Since the onset of the Covid-19, there is a lot more confusion on whether to eat the sacrificed meat of Bakrid or not as some believe that meat can transmit the corona virus and some oppose the theory.
The good news is that there is no evidence as on date that proves the virus spreads through meat consumption.
But, yes, this time we might need to take extra care while handling the meat from slaughtering to cutting to distribution to consumption to storing for future use.
So what do we do to maintain hygiene and store qurbani meat afresh for months together.
Wash the sacrificing animal thoroughly, preferably the neck and claws, using soap or detergent.
Sharpen the slaughtering blades and dip in vinegar or dettol liquid for sometime to disinfect.
All People busy in offering the qurbani (sacrifice) of the animal, espacially the butcher need to wear masks to stop the spread of virus through unwanted coughing or sneezing.
Usually every home offers a sacrifice of the animal and since every home necessarily doesn't have the facility of hygienic slaughterhouse as you find with the proffessionals, we must ensure the meat doesn't touch any filthy patch of the soil.
Method of animal slaughter matters.
The best part here is that the slaughtering method is HALAL.
The word halal in Arabic means permissible, and the slaughtering rule is based on Islamic law. The animal must be healthy and alive, a Muslim need to perform the slaughter in the appropriate religious manner, and the animal's throat must be cut by a sharp knife breaking off the carotid artery, jugular vein and windpipe in a single swipe. Blood must get drained out of the carcass, as the blood is the source of most of the infections, making the process most authentic and hygienic in nature.
The 2nd step is cutting into smaller pieces for distribution among neighbours, relations and the needy.
The cutting boards or logs must be washed vigourously.
Wash well the vessels or the cloth, needed in the cutting process and do not try to touch meat with your naked hands, preferably use sanitized surgical gloves, available in the market.
After effective distribution the meat which we need to preserve for personal use, must be least touched.
On the occasion of Bakrid we normally stock meat more than the normal comsumption and hence arising the need for storing.
The unique and simple way to store meat is through proper freezing method.
Wrap the extra meat in pvc bags with zipper or unzipped.
Put in 2 garlics and a small piece of ginger in each bag, Squeeze out the extra air from the bags and zip airtight.
Wrap meat in small individual servings according to your family size and consumption needs which will allow you to use the exact quantity needed for daily cooking.
Store all these packs safely in the freezer before cooking and thus your kitchen is well stocked for 4 to 6 months.
Well great... There are cheaper method of preserving meat like dry ageing and saw dust smoking. You should write about that as every household do not have the luxary of deep freezers and fridges.
ReplyDeleteYour feedback is worth to be considered, hope to work on the suggestion. Thanks
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