasoning and a few disposable plates and a cutlass (machete).  Upon arriving at the river, one guy started digging a hole and kneading the soil, another went to catch fish while the other went looking for special leaves.  They were not much talkers so I had to wait to see what their intention were.   The hole was dug very neatly in the shape of a pot with the walls smoothen out and a fire was started, the fish guts was removed but not the scales, it was then seasoned, the leaves were heated which made them flexible.  The hole was plastered with the leaves and the rice poured in with water, salt and seasoning, another set of leaves covered the hole then a slight layer of dirty covered it then the fire was placed on top. 

I know it sounds far out but then they took the kneaded clay soil and placed a thick layer over the fish, somewhat like an earthen oven, then place the fish into the fire.  After a bath and after some time the fire was removed and the soil and leave very carefully not to contaminate the rice, when removing the clay from the fish the scales came off and the fish looked and smell great.  The food was plated and I was told that’s how it’s done in the wild, they said the disposable plates and spoons are also optional as they can make those but did not this time.

Wild Hogs. Source: islandmix.com

So the next time you are in the mood for some wild meat try going some of these guys, hunting it is the best part.  Let me know what hunting adventures and practices takes place on your neck of the woods.