Food & Cooking — Animal Meat

Overview

Animal meat is the most calorie-dense food source in DayZ, essential for maintaining your character's health and energy levels for long-term survival. Mastering the hunting and preparation process is the only way to sustain yourself once scavenged supplies run dry.

How It Works

To obtain meat, you must kill an animal, skin it using a sharp tool (Knife, Machete, Hacksaw), and harvest the resulting steaks. Raw meat contains pathogens; you must cook it over a fire or via boiling to make it safe for consumption. Cooking alters the meat's state, increasing its nutritional value and preventing sickness.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Locate an animal (Cow, Deer, Boar, Chicken, etc.) and kill it using a firearm or melee weapon.
2. Equip a sharp tool in your hands and approach the animal carcass.
3. Hold the left mouse button to initiate the "Skin and Quarter" action to obtain steaks and pelts.
4. If you have a knife, you can optionally harvest the animal's fat, which is the highest-calorie item in the game.
5. Create a fireplace using a Firewood or Wooden stick combined with Rags or Paper, then light it with a Matchbox, Hand Drill Kit, or Road Flare.
6. Attach the raw meat to a Long Wooden Stick or place it on a cooking grate over the fire.
7. Wait for the meat to transition from "Raw" to "Baked" or "Boiled" status; do not eat if it remains raw.

Tips

• Always wash your bloody hands at a water pump or with an Alcohol Tincture before eating, or you will contract salmonella.
• Animal fat is the best fuel for long-distance travel; one piece of cooked fat provides massive energy and keeps you warm longer.
• If you lack a fire, you can bury raw meat in a small crate to preserve it, though it will eventually rot.
• Use a cooking pot with a little water to boil meat; it cooks faster and prevents burning compared to direct heat.
• Listen for animal calls (like the grunt of a boar or the bark of a wolf) to track prey before they spot you.

Common Mistakes

• Eating meat with bloody hands: Even if the meat is cooked, your hands will transfer bacteria and cause vomiting.
• Overcooking meat: If you leave meat on the fire too long, it will turn into "Burnt" status, which provides significantly less nutrition and can make you sick.
• Hunting without a backup knife: If your knife breaks while skinning a large animal, you will lose the ability to harvest the rest of the carcass.
• Ignoring animal fat: Many new players discard fat, missing out on the most efficient energy source in the game.

Related Items

• Wolfsteakmeat
• Wolfpelt
• Wildboarpelt
• Waterpouch Natural

Related Guides

• Skinning and Quartering
• Firecrafting and Heat Management
• Diseases and Cures