If you’re a kitchen witch who eats meat, you might have noticed there isn’t a lot of information on the magical properties and uses. There’s no hate to our vegetarian and vegan friends here, but we’d like to give the meat eaters a place to learn about domesticated meat, game, poultry, and seafood here. In addition, we provide a few kitchen witch meat recipes to add to your repertoire. Let’s go.
A Foreword on the Food Industry and Health
Listen. If you live in the United States, I know you’ve thought about the food industry and the problems involved. But, unfortunately, most of us don’t have the lifestyle or the money to run our own personal livestock farms or homesteads. I wish we all could! But it’s not in the cards for everyone. I also know that other countries have food industries that aren’t as greedy as ours and use more natural ingredients. I encourage you to educate yourself on your country’s food industry processes.
And yes, it’s true that most of us are so far removed from where meat originally came from – the animals that give their lives to feed us daily. We go to the store, pick up a package of ground beef or a bag of shrimp, go home and cook it up. We are surely missing that link between the life that was given for ours. Our ancestors, and those who live off their own land and food, have/had that experience when the life is taken to feed another. That life and moment is actually sacred.
So, what can we do? We have a few options here. One, we can all stop eating meat. That’s easy to say but harder to do. Some of us have unique bodies that truly need the extra protein and sustenance. Others could do without it. We should consider reducing the amount of meat we consume for environmental reasons.
Second, we can be more conscious of what we are eating and where it came from by at least giving thanks before each meal. You can say a silent thank you in your head while cooking or when you sit down to partake. When you eat an animal, and heck when you eat plants, you are consuming the essence of that animal or plant that gave its life. It’s a gruesome thought, but that is the spiritual truth of it.
And, gods willing, perhaps you have a little bit of land to raise your own chickens. Or can go fishing for wild fish and seafood. Maybe you are a hunter and eat what you hunt. Or perhaps you might choose to go to a local farm or natural butcher shop to procure your meats.
Domesticated Red Meat Magical Properties: Beef and Pork
Beef
If you didn’t already know, beef is the meat of a cow. Beef is the largest produced type of meat in the United States. As consumers, we eat beef in a few forms including ground beef (for burgers, tacos, etc.), steak (NY strip, filet, and ribeye), roasts, and ribs. But what are beef’s magical properties? Since beef is cow, this is how we know what of its inherent magic.
The cow has been a sacred animal to multiple cultures for thousands of years. And there are many deities linked to the cow including Hathor (Egyptian goddess of love), Isis, Selene, Dionysus, El, Helios, Hadad, and more. The cow has fed thousands of people and kept our ancestors alive. Its magic properties include nourishment, abundance, gentleness, peace, prosperity, and the Divine Feminine.
Pork
Pork is the meat of a pig, for those who aren’t aware. It comes in different forms for us to eat including pork chops, roasts, ham, and bacon. What is pork’s magical properties since it comes from the pig? In some cultures and religions, pig is forbidden to be eaten. But if you don’t come from those traditions, you are able to eat pork.
Pigs have been associated with deities worldwide including Moccus, Mercury, Freyr, Freya, Cerridwen, Shai and Manannan Mac Lir. Pigs are known to burrow their snouts and root around in the earth and therefore are connected to Mother Earth. They bring a sense of groundedness, good luck, prosperity, and abundance. In addition, we know that pigs can be ruthless and ferocious in times of need, so therefore are also linked to protection and attack.
Poultry: Chicken and Turkey Meat Magical Properties
Chicken
The chicken, if you’re looking for a more environment-friendly meat, is the way to go. If you can cut down on beef and eat more chicken, it’s something to consider. In addition, chickens produce eggs which are also a great source of protein. Chicken has been raised in domestication and eaten as a protein source for at least two thousand years. But likely longer.
As for gods and goddesses linked to the chicken, we know they were linked to a Roman god similar to Mercury in Roman-ruled Britain. It was also sacred to the Greek goddess Athena. The Scottish brownie, a house elf of sorts, is associated with the rooster and is believed by some to shapeshift into rooster form to awaken his human family in the morning.
Magically, this meat magical properties include protection, healing, luck, cleansing and omens. In Hoodoo, chickens are believed to provide protection and purification since they are seen kicking and scratching at the soil. For centuries, chicken feet have been preserved through drying and then hung or carried as a protective amulet. They’ve also been used to cleanse a person’s aura.
We all know about the healing properties of chicken broth. There are many folks who read eggshells, the number of cock’s crows in the morning, and the meat is also “read” by some practitioners. Eggs are used to cleanse a person of negative energy and hexes, and the eggshells are ground down into a powder called cascarilla.
Turkey
The turkey is native to the Americas and has been domesticated for two thousand years. Most of us consider the turkey a wild animal, and it is, but it has also been in our food chain as humans for millennia because of the Mayans. Interestingly, turkeys were taken back to Europe by Spanish colonizers and from then on the word about this bird spread like wildfire.
