Roasted Guinea Pig – Photo by Phillie Casablanca
You have likely heard of at least one person with a guinea pig for a pet. But did you know that in Peru guinea pigs are considered to be a delicacy? Yes, Peruvian people eat guinea pigs. Especially in the Andean region of Peru, these small furry creatures are roasted before they are served. The dish is known by the name cuy chactado.
Guinea pigs that are destined to be cooked are grown much larger than those that are kept as pets. Sometimes they are the main course, but more often they are an appetizer or a snack. They are also included in the pachamanca, which is a meat banquet that involves many different types of meats like pork and beef along with various vegetables and herbs. The mixture is prepared in an underground oven on top of hot stones.
Cavia prcellus has been an important part of Andean cuisine, culture and medicine for more than 40 centuries. To this day, guinea pigs continue to be a vital source of protein for many in the region.
John
They are idiots for eating that
PETLOVER
I would never eat the imagin all the eyes bones and stuff ewwwss
OaklandEasy
You’re and idiot for saying that.
Roelf Roux
Are the people in the west idiots for eating pigs , sheep and chicken, your comment is idiotic
Guinea pig lover!
I agree that it is sick, why would you even think of doing that to a harmless, vulnerable PET. I have guinea pigs, and I would never let anyone hurt them, I call them my family, I love them, how could they be considered as food?
Rose
Pigs and chickens and cows are innocent too AND plenty of people keep pigs as pets, but I bet you have no problem eating all of that. What exactly makes a guinea pig’s life worth more than a chicken’s?
Senteney
What do you think all your meat looks like when its butchered. City folks are so ignorant!
lisa
You people are sick pigs killing pets to eat do you also eat dogs and cats?!?!?!
doing!
if you live in China, perhaps…
lover
How am i sick i never ate a gunnea pig,cat,or dog
iAdoreAnimals
doo-doo.
OaklandEasy
It’s not a pet you dumbass. It’s food.
PETLOVER
That is just sad i hate seing pictures like thees and how did i get here. Creepy????
PETLOVER
Ewwws nasty
Knowledgable Person
Culture is culture – no one is an idiot because their culture differs from another. They simply live a different lifestyle and eat different foods. There are some cultures that eat dogs and cats – to them it’s no different than eating cows. Contrariwise, there are cultures in which to eat a cow would be considered a horrific sin.
Foodie
You, my friend, are smart.
Boyet
You are right. No culture has the right to judge another culture based on there own standard.
OaklandEasy
Amazing that this has to explained to people.
Senteney
Right on the spot!
David
Yummy… Sorry “John”, you sir are the idiot.Live in a world where isn’t a local Walmart to ge your meat… & “Lisa” if the only meat/protein that’s around are cats & dogs… Yup, Fluffy & Fido will be on my dinner table. It’s all about using your resources & growing up/living in a vastly different world then the so called “civilized” world. Don’t look down upon a culture,unless you yourselves have lived it. I have, I’ve lived in MANY parts of the world growing up h I saw/lived/& ATE many things that the Western world you seem disgusting. In fact, they were delicious.
steven gruber
Like Andrew says, “if it looks good eat it”. Idiots need to travel and expand their culinary and intellectual horizons.Bon appetit!!
Luis Terrazas
This is awful… I have two guinea pigs and they are the most cute pets in the world. They are funny, sweet and they run and jump all around. I know it is culture, but I find it repulsive and just thinking about it makes me sick.
Jonas
I am open-minded about food and understand this, but it’s still hard to look at the roasted cute guinea pig.
My culture is not used to seeing heads attached to our food, as most of the time we disassociate animal foods from animals. Even a fish head freaks some people out, or a braised cow’s cheek or smoked cow tongue. A whole raw chicken is in ways vaguely similar to a human baby. We strangely project anthropomorphic traits on our meat animals and that makes us uneasy about any of their biological similarities to humans.
Virgil Ermitano
If your culture is from Europe, most countries in Europe, Prague, Germany, just to name a few, eat roasted pig with their heads attached. We just came from Europe last year (2013) and they roasted the whole pig, with the head attached, on a special kind of oven and they are on full display on the streets in front of the restaurants, and almost all restaurants serve them. Just google “roasted pig Europe” and you’ll see what I mean.
Paws
Some people from other countries may think eating a hamburger is super strange.
vin
That is cruel
OaklandEasy
How is it cruel if it was raised to be eaten? Open your mind to other cultures. People in Peru have been eating that animal for thousands of years.
Roelf Roux
Google tongolifa and realize people eat what they are brought up with
matthew mitchell
fuck off that is nice :):):):):):):):):):)
Ricky
Peruvian are sick mother fu**ers how could you eat a guinea pig? Hang yourselves..
Rose
If you aren’t a vegetarian you’re a hypocritical idiot. Be against eating all animals if you want but don’t eat a ton of them and then tell other people to hang themselves for eating different ones. tf kinda logic..
Jonavoorht
Fuck off, every culture is different and maybe for other cultures yours eating cow isnt appreciated. So yeah, watch out what you say.