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Iguana Recipe Ideas-Keep Food Safety in Mind

There is a lot of discussion about iguanas in the South Florida landscape. This exotic species is not native to FL but has been in the state for a while. These creatures are a unique part of our Broward environment.     Like it or not, we are forced to share our living space with them. Some say they look like alligators or mini-dinosaurs and others say they look good for dinner!

I have been receiving a few calls in the office on how to prepare and cook iguana. It has been called the “chicken-of-the-mountain” or “chicken of the trees”.   It is an economical source of protein.

Think about food safety when preparing any type of reptile meat.

According to Dr. Bill Kern, associate professor, Entomology and Nematology Department, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, UF/IFAS FLREC, iguana meat is mild flavored and usually not tough. Most of the meat is on the legs, along the spine and on the tail. Rib meat is usually not worth the effort. De-boned iguana meat is very well suited to curries, soups, stews, gumbo, and etouffée. The immature eggs from females can be saved and added to soup and stews. Small animals are usually cut into pieces and boiled, then cooled enough to pick off the meat. The meat is then returned to the pot for soups and stews. Large animals (over 4 ft.) can be de-boned and the dorsal meat filleted. The raw de-boned meat then must be thoroughly cooked in any way you would prepare diced or sliced raw chicken.

DO NOT TRY TO MAKE IGUANA CEVICHE, because there is no evidence that the acid kills all possible parasites or pathogens.

If interested in serving up this type of wildlife, here are a few preparation tips, recipe ideas and things to consider- To prepare an iguana for cooking, several steps are recommended. It is recommended reptile meat be purchased from a reputable processor. Iguanas can be cleaned and skinned and cut up into pieces, like a chicken, using the same best food safety practices, since iguanas do carry salmonella. Remove the head, organs, and entrails.   If you don’t want to skin it, it can be parboiled in salted water for 20 to 30 minutes before roasting or stewing.

Remember food safety principles do apply during all types of food preparation:

clean, separate, cook, and chill.

According to Dr. Amarat Simmone, Professor and Extension Specialist (Food Safety and Quality) UF/IFAS Extension Family Youth and Community Sciences, there has been a lot of information going around the internet about cooking reptile meat(s). Consumers should always buy meat from a reputable processor and then there should be no problem educating and reminding people to follow proper food handling, cooking and preparation practices, using the current USDA materials and recommendations. It appears from the research, if reptile meat is slaughtered in the right manner, prior to marketing, there should be minimal risk.

Always put food safety practices and ensuring the health and safety of your family first.

Dr. Chad Carr, Extension Meat Specialist & Associate Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida states, “To the knowledge of the authors, no known research has evaluated the thermal death time of salmonella on iguana meat. However, the USDA-FSIS’s suggestion for cooking whole chickens to a temperature of 165°F should be effective at killing salmonella pathogens”.

Iguana Hominy Stew

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium iguanas
  • *5 cups of hominy
  • 10 cloves of garlic
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 slice of cabbage, diced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Oregano, to taste
  • Cilantro, to taste
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

* Hominy is a food produced from dried maize (corn in the U.S.) kernels that have been treated with an  alkali.

Directions:

  1. Skin, wash and cut the iguana into small pieces.
  2. Wash, salt and **blanch in boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes in a large pot.
  3. Simmer the hominy/corn, garlic, onion, a bay leaf, and salt together in a large pot.
  4. After 10 minutes, add the iguana meat. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes until fully cooked.
  5. Serve with sliced cabbage, onion slices, cilantro, oregano, and pepper to taste.

 ** Blanching is a cooking process where a food is scalded in boiling water, removed after a brief, timed interval, and finally plunged into iced water or placed under cold running water to halt the cooking process. Other benefits of blanching include removing pesticide residues and decreasing microbial load.

Reference: Recipe adapted from G. Martinez Campos.

Iguana Tacos/Burritos

 For people who aren’t accustomed to cooking iguana, it is suggested that an easier route may be to make iguana tacos or burritos.

