How to Cook a Guinea Pig


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South America » Ecuador
March 26th 2007
Published: March 26th 2007
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guinea pigsguinea pigsguinea pigs

innocently awaiting their fate
Principal Ecuador

Guinea pig, is called Cuy, and it is an Ecuadorian delicacy. It would be a sin to leave your vacation in Ecuador without trying it and I had the privilege of helping prepare it from start to finish. Read on for all the details... WARNING: not for people who are grosed out easily! 😊
It was a huge, white guinea pig. First, Mama broke its neck and then hung it upside down in her hands to let the blood drip out of its mouth and onto the dirt floor. It was a slow death, as it squirmed silently. When the blood had been reduced to a very slow dripping, she laid it in a big bowl and dumped a pot of boiling water onto its squirming body. This made it easier for her to rip the fur off of its body. After a few moments, it stopped squirming and I hope his soul made it to guinea pig heaven.
When all the fur was off, the next step was to cut the guinea pig open and remove the insides. Mama was afraid to cut it because there was a big of a bulge in the belly, and
step 1step 1step 1

let all the blood pour out
she feared it may have babies inside! She had Papa cut it open, because she had a fear of baby animals. We hoped and prayed it did not have a baby, and luckily, it did not.
She continued, to remove the intestines, and all the organs except for the liver and the brain. The organs went into a bucket for the pigs to eat.
Next, she rubbed the guinea pig with salt and garlic that she mashed with a rock. She let it marinate for a few hours in a dish covered with a dish towel.
When it was time to cook the guinea pig, Mama borrowed a grill from the neighbors and lit the charcoal with a bit of gasoline. Miggy and I took turns fanning the fire with the "ventador", made of straw.
When the coals were red hot, and there was a nice flame. Mama slid a stick into the body of the guinea pig. We each took turns roasting, fanning the fire, and rubbing orange-colored lard onto the body.
You have to keep rotating the cuy so that it will not burn. The skin became golden brown, crispy, and bubbly. Most everyone in Ecuador LOVES cuy,
step 2step 2step 2

pour boiling water on it
and they will say their favorite food. It is mostly served on special occasions, and this occasion was St. Josephs Day, but we didn't cook it on St. Josephs day because we didn't have power at that time and it was a very busy time for us.
The cuy is *always* served with potatoes and rice, according to Mama.
They enjoyed eating the feet the best, crunching on the bone.
It is very delicious, very similar to grilled chicken, except crunchier. Jose says cuy is his favorite and his second favorite is FOX! I thought it was a joke until Mama raved about the fox also, and said it makes a delicioius fox soup that is "Que Rico". The fox is cooked in the same way nad has a similar taste.



Additional photos below
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step 3step 3
step 3

pull the fur off
step 3step 3
step 3

pull the fur off
if the fur is hard to take offif the fur is hard to take off
if the fur is hard to take off

put it back in the boiling water
cut the mouth open a littlecut the mouth open a little
cut the mouth open a little

so you can reach your hand inside
cut a hole in the stomachcut a hole in the stomach
cut a hole in the stomach

and take out the insides don't forget to save them for the pigs
MeMe
Me

Looking Very Evil with this guinea pig (faking smile)
The guinea pig The guinea pig
The guinea pig

gets filled and rubbed down with garlic and salt
mama and imama and i
mama and i

i look so thrilled dont i
rubbing it downrubbing it down
rubbing it down

with the orange lard
here is my dinnerhere is my dinner
here is my dinner

guinea pig, potatoes, rice, and Pilsener, the ecuadorian beer
me eatingme eating
me eating

mmmmmm delicious guinea pig. :)
the kids like it toothe kids like it too
the kids like it too

miggy and michelle


13th June 2007

about comments
Hey Leave me some comments please!!!!
21st October 2007

cuy
Hello! I left you a private message. Please respond! I would love to try Cuy. Thanks!
12th December 2007

TERE
NO USSEIN KO SYÖ MARSUA NII TEKKÖÖ MIEL KOSSUA
30th May 2008

what a disgusting little family, especially the kids :) wouldn't show my face in public if I were you
29th September 2008

horrible
STUPID NONCARING PEOPLE I HATE YOU IM GOING TO CALL THE POLICE ON YOU YOUR GOING TO BE LOCKED UP FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
8th October 2008

Affordable Protein
Thanks for your blog entry on how to prepare cuye or guinea pig. Yup, the preparation is pretty gorey for Americans' eye, but then very few of us actually butcher our own meat, huh? Cuyes reproduce very quickly and are best eaten before they turn six months old (for tender meat). I know this first hand from having visited my aunt in the Peruvian Andes this summer. Also, cuyes are less expensive to acquire than beef and chicken!
9th October 2008

Shit world
Disgusting. I hate you.
13th November 2008

sick
you are very sick in the head
24th November 2008

This is interesting
I always was curious how they did this. I saw a program on tv where they did this to cats in China for their food. I own a guinea pig - and for the record I am not going to freak out nor will I attempt to do this to him either. It is educational and I do admire you for posting it. Sincerely, Meg
27th November 2008

thankyou
Acurrate, thankyou for another view besides the resturant route. This is the way I would like to travel, close to reality.
3rd December 2008

SWEET
i always thought there was something better to do with them. give them to the kids to play with, then, just before you go on your holls pig barbi. get them a new one when you get home. its the pet that just keeps on giving (till after lunch any how)
5th December 2008

did i respond to you?
It has been a long time since I logged into my travel blog acct. Did I ever respond to you about the cuy?

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