The Other White Meat: Roast guinea pig for Christmas?

nbc-2 ^

[JoeProBono]

LIMA, Peru: Turkey too pricey for your holiday feast? Has your ham budget hit hard times? How about some nice roast guinea pig for Christmas dinner?

The rodent is being touted as the other white meat by officials in Peru.

Called "cuy" in Peru, guinea pig is important in Andean folklore. A painting of the Last Supper hanging in a Peruvian cathedral shows Christ and the 12 disciples feasting on guinea pig.

[wolfcreek]

A bit more appetizing presentation.

[wolfcreek]

Guinea on a stick! State Fair food.

[JoeProBono]

[Buckeye McFrog]

and in last night’s episode, Anthony Bourdain was in Uruguay feasting on roast armadillo.

[The King of Elflands Daughter]

Here’s someone recounting their guinea pig as class project meal:

http://www.mombu.com/pets/guinea-pigs/t-guinea-pig-redemption-1708370.html

I do find the attached head and feet rather off-putting in the photos, but really, guinea pig isn’t that much different from rabbit, which is delicious.

-—tkoed

[Joiseydude]

Guinea on a stick! State Fair food.

[wastedyears]

[NVDave]

“I’m so startled!”

[autumnraine]

I bet those things are tasty! Roast up a dozen or four and you can have a whole meal!

[autumnraine]

That looks like the rabbit we eat.

[aruanan]

Gerbils have more white meat....jk

Gerbils probably see more white meat.

[Jeff Chandler]

I was thinking that it probably tastes like rabbit.

[Ciexyz]

Will it bring us good luck for New Year's?

[JoeProBono]

"Pigeon. We're having pigeon and that's final."

The Last Supper

[Joiseydude]

That looks like the rabbit we eat.

You eat Thumper? ewwwwww, that's disgusting. /sarc

[Vigilanteman]

They are such cute little critters, I'd have a hard time bringing myself to eat one. I've heard the ones raised for meat in Peru/Ecuador aren't nearly as cute as the pet variety we raise here.

My daughter begged and begged to get her first one, but it was Mrs. Vigilanteman who fell in love with it after the daughter got into high school and paid less attention to her. When our first Guinea Pig passed away, it was only a few months before she wanted another. We're now on our third. They love to sit on Mrs. Vigilanteman's shoulder and "talk" to her.

[WayneS]

Now THAT looks like a particularly tender and succulent specimen!

[WayneS]

Ewwwwwww.

[Jeff Chandler]

I guess it's all in the presentation.

I would skin it, quarter it, and detach the head, so that it just looks like cuts of meat. Then I would roll it in a mixture of Italian bread crumbs, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, and cook it slowly in a covered, lightly oiled electric frying pan until it is done through and golden brown. Serve with angel hair pasta drizzled with melted butter/olive oil and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. Add fresh steamed broccoli. A light wine would go well. Tiramisu for dessert.

[vietvet67]

lol.

Didn’t know they could see in the dark. :-)