Raw?

I've been reading lately about the importance of eating meats that are on the raw side. Bradford Angier's book How to Eat in the Woods explains the importance of eating meats and marrow raw, to keep all the vital nutrients intact:  

"The mineral-rich marrow found in the bones of animals that were in good physical condition at demise is not surpassed by any other food in caloric strength. What is, at the same time, the most delectable of tidbits is wasted by the common outdoor practice of roasting such bones until they are on the point of crumbling. A more conservative procedure is to crack them at the onset, with two stones if nothing handier is available. The less the marrow is then cooked, the more nutritious it will remain."

I had also read previously that eating meats on the raw side is crucial to the antiscorbutic factor - that is, that vital factor that keeps scurvy away! In the same book quoted above, the author mentions this as well:

 "Fresh meat will both prevent and cure scurvy. So will fresh fish."

I often eat filet quite rare, and have made carpaccio (thin sliced, totally raw steak). I haven't eaten tongue or ribs rare, though. They seem like they would be tough unless cooked. I have eaten marrow that is still a little pink, but not totally rare. However, maybe I will experiment more with eating marrow more on the raw side!

Another food that Bradford talks about in his book is one that most of us would rather wait for starvation to try: worms and grubs! He explains that earthworms will come out after a good rain, and can be eaten raw (!) after soaking in pure water. Grubs can easily be found under rocks. And those are far easier to acquire than trying to kill an animal, skinning it, and preparing it. I don't think I'm willing to try worms yet. But really, why are we repulsed by them? It seems like something that would have been such an important food for survival for homo sapiens. I know that Andrew Scarborough of mybraincancerstory.blogspot.co.uk has experience eating mealworms, which he says are a good high-fat ketogenic food. I'm just not ready quite yet!

In the meantime, I will experiment more with eating raw marrow, and perhaps make carpaccio more often too!

Charcoal grilled filet with marrow and smoked salt