Talk:Lava Lizard/@comment-39415834-20190515231305/@comment-45813058-20200524104428

i have some Lava Lizard dishes you can try.

WARNING: this coment is unnecicerily long. it was not intended to be this long, but i get carried away.

butchering

i like to cut out the eyes and intestines, as they leave a foul taste in my mouth. the belly is the best place to start butchering the animal, if you want to do that, as it is softer and easier to work with than the back. the belly also has the most tender cuts of meat, so try to cut right down the middle from the ribs to the would-be pelvic area, or just in front of the hind spurs to avoid damaging the meat. from here, you can cut away the skin and pull back the ribs to remove any unwanted parts. you can save the ribs or other parts of the animal for later. remember to keep tight to the skin when removing it as to minimize damage to the meat. from here, you can cut the desired meat from the bones.

Note: theres little point in keeping the limbs, tailfin and spurs attatched, so remove them to make skinning, butchering, and removing the meat from the limbs and other parts easier.

preparing the meat

although the large steaks and other hunks of meat may be intimidating, remember not to overthink it and treat it like any other meat. first and foremost, wash the blood off, as it doesnt taste very good in my opinion and it will only atract animals if you are cooking outdoors. after the meat is clean of blood and gore, lets move on to the different cuts of meat and how to deal with them.

RIBS: the ribs are fairly simple and can be treated like any other creature; cut off the excess meat, fat, and in this case scar tisue, until you are happy with your ribs. after this you can cut the ribs into more managable sizes.

BELLY: the belly of the lava lizard is basically the tenderloins of the animal, as this is where the most tender meat is. the "tenderloins" are shaped like any other, just a little flatter than in a cow or pig. cut around the "tenderloins." you will know when youve gotten to them, as the meat is darker than the rest. from here, you can cut it as you please, or leave it as is.

FLANK: the flanks of the lava lizard are usually tough and dry, but if cooked the right way, they are a nice cut of meat. cut up along the sides of the lizard until you feel you have a good chunk of it or until you reach the small ribs along the spine of the lizard. cut these as you like.

SHANK: there is little meat to be offered here, but it you want the Shanks, cut around the bone of the forelimbs until the meat is free. cut how you like.

BRISKET: the brisket of a Lava lizard is right in front of and above the forelimbs and can be removes with relative ease. cut around the shoulders and behind the jaw. free the meat. cut as you like.

CHUCK: the chuck is located above the brisket and in front of the ribs. cut along this area until you reach the skull and jaw. after you reach them, you can cut them off as there is no need for them anymore, as they were only for referance. free the meat from the bones and cut as you like.

ROUND: the round has next to no meat and is not worth discussing.

PLATE: the plate of the lizard is located behind and between the tenderloins and is dry and scar-heavy. there is little good meat to be found here, though you can cut around the scar tisue and fat.

that covers the basic cuts of meat on a lava lizard, so lets got on to the dishes.

Raw Lava Lizard: the name is self explanitory. much of the lava lizard is free of parasites and can be eaten safely. take a cut of meat and cut it into thin steaks or slices. seasoning is not required, but i always like a soft sprinkling of shredded redwort, just to add a punch of green flavor.

Fried Lava Lizard: again, self explanitory.take a cut of meatand cut it into the desired shape. sprinkle some shredded redwort on it and fry it in a pan with oil, blood oil, if you have access to it. add some salt and pepper, and you have your fried lava lizard.

Filet Mingon: the filet mingon of a lava lizard is a high quality meat with a unique flavour. to make the most out of the cut, cut it off of the tenderloin and give it a light dusting of dried and crushed tree mushroom dust and fry it in blood oil. to make a sauce, juice a lantern fruit-one should be enough- and shred some cave bush. mix well. brush this on your filet mingon or have it on the side. a cave bush garnish is optional.

Lava Lizard Ribs: cook them like any other ribs, add your own sauce or rub, just have fun with them until you find something you like.

Lava Lizard Sandwich: slice some lava lizard into thin slices, small enough to go on a sandwich. take two slices of Kooshbread, or any other bread you want. add whatever other things you want to your sandwich; writhing weed, jodis' tung, whatever.

all ingredients included sgould be available at your local grocery, if they are not, replacements can be made. fresh killed lava lizard is preferable to storebought meat, but be mindful of the environment.

enjoy!