Meat
Camel
Camel is a lean red meat from dromedary and Bactrian camels, traditional across North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. The flesh is mildly sweet, slightly coarse, and lower in fat than beef, with a flavour that sits between beef and game when young and more robust in mature animals. Shoulder, leg, and ribs suit slow braising and stews; tender loin cuts reward careful grilling. Camel meat underpins festival dishes, dried strips, and sausage traditions where camels are raised for transport and dairy as well as meat.
Also known as: Feral Camel, Bactrian Camel
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History
Camels were domesticated in Arabia and Central Asia, supplying meat, milk, transport, and fibre to desert and steppe societies.
Islamic culinary and pastoral traditions embedded camel meat in Middle Eastern and North African feast and everyday cookery.
Commercial camel husbandry and export markets developed alongside dairy and tourism industries in arid regions.
Specialty export of camel meat and dried products reached restaurants and ethnic markets beyond traditional range states.