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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask if cobra burgers are safe to eat?

25 replies

hellokittymania · 03/04/2017 15:58

I know that with a Japanese fish, it has to be cooked properly or it will poison you. But what about cobras I just saw something about an Indonesian restaurant serving cobra burgers and it got me thinking. I don't think I would be brave enough to try one of these. How do they remove the venom

OP posts:

Original poster

hellokittymania · 03/04/2017 15:59

Fugu I think is the Japanese fish name.

OP posts:

squashyhat · 03/04/2017 16:00

Why on earth would you want to?

ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 03/04/2017 16:00

Quite a niche burger, I must say.

peaceloveandbiscuits · 03/04/2017 16:00

The venom isn't in the flesh, they have little sacs of it.

willconcern · 03/04/2017 16:02

www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/the-nutrition-of-snake.html

Apparently because the venom has to be injected into the bloodstream, it'seems OK to eathe without fear of poisoning.

BorpBorpBorp · 03/04/2017 16:03

Fugu have their toxin in multiple different organs, so it is harder to remove without contaminating the rest of the fish. With cobras, the venom is in sacs in the mouth, so you just whollop the head off.

Original poster

hellokittymania · 03/04/2017 16:03

Squatshy, it's a popular thing in some places. Some places sell cobra or scorpion wine and things as well.

OP posts:

ShatnersBassoon · 03/04/2017 16:03

Yes they'll be safe to eat, assuming they don't put the head in its entirety in there (which is the poisonous end I think).

elephantoverthehill · 03/04/2017 16:05

Will the cobra be dead? Otherwise I don't think it would be very safe.

BarbarianMum · 03/04/2017 16:05

Snake meat is not generally cruelty free.
Not tried it myself but it's generally reputed to taste like shit. Sort of thing people eat because they think it will improve their virility or because they are stupid tourists.

The venom is held in venom sacks behind the fangs. Remove those and it's safe to eat.

Original poster

hellokittymania · 03/04/2017 16:07

The nutritional benefits of snake? Well I have heard some things about drinking snake blood, Bleurgh!! I have eaten regular snake, but don't think I could try a poisonous variety.

OP posts:

Sciurus83 · 03/04/2017 16:09

It's safe to eat as posters have mentioned the venom is in glands near the head, would be chopped off before "filleting". Cobra is not something that is eaten much, I have seen a lot of python for sale in Indonesian markets, according to friends it is quite a prestigious dish in some areas. Cobra harvesting would not be a sustainable meat source at all so I wouldn't eat for that reason alone. A lot of rattlesnake is eaten in places like texas after roundups but this is a bad thing IMO. The meat itself wouldn't be venomous but they are often caught by gassing underground holes with petrol which kills the snakes but also anything else in the burrow for years to come and i would be concerned about eating anything subjected to that level of poisoning. The snakes are then taken half dead and kept in awful conditions before slaughter. Really not good.

Original poster

hellokittymania · 03/04/2017 16:10

Barbarian that's why people like to drink the snake blood apparently

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MrsTerryPratchett · 03/04/2017 16:12

I've eaten cobra. I was a stupid tourist. Never occurred to me that it might be unsafe.

BarbarianMum · 03/04/2017 16:15

Yes and the snake is drained then skinned whilst still alive.

It doesn't work btw

Original poster

hellokittymania · 03/04/2017 16:15

MrsTerry I think the restaurant in question is also popular with locals. And yes it's in Indonesia.

OP posts:

MrsTerryPratchett · 03/04/2017 16:18

Poor snake. I feel very sad. Also considering I gave up most meat, including all pork, in Asia because of animals cruelty concerns.

Meekonsandwich · 03/04/2017 16:22

Lol I really don't think any meat is cruelty free to be fair!

Whether you electrify them, boil them, stun them or cut their throat, I really don't think having a nice life prior to this can make up for the fact you just killed it xD

So if a person has had a nice life and they get killed or murdered its not cruel?

BarbarianMum · 03/04/2017 16:24

Having your throat cut is one thing. Being skinned alive is another.

ShoutOutToMyEx · 03/04/2017 16:25

No meat is cruelty free! I'm a vegetarian but if I ate meat I'd be in for a penny, in for a pound

DesignedForLife · 03/04/2017 16:28

Snakes on the whole aren't poisonous, they are venomous. Big difference.

Original poster

hellokittymania · 03/04/2017 16:28

For the vegetarians out there, there is also a 50 m long noodles in the soup.

In China somewhere.

OP posts:

LurkingHusband · 03/04/2017 16:31

Tastes like chicken ????

Original poster

hellokittymania · 03/04/2017 16:32

Here, the one noodle soup

Good luck trying to eat this one!

gbtimes.com/china/chef-wows-crowds-pulling-50m-long-noodles

OP posts:

UserSchmooser · 03/04/2017 17:00

Venomous and poisonous are very different things. Very few snakes (2, IIRC) are poisonous whereas many are venomous ie.can envenomate, usually through a bite.

I would try a cobra burger. Why not? They were pretty common when we lived in SE Asia and would usually want to get away from you. They are by no means rare and are probably a good source of protein. I would enjoy eating a pit viper burger - nasty fuckers!

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