Iguana meat facts for kids
Iguana meat has been an important food in the cooking traditions of Mexico and Central America for a long time. It's especially popular in Mexican states like Jalisco, Michoacán, and Colima.
A long time ago, a writer named Bernardino de Sahagún wrote about the history of colonial Mexico. He mentioned that iguana was a common food across Western Mexico. He also said it tasted good when prepared correctly. Today, it's legal to eat iguana meat in the United States and some other countries. However, bringing it into these countries is limited because of rules from an organization called CITES. CITES helps protect endangered animals.
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Iguana Meat: A Traditional Food
People in these regions have usually preferred the green iguana (Iguana iguana) for eating. However, the black iguana (Ctenosaura pectinata) is also eaten.
How is Iguana Meat Prepared?
To cook iguana meat properly, it first needs to be boiled in saltwater. This usually takes about 20 to 30 minutes. After boiling, it can be roasted or made into a stew.
Popular Dishes
There are many traditional ways to prepare iguana. Some common recipes include stews called guisado, a hearty soup known as pozole, and a slow-cooked dish called birria. Iguana meat is also roasted and used in tacos and flautas. Sometimes, it's roasted and then covered with a rich sauce called mole. It can even be cooked quickly with almonds. You can find more traditional recipes on the Wikibooks Cookbook project.
Iguanas as an Invasive Species
In some parts of South Florida, people have started cooking iguana meat. This happened after the Florida Wildlife Agency told residents to remove green iguanas from their property. This is because green iguanas are an invasive species there. An invasive species is an animal or plant that is not native to an area and causes harm to the environment. In Puerto Rico, where iguanas are also an invasive species, there have been efforts to encourage people to eat them. This helps control their population.
