In the harsh and unforgiving world of Conan Exiles, even the most seemingly useless items can have their value. One such item is Putrid Meat. Often overlooked and discarded, Putrid Meat is more than just a byproduct of spoiled food it plays a role in crafting, feeding certain thralls, and even in alchemical recipes. For players who want to make the most out of their resources and avoid unnecessary waste, understanding the uses of Putrid Meat can make a surprising difference in gameplay efficiency and survival strategy.
What Is Putrid Meat in Conan Exiles?
The Result of Spoilage
Putrid Meat is what raw meat becomes when it is left too long in a player’s inventory or storage without proper preservation. Whether it’s feral flesh, exotic meat, or savory flesh, if not refrigerated or dried in time, it will rot and turn into Putrid Meat. While most players treat this item as trash, experienced survivors know it still has purpose.
Common Sources of Putrid Meat
Putrid Meat is not something you actively farm it’s more of a passive item that naturally accumulates. Here are the most common ways players end up with it:
- Leaving raw meat in a regular container or player inventory too long
- Allowing animal corpses to decay in an animal pen
- Neglecting meat while out adventuring or farming
Though it often feels like clutter, this material can be used constructively when properly understood.
Main Uses of Putrid Meat
1. Alchemical Base Crafting
One of the most valuable uses for Putrid Meat is in crafting Alchemical Base, an important resource for high-end recipes. While Putrid Meat is not directly part of the recipe, it contributes to making Ichors, which are then used alongside silver dust and gold dust to craft Alchemical Base.
2. Making Ichor
Ichor is essential for crafting many advanced items, including tar, insulated wood, and alchemical base. Putrid Meat can be combined with other items such as:
- Putrid Meat + Plant Fiberin a Firebowl Cauldron
- Putrid Meat + Bonemealor other combinations depending on game version and mods
This makes the spoiled meat especially valuable for players progressing into more advanced crafting tiers.
3. Food for Pets
In Conan Exiles, raising animals in pens is a key part of the game. Different pets prefer different types of food, and some of the more unsavory creatures actually eat Putrid Meat. For example:
- Hyenas: May accept Putrid Meat during their growth stage
- Undead Petsor demonic pets (in modded versions): Sometimes require or benefit from Putrid Meat
Feeding Putrid Meat to these creatures ensures you’re not wasting resources and gives your pens a steady diet supply when regular meat isn’t available.
4. Composting and Farming
Another interesting application of Putrid Meat is in farming. It serves as an ingredient in compost, which is used for growing plants and crafting potent compost for rare seeds.
To make basic compost:
- 2 x Putrid Meat
- 5 x Plant Fiber
- 10 x Bonemeal
Using compost in a planter allows you to grow various crops like aloe, leavening agents, and more. If you’re running a farm or need steady aloe for healing, this is a great way to recycle your Putrid Meat.
5. Modded Server Recipes
On some servers that use mods such as Age of Calamitous, Emberlight, or others, Putrid Meat may be part of custom recipes. These can include poisons, new pet food types, or ingredients in magic-related items. Always check the recipes available in your particular server environment to find new uses.
How to Store and Manage Putrid Meat
Preserving vs. Spoiling
If you don’t intend to let meat spoil, use Ice Boxes or Drying Racks to extend its shelf life. However, if you’re actively farming Putrid Meat for ichor or compost, leave meat in hot climates or standard storage to encourage decay.
Stacking and Storage Tips
Putrid Meat stacks up to 100 units and weighs very little. To manage it efficiently:
- Keep a dedicated compost bin or cauldron nearby for conversion
- Store in an out-of-the-way chest near your farming area or pet pens
- Only keep what you’ll use excess will just clutter space
Advanced Tips for Farming Putrid Meat
Let Meat Spoil on Purpose
If you’re actively crafting ichor or compost, it’s a good idea to farm Putrid Meat intentionally. Hunt wild animals, gather meat, then let it sit in your inventory or storage until it spoils. Savory flesh and feral flesh spoil quickly, making them ideal for this process.
Use Temperature to Your Advantage
Putrid Meat forms faster in hotter climates. If you’re in the desert or volcanic zones, spoilage will occur much more quickly than in cold biomes. You can take advantage of this by storing meat in those regions or building your compost facility in a warm zone.
Combining with Thrall Workbenches
Certain crafting benches with specialized thralls (such as Alchemists) may speed up the conversion process or provide higher yield when using Putrid Meat for ichor. Investing in crafting stations and placing skilled thralls helps you maximize each spoiled item.
Should You Keep Putrid Meat?
Not All of It
While Putrid Meat is useful, it doesn’t need to be hoarded in massive amounts. Like many resources in Conan Exiles, it’s about balance. Keep a steady but manageable supply if you’re involved in farming, pet raising, or alchemy. If you’re not using those systems, a small reserve for emergencies should suffice.
Waste Not, Want Not
The philosophy of survival in Conan Exiles means that even waste products have meaning. Turning something as undesirable as Putrid Meat into valuable items like ichor and compost embodies the game’s core survival themes. As your base and needs expand, you may find yourself purposefully spoiling food just to fuel your production chains.
Putrid Meat in Conan Exiles may start off as a waste product, but it can quickly become a valued part of your crafting and farming ecosystem. Whether you’re making ichor, feeding pets, or producing compost, this rotten ingredient holds hidden worth. By learning how to manage and use Putrid Meat efficiently, you’ll gain an edge in survival, resource management, and long-term progression. What once seemed like garbage might just be your next essential crafting tool.