Ingredients:

  • Iguana meat (cooked and cut into small pieces)
  • Onion
  • Chives
  • Avocado
  • Lime
  • Chili-lime seasoning
  • Curry or taco seasoning
  • Sour cream
  • Salsa
  • Whole wheat tortillas or taco shells

Directions:

  1. Wash the iguana meat thoroughly after removing the skin, organs and entrails, so that just the meat and cartilage remain.
  2. Put the iguana meat in boiling water. Add onions to the water for flavor.
  3. Let cook for at least an hour or longer, until tender.
  4. Remove the tender meat from the cartilage. Cut into small pieces, separating the white and dark meats, then season with whichever type of seasoning you enjoy in tacos/burritos.
  5. Season the white meat with chili-lime seasoning, curry or any other type of taco-type spice.
  6. Chop onions and chives, avocado, limes and other desired toppings.
  7. Mix the onions and chives in with the meat. Then, sauté the mixture on medium-high heat until it is soft.
  8. Place the meat in the center of a flour tortilla with avocado, sour cream, salsa and other toppings.
  9. Wrap and enjoy.

   Reference: Sun Sentinel; Recipe adapted from B. Peters—July 2018

 I haven’t tried iguana and don’t plan to anytime soon, but I have heard that it is delicious! I’d like to hear from those of you that have tried it.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

http://www.fightbac.org/food-safety-basics/the-core-four-practices/

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_series_food_safety

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FY/FY19000.pdf

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_home_food_safety

https://www.usda.gov/topics/health-and-safety

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an316

https://academic.oup.com/af/issue/4/4

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/home

International Journal of Food Microbiology 134 (2009) 163–175

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Journal (2007) 578, 1-55

 

by Brenda Marty-Jimenez

Posted: August 22, 2018

Category: Food Safety, Uncategorized, Work & Life

59 Comments on “Iguana Recipe Ideas-Keep Food Safety in Mind”

  6. Hi! I’m Darcy, a reporter at Insider (insider.com), and I’m interested in learning more about the iguana taco recipe. Would Brenda or another expert be willing to get in touch with me for a brief interview and more information for a story on Insider?

    Thank you! Look forward to being in touch.

    Reply

    • Hi Darcy-
      I reached out to you but haven’t heard back.
      Do you still need to speak with me?

      Reply

  8. A fascinating article indeed. I have been exploring different exotic dishes for some time but have never tried iguana. These safety tips really help, many thanks for your input.

    Reply

    • Hi Peter-
      Thank you for your feedback and comments. Food safety is very important.
      Have a great day.

      Reply

  12. Thank you for sharing your blog with us, hope to read more interesting articles like this one about Iguanas around here,

    Best regards,

    Your follower,

    Alex Carros

    Reply

    • Hi Alex-
      Thank you for your feedback and for following.
      Have a great day.

      Reply

  13. So delicious recipe!! I just tried in my kitchen and enjoy with my kids and family. Thanks for share this recipe.

    Reply

    • Thank you so much for your feedback. I am very happy you and your family enjoyed the recipe. Stay healthy. Take care!

      Reply

    • Thank you. I appreciate the feedback on this food safety article.

      Reply

    • Thank you Google News India. Food safety if very important. I appreciate the feedback.

      Reply

    • Thank you for your feedback. I am glad you enjoyed this blog article.
      Have a great day!

      Reply

    • Borotalco- I appreciate your feedback. Thank you for your comments.

      Reply

    • Hi Judi-
      Thank you for your feedback. I appreciate it.
      Have a great day!

      Reply

    • Thank you for reading this blog and thank you for your comments. I appreciate it.

      Reply

    • Thank you for your comment.
      Have a great day.

      Reply

    • Hello- I appreciate your feedback. Thank you for reading this post. Take care.

      Reply

    • Hi Sofia-Thank you for your comment. I appreciate it.

      Reply

    • Hi MD-

      Thank you for your feedback. I appreciate it very much.

      Reply

  25. Thanks. I cook up about one a week! My dog catches them and when she does… Iguana. It’s what’s for dinner.

    Reply

    • HI Jeff- Thank you for your feedback. Food safety is very important. Take care.

      Reply

  26. Im no professional, but I believe you just made the best point. You undoubtedly understand what youre talking about, and I can seriously get behind that. Thanks for being so upfront and so sincere.

    Reply

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