Whale meat/Blubber, and caribou

Since I live in Barrow, the people here do a lot of subsistance hunting. I do like to eat maktak (whale blubber), and tutu (caribou), but I know nothing about the calories, fat, etc. involved. Also, my husband wants me to try seal and walrus, and it would be nice to know about those things too. Does anyone know anything about these animals in values to food?

I'm down here in Anchorage. There is a book you should get. It's called "The Alaskan Cookbook". It has tons of recipes for maktuk, caribou, beaver, musk-ox and even polar bear. It does a pretty good job of listing the health benefits. I know Moose is really low fat but very very high in cholestorol. Good Luck!

Hi!  Sorry, I can't help. But I do want to say that is SO cool!  I'm in VA, with no access to that stuff.

Is it good?! Go Alaska!

Ok, I cannot give you solid answers.  However, a couple things you should consider.

Caribou is supposedly relatively lean from what I heard living there, so you might be ok there.

However, maktak is fat!  Seriously, that's what blubber is.  That cannot POSSIBLY be 1) good for you or 2) helpful in dieting.

I am certainly not bashing the Natives of the area, I lived in Alaska and they are wonderful people, but have you ever seen a really skinny Eskimo who actually lives on the Native food?  I didn't and I lived there a LONG time.

Well, I have seen A LOT of skinny Inupiaq's (eskimo is like an insult), but they don't survive on native food. They will have some when someone catches a whale, but as far as eating it all the time....neh. So, you are right on that point. That is why there are always pictures or murals depicting chubby native peoples. Anyway, I thought that since other things that come from the ocean are so healthy to eat, that whales would fit into that category too.

And where in Alaska did you live, just out of curiosity?

http://exoticmeats.com/store/index.php?cPath= 24_36


exotic meats might also have the calorie information for your other meats, just give it a look. =)

Well, my apologies any Native Alaskans I might have offended.  :-)  For some stupid reason, Eskimo was the only word that came to mind.  I lived in Fairbanks for several years and totally know better than that!

That said, I also lived in Southeast Alaska for nearly 10 years, and boy, if I were to try and eat like a "native" they have it licked!!  All that seafood... yummy!