Which Countries Eat Horse Meat?
Legal
Legality of Horse Meat Consumption
Country | Legality of Horse Meat Consumption↓ | Additional Details | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | China | Legal | Horse meat is generally unpopular in China due to limited availability and traditional beliefs, but is eaten in some southern regions. |
 | Indonesia | Legal | In Indonesia, horse meat is eaten as satay (sate kuda), served in Yogyakarta with shallots, pepper, and sweet soy sauce. It is traditionally believed to boost strength and male vitality. |
 | Brazil | Legal | Brazil is a producer and exporter of horse meat, but it is not used in local consumption and is considered taboo. |
 | Russia | Legal | Generally considered by ethnic Russians to be a low-quality meat with poor taste, and it is rarely found in stores. |
 | Mexico | Legal | Mexico became the world’s largest horse meat producer in 2009, but human consumption remains uncommon, with much of the supply reportedly used as animal feed. |
 | Japan | Legal | Horse meat is eaten raw as basashi in Japan, especially in Kumamoto, Nagano, and Ōita. It is also served in izakaya bars, yakiniku restaurants, skewers, and canned meats, using domestic and imported supplies. |
 | Philippines | Legal | Considered a rare delicacy, typically marinated, fried, and served with vinegar. |
 | Germany | Legal | Horse meat is legally sold in Germany, mainly by specialized butchers. Traditional dishes include horse-meat Sauerbraten, Bavarian sausages, and Ross-Leberkäse. |
 | United Kingdom | Legal | In the United Kingdom, the slaughter, preparation, and consumption of horses for food is not against the law, although it has been rare since the 1930s, and horse meat is not generally available. |
 | France | Legal | Horse meat is sold in French specialty butcheries (boucheries chevalines) and supermarkets. Popular during the 1870 Siege of Paris, its consumption has since declined. |
 | Italy | Legal | Popular in Sicily and southern Italy, especially Apulia, horse meat is eaten as steaks, sausages, salami, and stews. |
 | South Korea | Legal | In South Korea, horse meat is generally not eaten, but raw horse meat, mostly taken from the neck, is consumed as a delicacy on Jeju Island. |
 | Spain | Legal | Horse meat is eaten in Spain, mainly as steaks, stews, and cured foal meat (cecina). |
 | Argentina | Legal | Argentina is a producer and exporter of horse meat, but it is not used in local consumption and is considered taboo. |
 | Canada | Legal | Horse meat is sold in parts of Canada (particularly Quebec), although it remains taboo among much of the English-speaking population. Canada is also the leading exporter of live, for-slaughter horses (many of which were first transported from the US) to Japan, where the horses are processed for meat upon arrival. |
 | Poland | Legal | Poland traditionally consumes horse meat in sausages and steak tartare, especially during meat shortages. Older horses are exported to Italy for slaughter, a controversial practice in a country where many view horses as companions. |
 | Australia | Legal | Horse meat is rarely eaten in Australia, where production mainly serves export markets, especially Europe. Despite approval for domestic sale in Western Australia in 2010, demand remains low. |
 | Kazakhstan | Legal | Horse meat is central to Kazakhstan’s traditional diet, with specialties including kazy and chuchuk sausages, smoked or boiled zhaya and jal, and dried, smoked sür et. |
 | Chile | Legal | In Chile, Indigenous nomadic tribes adopted horse meat after Spanish horses became feral. Today, it is sold in some butcheries, costs less than beef, and is associated with lower social classes. |
 | Netherlands | Legal | Horse meat is eaten in the Netherlands as smoked cold cuts, sausages, soups, and in zuurvlees, a traditional southern Dutch stew, as well as fast-food snacks like frikandel. |
 | Belgium | Legal | Horse meat is popular in Belgium, eaten as cold cuts, steaks, and sausages. Specialties include Lokerse paardenworst and schep, a Flemish horse stew with beer, onions, and mustard. |
 | Sweden | Legal | Horse meat is eaten in Sweden mainly as smoked cold cuts and sausages, including hamburgerkött and Dalarna’s salami-like Gustafskorv, often served in sandwiches. |
 | Hungary | Legal | Horse meat, once absent from Hungarian diets for centuries, is now used mainly in salami, sausages, goulash, and stews, and sold in supermarkets and butcher shops. |
 | Austria | Legal | Horse meat is used in traditional regional dishes, including horse Leberkäse, often served in bread rolls and dumplings. |
 | Switzerland | Legal | Especially in German- and Italian-speaking regions, horse meat is widely eaten as steaks, cured meats, regional sausages, and fondue Bourguignonne. |
 | Kyrgyzstan | Legal | In Kyrgyzstan, horse meat is a major part of the traditional diet, reflecting the populations’ nomadic heritage. |
 | Bulgaria | Legal | Horse meat is served in some Bulgarian restaurants, mainly as steaks and burgers. Once common in the 1960s–70s, it is regaining popularity. |
