Jhatka and Halal Meat: What’s the Difference?

It is the festival of Bakra Eid and amidst all the shopping and celebrations, everyone is craving some good old mutton biryani.

While people are busy making elaborate arrangements for their grand festival feast, questions regarding which meat to buy usually pop up - jhatka or halal?

So, we did a little digging around to find out which meat is more nutritious and which is easier to cook.

Jhatka Meat

The term ‘jhatka’ in Hindi means ‘swift’. This method of slaughtering animals for consumption involves severing its head in one powerful blow. The animal is killed instantly and relatively painlessly.

What does science say?

While slaughtering the animal instantly, chances of blood clot are higher since all the blood doesn’t drain out. Such meat should ideally be cleaned and cooked instantly to avoid spoilage. The meat might also become tougher and drier if it is kept uncooked for a longer period of time. So, jhatka meat might be a little difficult to chew.

Halal Meat

The Arabic term ‘halal’ means ‘permissible’ or ‘allowed’.

Animals are slaughtered with a deep cut across their neck. The cut severs the windpipe, jugular vein and carotid artery of the animal in one stroke. In this method, the animal dies slowly, since more time is given for the blood to drain out completely.

What does science say?

Draining all the blood ejects most of the toxins from its body and makes the meat softer and juicier. Such meat is known to stay fresh for a longer period of time. 

Which Is Easier to Cook?

Halal meat is widely available and preferred across the world due to various reasons.

Chef Saby of Lavaash restaurant, who has worked across several countries, says that most of the restaurants and five-star hotels across the world prefers to use halal meat.

Cooking methods for both types of meat are usually the same. The type of cuisine decides how we cook the meat. For example, a Mughlai dish will be treated differently from a continental one.

Chef Saby

So, Is Halal Meat More Nutritious?

Well, not exactly!

Speaking to FIT, Rupali Dutta, Nutritionist said:

Nutritionally, both cuts of meat are the same. It’s animal protein ultimately that you consume. So, you will consume the same vitamins and minerals either way.

Rupali Dutta

While both are considered the only ‘right’ way to slaughter animals in their respective cultures, many people we spoke to could not detect a difference in meat slaughtered either way! So the choice is entirely yours.

Also Read: Who Gets Whose Goat? This Eid, Book Your Quality Bakra Online

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