History of Meat Preparation and Consumption

In pre-agricultural societies, the consumption of meat was mostly a group event, conducted by distinct rituals and accompanied by celebration. Eating meat was a relatively infrequent occurrence. Hunts were not always successful, and more often than not, the hunters returned empty-handed. Pursuing and killing an animal with the primitive weapons of the time was risky; in addition to competing predators and scavengers, the prey itself could inflict severe, potentially lethal injuries during its struggle. A successful hunt, therefore, resulted in a feast, where the kill was shared with the whole group, the hunters were honored, and tribute was paid to the creature for surrendering its life. Preservation of meat was relatively uncommon during that period, since the almost immediate consumption of the whole animal by the group made it unnecessary.