 | Serbia | Legal | Generally available, but is rarely used in traditional cuisine. It is sometimes recommended for people with anemia and can be found at select green markets in Belgrade, Niš, and several ethnically diverse cities in Vojvodina, where Hungarian and historical German culinary traditions have influenced its consumption. |
 | Norway | Legal | Consumed mainly in cured meats and sausages, and occasionally as steak. Once taboo after Christianity’s adoption, its consumption remains controversial but not uncommon. |
 | Finland | Legal | Horse meat is sold in Finnish butcher shops and supermarkets, mainly in cured sausages like meetwursti. Finland produces some domestically but relies heavily on imports and enforces strict safety regulations. |
 | Ireland | Legal | Horse meat is rarely eaten in Ireland. The 2013 scandal exposed horse meat mislabeled as beef, while a 2024 RTÉ investigation revealed horse identity tampering to conceal animals deemed unfit for consumption. |
 | Mongolia | Legal | Horse meat is eaten in Mongolia, especially in winter, when it is believed to keep the body warm. It is also used in kazy sausages and exported to other Asian countries. |
 | Uruguay | Legal | Horse meat is taboo in Uruguay, where horses are valued as companions. However, the country produces horse meat for export to France and China, and it is believed to be used locally in salami. |
 | Slovenia | Legal | Horse meat is widely eaten in Slovenia, especially in the Carniola and Karst regions. Popular dishes include colt steaks and horse burgers. |
 | Malta | Legal | In Malta, horse meat is slow-cooked in tomato or red wine sauce and remains available in some specialty shops and restaurants. |
 | Iceland | Legal | Horse meat is eaten in Iceland as minced meat, steaks, stews, and fondue. Once discouraged after Christianity's adoption around 1000 AD, it remains relatively unpopular due to culinary traditions and horses' cultural importance. |
 | Tonga | Legal | Horse meat is widely consumed in Tonga and remains popular among the Tongan diaspora. The tradition dates back to horses introduced during James Cook’s second voyage, some of which were slaughtered soon after arrival. |
- Countries listed are those in which it is legal for humans to consume horse meat. Several additional countries permit horse meat in pet products such as dog food.
Highlighted Countries
China
China has the largest population in the world and is also the world’s largest consumer of horse meat. there are not very many laws that prohibit the consumption of many types of meat, as long as there is a market for doing so. Horse meat is typically dried in China to make sausage, or served alongside signature dishes. Rice noodles, rice, vegetables, and seasonings are applied to the horse meat to make it succulent and tender. The taste is described to be closely resembling beef if cooked correctly.
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is one of the largest consumers of horse meat, behind China. This comes as no surprise since Kazakhstan draws its influence and roots from its history, which is very closely related to Chinese, Mongolian, and Russian influences. The Mongolian empire, at the time, was one of the largest empires in the world - starting with the tale of the famous Genghis Khan - who had united various tribes together under one banner and went on to conquer large parts of Asia and Europe.
The tribes were nomadic people, and these customs formed their traditions, religion, and everyday life. Before creating large empires and ruling cities, the Mongolians and their descendants only knew how to live in yurts, tents, and on the move - which is still practiced today in many regions. This meant that the horse was a sacred animal that was used for various things. A horse was a mode of transportation, a connection with the divine, and the blood and excrement of horses were sometimes used to quench thirst and start fires. This led to the large breeding of horses, which were then used as meat. Kazakhstan does not have a large amount of arable land, meaning carnivorous diets are extremely common, especially with traditional horse meat dishes.
France
French cuisine is popular around the world for having exotic and luxurious tastes. Historically, France has based its economy on luxury goods, which can be traced back to the fur trade. Their production of raw materials could not keep up with other economies, so they decided instead to import the raw materials from more efficient countries, and subsequently turn these into high-priced and luxurious goods. This is why France, and specifically Paris, is known as the city of sin or pleasure - as the culture is very much focused on luxury and decadence.
Horse meat, by extension, is considered exotic meat in some countries- which would be a shock factor when added to any menu in France. French chefs describe the meat as very rich, closely resembling the taste and feel of beef.
Switzerland
Switzerland was included in the list as a statement against its scandal. In 2013, Swiss retailers issued a recall of certain products because they contained horsemeat. This got global recognition, and eventually ended with a widespread scandal. Despite this, eating horse meat is not illegal in Switzerland, and anyone can grow and prepare it with the proper documentation.
