Iguana until recently has been an important meat in the culinary traditions of the Mexican states of Jalisco, Michoacán and Colima. There has been a marked preference for the Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) over the Black Iguana (Ctenosaura pectinata) in the region though both are eaten.^[1]

In Fray Sahagún's history of colonial Mexico he mentions the Iguana as a traditional food throughout Western Mexico, and describes it as good to eat when properly prepared.

Proper preparation of the Iguana requires parboiling it in saltwater for 20–30 minutes before roasting or stewing it.

Common recipes for the Iguana include stews (guisado), pozole, birria, roasted in tacos and flautas, roasted and finished with mole, and even sauteed with almonds.

The native Mexican Green Iguana is becoming scarce because of habitat loss.^[2]

Two recipes for traditional preparation can be found at Wikibooks Cookbook project

[edit] References

Martinez Campos, Gabriel - Recetario Colimense de la iguana - Mexico (2004) Conaculta

Sahagún, Br. Bernadino de - Historia General de las cosas de la Nueva España - Mexico (1975) Ed Porrúa

1. ^ Martinez Campos - Recetario (p. 14)
2. ^ Green Iguana Society Website - see external references

[edit] External References

Green Iguana Society - with information on the living species and its current scarcity