Guinea Pigs are Not Pets in Peru, They're Food!

Guinea pigs for sale in the market in Huarez, Peru.

Even though I had been to Peru before, I’d never had a chance to try one of their national dishes, the cuy. In America, it’s better known as a guinea pig. Yes, in Peru, guinea pigs are eaten, not kept as pets. My first trip to Peru had not afforded me the opportunity to taste guinea pig, but I felt certain that my second trip would have a guinea pig eating opportunity. And, I was right.

Before the moment for eating arrived, my group had visited a local market where guinea pigs were on display and ready to be sold. This wasn’t a tidy supermarket, as in the United States. It was an open air market where the stalls had no refrigeration, and the meat sat out all day with the organs and innards revealed just waiting for buyers. I saw multitudes of guinea pigs on display in that environment, and it certainly didn’t whet my appetite for the dish.





Guinea pigs on a plate!

On a Sunday afternoon, we made our way to a restaurant and recreational park on the outskirts of Huarez. This was a lovely place to spend a day. As we relaxed at the outdoor dining tables, we noticed an extensive playground for children, a swimming pool, and a stage for live bands. A walk to the back of the property revealed a rushing mountain stream along with views of the surrounding mountains. It was easy to relax and socialize in this setting. It was also a great place to order guinea pigs for lunch.

We ordered our meals, including several guinea pigs. We decided that we’d just share them amongst the group members. We treated them as if they were appetizers, but I wasn’t sure I’d have much of an appetite after ingesting a guinea pig.

Ready to eat...

It wasn’t long before the guinea pigs arrived at the table. They came with heads, arms and legs, claws, and teeth intact. They were arranged neatly on potatoes, but there was no mistaking the fact that we were about to eat rodents.

Our guides told us that the best way to eat them was to pick them up and gnaw away, just as one might dig into fried chicken. Forks and knives were not necessary in this instance because a typical guinea pig doesn’t contain much meat. It’s difficult to cut the meat with utensils. I still found the thought of gnawing on a guinea pig leg to be distasteful, so I used my knife and fork against the advice we were given.

Since everyone in the group was digging in, I took a deep breath and ate the guinea pig meat that I had on my fork. I expected a nasty experience, but I found the meat to have a mild flavor with the texture of chicken. It wasn’t disgusting, but I had trouble getting past the fact that I was eating a rodent. I didn’t devour an entire guinea pig, but I felt satisfied that I had eaten enough to qualify as a guinea pig eater.

Nope, I can't eat it this way. I have to use a fork!

Several of the more adventurous teens in the group decided to eat the guinea pigs’ eyeballs, but I didn’t go that far with my guinea pig eating. The claws of the guinea pig also provided some entertainment as various group members used them as toothpicks.

There are many times in life when I’ve said, “Never!” to myself. But this was one of those times where I felt like I had to jump in the pool. How many Americans can say they’ve eaten a guinea pig? Well, now I can, and it honestly wasn’t that bad!

The attached heads added to the "ick" factor.