What would happen if I ate a slug? Is eating slugs dangerous? Are slugs nutritious? Enquiring minds want to know. And so, several times a day for the past 18 months, visitors have arrived at Flandrum Hill in search of answers.
Back in July of 2009, I wrote a post about Eating Slugs and Snails. To date it’s received more views than any other post on this site.
I’d wondered if slugs were edible ever since I marvelled at the sight of 6 inch long ones in British Columbia decades ago. Even the smaller ones in Nova Scotia looked meaty and boneless, and I wondered why nobody seemed interested in cooking them up for nutritious fare. Well, apparently there’s a good reason for this.
Slugs harbor a host of parasites. You can contract meningitis by consuming them. Not to mention death. So there you have it. I hope all those folks who visited my post found the answers they were looking for and had their sluggish apetites curtailed.
Still, if you aren’t yet convinced that there are better things than slugs with which to satisfy your apetite, at least cook them well before you eat them. In order to kill any bacteria, it’s recommended that turkey be roasted to an internal temperature of at least 165ºF. I’d go with at least that (and then some) if roasting slugs.
Even in January, slugs can be found curled up under rocks in my backyard. You’re welcome to come and pick your own. Just remember to put the rocks back in place when you’re done.