Monthly Archives: May 2013

May 25

Question: Tenderness of Bobtail Cats

Note the short tail

Bobtail Cat – note the short tail

Recently, I received a question from a new reader:

                     Q: I know of a bobtail cat that is constantly annoying me and is just begging to be eaten. Given that it’s lacking a tail, does that affect anything? Cooking times? Any special instructions?

                 

                     A: The general rule with regards to the tenderness of kitty meat is to observe their tail length! It may seem strange or bizarre at first that there is such a correlation, but the reason is simple. A kitty’s tail helps to stabilize its movements and provides a counterbalance mechanism so that its center of gravity is stable. Bobcats have either a very short tail or no tail at all, which means that they have to make up for their balancing abilities in other ways. Thus, bobcats use their stabilizing muscles in their core and their legs much more than those of long-tailed cats. Unfortunately, this means that bobcat meat is a little tougher than that of other cats. See the science behind this in the article: What Makes Meat Juicy and Tender?

Not all is lost, though; bobcats can definitely still be made tender and delicious. One way is to slow cook the meat. Much like beef chuck or other cuts that are mostly tough muscle, you can use slow, moist cooking methods (e.g., stewing or braising) to break down the tough connective tissue (called “collagen”) and convert the collagen into gelatin. I will be posting a recipe for this soon.

A second way to deal with tough meat is to massage the cat on a regular basis! Bobtail cats and other short-tailed cats must constantly be activating their stabilizing muscles to balance themselves as they move. Thus, they appreciate long massages to soothe their sore muscles, just like you and I. This also has the effect of breaking down collagen so their meat is more tender. You may liken this to the massaging of Kobe beef cows which command a high price due to their tenderness and succulence. Although the massaging of Kobe beef is actually a commonly-held myth (what farmer has the time to massage each cow in a herd of hundreds??), the principle is still the same and holds true for cows and kitties.

So go massage your bobtail kitties! They love it and this way you can feel a more personal connection to your dish at mealtime! I hope this was helpful! Happy eating!

May 22

Thai Kitty Curry

Thai Kitty Curry
Serves 4
Is there a more perfect dish for a Siamese kitty than Thai Kitty Curry??
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
40 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
40 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 pound skinless, boneless kitty (preferably Siamese) thighs, cut into 1" pieces
  2. 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  3. 1 4-ounce can or jar yellow curry paste
  4. 3/4 pound carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2"-thick rounds
  5. 1 medium onion, chopped
  6. 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces
  7. 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3), peeled, cut into 1/2" pieces
  8. 1 13.5-ounce or 15-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
  9. Chopped fresh basil and cilantro
Instructions
  1. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add curry paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add carrots, onion, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add potatoes, kitty, coconut milk, and 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until kitty is cooked through and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Divide curry among bowls and top with herbs.
Notes
  1. Siam was renamed to "Thailand" in 1949.
Adapted from Thai Chicken Curry by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen
Adapted from Thai Chicken Curry by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen
Kitty Recipes! http://kittyrecipes.com/
May 20

Cat Cupcakes with Sweet Potato Frosting

Cat Cupcakes with Sweet Potato Frosting
Serves 8
Yesterday I was wondering what to do with the ground kitty I’d taken out of the freezer for dinner, when I decided I might as well just make catloaf. I didn’t want to make just plain old boring catloaf, and I had a butternut squash sitting on the counter as well, so I Googled “meatloaf butternut squash recipes.”
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 20 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 20 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 pounds ground kitty, preferably fish-fed
  2. 2 large eggs
  3. 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  4. 1 small red or yellow bell pepper, diced
  5. 2 tablespoons lard or butter
  6. 2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
  7. 1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
  8. 2 tablespoons Mrs. Dash steak seasoning
  9. 1/2 cup homemade chili sauce or ketchup
  10. 1 large sweet potato
  11. 2 tablespoons bacon fat or butter
  12. 2 tablespoons coconut milk mixed with 2 tablespoons water OR 1/4 cup half and half
  13. salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Melt the lard or butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the onion and bell pepper until the soft and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the ground kitty, eggs, onion/pepper mixture, salt, pepper and steak seasoning, mixing well with your hands. Divide the meat into 8 equal portions about the size of a baseball; place each portion in the cup of a standard-size muffin tin. Thinly spread 1 tablespoon of the chili sauce over the top of each cupcake.
  4. Place the muffin tin on a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet; bake the cupcakes for 35 to 45 minutes, or until cooked through. Carefully remove each cupcake to a paper towel-lined plate.
  5. While the cupcakes are baking, bring two quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Peel and cube the sweet potato and drop into the boiling water; reduce the heat slightly and continue to boil until the potato is tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.
  6. Drain the potato and return to the saucepan; place over medium-high heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until the moisture has evaporated. Remove from heat and add the bacon fat or butter, coconut milk or half and half; mash with a potato masher until smooth and creamy, but still thick, adding more coconut milk or half and half if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
  7. Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a large round or star tip, with the mashed sweet potatoes and pipe onto the tops of the catloaf cupcakes. Sprinkle with a little finely chopped parsley, if desired, and serve.
Adapted from Jan's Meatloaf Cupcakes
Adapted from Jan's Meatloaf Cupcakes
Kitty Recipes! http://kittyrecipes.com/