Because I grew up on a farm, I know a little about turkeys and this meat’s magical properties. Or, at the very least, the way they act. One word – crazy. Just kidding. But seriously, male turkeys are rather territorial and will attack you if you come too close. I know from experience. This is also because they are guarding their women. So turkey magical properties? Protection and fertility, for starters. Also, superiority. In Cherokee legend, the turkey is cunning and a trickster. They are considered messengers.
Seafood: Fish and Shellfish Magic Properties
Before we dive (pun intended) into the seafood and fish magical uses and properties, it should be immediately said that all creatures living in and near the sea fall under the jurisdiction of sea gods and spirits. As well as sea elementals like undines. They are also inherently linked to the water element, and the seabirds to the water and air elements.
Fish
Fish are some of the most primitive beings on this planet. You know the idea, before we walked we swam? Well, you can at least agree we all swam in our mothers’ wombs…like fish! We all come from the water and are born of it. Interestingly, in addition to the obvious sea gods and goddesses who rule over the fish world, there are deities who appear and manifest as fish or half-fish half-god.
Dakuwaqa is a Fijian deity who guards sealife and the sea and in legend takes the form of various watery creatures. In his most famous tale (pun intended, again), he fights off a river goddess in order to conquer Kadavu Island. Dakuwaqa manifests as a muscular, strong man with the chest and upper torso of a shark. In addition, we have deities that appear as merfolk including Atargatis and Yemaya. In Polynesian mythology, the god Tuna’s domain is over eels. And we also have Kohara who is the “mother of all Tuna fish”. I could go on and on discussing deities in the ocean and their connection to fish but we would be here all day.
On to the fish’s magical properties. We can assume they generally carry the properties of the water element including dreams, emotions, psychic abilities, wisdom (think of the Salmon in Celtic mythology), prosperity (think of Jesus and the fish story), love, purification, healing and fertility.
Crab Magical Properties
The crab is a magical creature. Sure, it’s a bottom feeder, and often takes on a bad rap for that reason. However, if it weren’t for this bottom feeder a large amount of decomposing fish and plant matter wouldn’t be cleaned up. They are recycling death and turning it into life. In addition, the crab has been part of the human food chain for nearly one hundred thousands years! Archaeologists found evidence in a Portugese cave off the coast that points to Neanderthal eating this crustacean for survival circa 90,000 years ago!
As for crab deities, we have Cancer or Carcinus in Greek Mythology who was a giant crab defeated by Heracles on Hera’s orders. Following his defeat, he is made into the Cancer constellation. And, as most of you know, is also a Zodiac sign. In Hinduism, the crab is linked to Vishnu and Kali. And in African mythology, Anansi tricks the crab into leaving his shell for a smaller one…leaving the crab open to attack.
The crab magical properties include protection (think hard shell exterior), working in liminal spaces and with spirit magic (this is because the crab moves sideways and “in-between” land and sea), release (shedding shell), and renewal (turning death into life).
Calamari (Squid) Magic Properties
Calamari, which is the fancy name for squid, is steeped in folklore worldwide. And makes for a formidable cryptid in the Kraken of Norse mythology. A giant squid that had the capability of sinking large ships. Turns out, the Colossal squid of folklore is based in reality. The Colossal squid was discovered in 1981, shocking the world. So, here’s the deal. We eat squid in the form of calamari, often fried and dipped into marinara or other such condiments. The Calamari’s magical properties include all water element properties like dreams, shadow work, diving deep into ourselves, emotions, etc. But it also pulls up properties of protection (in disguising itself).
Clams and Pearls
We can’t finish discussing meat magical properties and leave out the oyster and clam. Personally, I find the clam to be one of the most magical creatures in the ocean. I’m sure you can guess why – the pearl! About one in one hundred clams contain that magical pearl. And when you find one? You are lucky, indeed! In modern times, the pearl represents luck, love, purity, innocence, and faith. As such, I believe the clam does too.
How do we harness meat magical properties wisely?
Now that we’ve explored the magical properties of beef, pork, poultry, and seafood, what do we do with this knowledge? The first thing is to be thankful for their sacrifice. We eat meat in order to live. Same as with plants. The second thing is to not over-consume or abuse this privilege. We are living on this planet and must care for it.
As far as using this knowledge in our magical practice, the obvious choice is being mindful of the properties of these ingredients while cooking. Choosing certain dishes and meats in alignment with certain intentions. I.e. chicken soup for the soul and to help heal. Steaks and roasts to feed a large family for sustenance and offering its essence to the gods. You get the idea. We don’t ever condone sacrificing animals for the sole act of sacrifice, unless you are doing so before consuming it. And we also encourage using whatever parts you are able to so that nothing is wasted, in this situation.
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