RDR2: Every Type of Meat (& How to Get Them) | Screen Rant
The vast and immersive world of Red Dead Redemption 2 spares no detail, and the process of hunting for different types of meat is no exception. Due to the variety of wildlife in RDR2, it only makes sense that the meat they provide is varied as well. With practice and patience, players can easily obtain every kind of meat available.
When hunting and fishing in RDR2, players should be sure to bring the proper tools. Studying animals with the binoculars or rifle scope updates their compendium entries, which will provide tips on where to find them and which RDR2 weapons are best for hunting them. Additionally, using the proper bait to fish will make the process much easier, and predators on land can be lured to a hunting spot with crafted Predator Bait.
Though hunting and fishing in RDR2 provide players with many useful items, meat is primarily used to restore Health Core. Depending on whether the meat has been seasoned prior to cooking, it may also restore Stamina or Dead Eye Core as well. No matter what seasoning is used, if any, keeping Arthur's satchel stocked with meat ensures he keeps his energy up while away from camp.
There are 15 types of meat in Red Dead Redemption 2. Given that cooking all 11 types of seasonable meat is required to complete the final task in the RDR2 Herbalist Challenge, it's worth noting what types of meat come from which animals. Some kinds of meat are easier to procure than others, especially when the animal it comes from only resides in a specific area of the map.
Arguably one of the easiest kinds to get is Stringy Meat, which comes from hunting smaller animals. Stringy Meat can be harvested from the following:
- Armadillo
- Badger
- Bat
- Beaver
- Chipmunk
- Coyote
- Fox
- Muskrat
- Opossum
- Raccoon
- Rat
- Skunk
- Snake
- Squirrel
This type of meat is unable to be seasoned and doesn't sell for much, but it still works in a pinch. Given how many animals provide Stringy Meat, it can be procured in any area of RDR2's expansive map.
Gamey Bird, as the name suggests, is acquired from various types of birds. It is also unable to be seasoned, but it's easy to stock up on. Gamey Bird can be found by hunting the following types of birds:
- Waxwing
- Cardinal
- Blue jay
- Condor
- Cormorant
- Crow
- Eagle
- Egret
- Hawk
- Heron
- Loon
- Oriole
- Owl
- Pigeon
- Quail
- Raven
- Booby
- Robin
- Spoonbill
- Gull
- Songbird
- Sparrow
- Vulture
- Crane
- Woodpecker
Like Stringy Meat, Gamey Bird is easy to come by thanks to how many types of birds result in this kind of meat.
Of the remaining two unseasonable meats, Gritty Fish comes from bluegill, bullhead catfish, channel catfish, and longnose gar. These fish are generally found in stagnant lakes or swampy waters like Bayou Nwa and Bluewater Marsh. Bluegill and bullhead catfish respond to food baits, whereas the channel catfish and longnose gar prefer swamp lures.
The last unseasonable variety of meat in RDR2 is Herptile Meat. Animals that produce Herptile Meat, such as bullfrogs, Gila monsters, iguanas, toads, and turtles, are usually found near water. Bayou Nwa is a great place to look for bullfrogs and turtles, though turtles can also be seen at Flat Iron Lake and Stillwater Creek. Gila monsters are found in New Austin, often at night, and iguanas live in both Guarma and New Austin. Luckily, toads in Red Dead Redemption 2 can be found by nearly any source of water in any region.
Game meat comes from hunting duck, pheasant, and rabbit, most of which are easy to find in most areas of the map. Rabbits live almost everywhere, and ducks prefer to be near bodies of fresh water. Pheasants, on the other hand, can only be found in the Heartlands of New Hanover.
Big Game meat is harvested from alligators, bears, cougars, panthers, and wolves. Bears and alligators are fairly common, found in various forests and Bayou Nwa, respectively. Similar to bears, wolves are often seen in forested regions like the Grizzlies and Roanoke Ridge. Cougars mostly reside in New Austin, but some can be seen in the northern areas of Roanoke Ridge. Panthers are the most difficult to find, living almost exclusively in Bayou Nwa.
Multiple varieties of seafood meat can also be found by fishing in RDR2. Flaky Fish is acquired from several types of fish: chain pickerel, lake sturgeon, largemouth bass, muskie, northern pike, redfin pickerel, rock bass, and smallmouth bass. The perch, chain pickerel, and rock bass are generally found in the bodies of water in most regions. Redfin pickerel, lake sturgeon, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass are common in southern areas, whereas the muskie and northern pike tend toward the north.
Succulent Fish meat only comes from sockeye salmon and steelhead trout. Sockeye salmon live in the northern regions of the map, usually in the rivers of forested areas. Steelhead trout are more common in the southern regions of the map, in both rivers and lakes.
The rarest of the seafood is Crustacean meat, which exclusively comes from crabs. Crabs can be found in the limited area of Guarma, along the Rio Bravo in New Austin, and on the largest island of Flat Iron Lake. Despite the limited native regions of crabs, Crustacean Meat actually sells for less than Succulent Fish.
Players can find Gristly Mutton by hunting goats, rams, and sheep. Since goats and sheep are domesticated, they're found on farms and ranches. Rams can be found in Ambarino, West Elizabeth, and New Austin. Players should make sure to check the mountainous forests of Ambarino, the northwest portion of West Elizabeth, and the western part of New Austin.
Mature Venison is harvested from buck, deer, elk, moose, and pronghorn. Buck and deer are plentiful in nearly every area of the map, particularly Lemoyne and Roanoke Ridge. Elk are found throughout Ambarino, the north and western areas of West Elizabeth, and the northern parts of New Hanover, especially Cumberland Forest. Pronghorns are similarly easy to find, mostly in the western part of New Hanover, the north of West Elizabeth, and all across New Austin. Moose are scarcer, living mainly in the southwest corner of New Elizabeth and along the northern edge of the map.
Hunting bison, bulls, cows, and oxen will result in Prime Beef Joints. These animals mostly live on or nearby the many ranches and farms in Red Dead, especially in grassy plain regions. Some bison can also be found wandering and grazing in the Great Plains area of West Elizabeth.
Tender Pork Loins come from hunting for boar, peccary, and pig. Boars can be found in Guarma, parts of West Elizabeth, and frequently throughout Lemoyne. Pigs are also primarily in Lemoyne, usually in Bayou Nwa and around Saint Denis, but can also be found in the Heartlands of New Hanover. Peccaries are only located in New Austin, roughly around the middle portion of the state.
Common birds like chickens, geese, turkeys, and roosters will yield Plump Bird meat. Chickens are available in all areas of the map, especially around towns and cities, and turkeys are even easier to find. Like goats and sheep, roosters generally live on farms and ranches. Geese are in several locations of RDR2, most often around bodies of water.
Rarer birds, such as the parakeet, parrot, and pelican, result in Exotic Bird meat. Parrots are exclusive to Guarma, and parakeets are located almost entirely in Bayou Nwa. Pelicans have a larger territory but stay along the eastern shores of New Hanover and Lemoyne, as well as the shores of Flat Iron Lake.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.