Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Iguana cooking tips
If you are a would-be iguana eater but don’t know the best way to prepare the meat, some local residents have suggestions for you.
In South America, Central America and the Caribbean, where iguanas are native species, the prehistoric-looking reptiles are a traditional food staple that locals call “pollo de los árboles,” or chicken of the trees.
In South Florida, where the creatures are an invasive species, residents are losing the fight to control them. One option may be to eat them.
Ishmeal Asson, a seasoned iguana eater and Fort Lauderdale resident, has authentic recipes he learned while growing up in Trinidad, where he caught and cooked the native lizards.
Asson roasts his lizard catches over fire, then seasons the meat with curry and fresh produce.
For people who aren’t accustomed to cooking the critters, an easier route may be to make iguana tacos or burritos. In early June, Brittany Peters of Minnesota shot two iguanas, skinned them and made her first iguana burrito at her family’s home in Fort Lauderdale. She said it is incredibly easy to prepare, so she shared her recipe with the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
1. Legally kill an iguana.
2. Wash the iguana.
3. Cut off its head, then cut a straight line underneath the belly to begin skinning it.
4. Remove the skin and guts, so that just the meat and cartilage remain.
5. If you want, keep the skins for tanning.
6. Put the bodies in boiling water. Let sit for at least an hour or until tender. Add onions to the water for flavor.
7. Pick off the tender meat from the cartilage. Separate white and dark meats, then use whichever type you prefer.
8. Season the white meat with chili-lime seasoning, curry or any type of taco-friendly spice.
9. Chop onions and chives, avocado, limes and other desired toppings.
10. Mix the onions and chives in with the meat. Then, sautee the mixture on medium-high heat until it is soft.
11. Place the meat in the center of a flour tortilla with avocado, sour cream, salsa and other toppings.
12. Wrap and enjoy.