Man looks to Florida's massive iguana population for exotic meat company, and business is booming

Dear ATS Readers, Writers,

Man looks to Florida's massive iguana population for exotic meat company, and business is booming

A business that processes iguanas for meat is taking off.

Anshu Pathak has been buying over 10,000 pounds of iguana meat from Florida trappers every month to be offered for iguana tacos and burritos and boneless iguana meat, The Palm Beach Post reported.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think an iguana taco would be very good.

I tried alligator once when I was in Mississippi one time. I found it rather "chewy" and rubber like, and needed lots of spices to make it taste ok. For me anyhow.

I reckon iguana would be about the same.. ummmmm, no thank you.

To each there own I guess.

Pravdaseeker

a reply to: pravdaseeker

Mmmm...I guana try some.

Give it five years and iguanas will be on the endangered list. Why not leave them be instead of turning them into the latest fad-food?

a reply to: IAMTAT

Dear ATS Readers, Writers,

Hey there IAMTAT.... well played there mate; well played.

I even tried rattlesnake once... a friend and I got one when we were hunting...

All went ok for me until we put it in the frying pan.... all skinned and washed clean, etc, etc.

That bloody snake started squirming around AGAIN! Holy crap... I declined to partake after that.

My buddy Scott ate it though... said it tasted like chicken, YEAH RIGHT!

Pravdaseeker

Used to have a few employees that were from Guyana and they used to eat iguanas a few times a week. Like anything they said it was all in the preparation. I always remember one of them saying it is a very sweet meat

Alligator is likely a lot like squid - cooking makes all the difference. If you overcook squid, it gets all rubbery and chewy, and that's how most people think it is because it's criminally easy to overcook. It goes from perfect to overcooked in a split second, and I'm not kidding at all.

Wouldn't surprise me if alligator is the same. Iguana might be too.

Another thing about iguana ... so long as he's using the ones in Florida, who cares if they go extinct? They're invasive in the US, and shouldn't be here in the first place, and they are regularly eaten in the parts of the world where they are endemic, and it hasn't killed them off yet.

a reply to: paraphi

Dear ATS readers, Writers,

I tend to agree with you mate... BUT..

They're an invasive species, and do impact the natives...

A lesser version of the boa constrictors running wild in the Everglades... not as scary as a snake...but still screw things up for the native species.

In Australia we have the classic example of non natives species causing BIG troubles with natives...very hard to get rid of.

Pravdaseeker

a reply to: ketsuko

Dear ATS Readers, Writers,

Hello ketsuko... you are SPOT ON...

Squid is a very popular dish here in Australia. In fact I was quite surprised at its popularity on arriving here years ago.

So true... if squid is cooked right, it is very good, if you like seafood. And cooked right, it is very tender, not like chewing on rubber bands..Ha!

Pravdaseeker

originally posted by: paraphi
Give it five years and iguanas will be on the endangered list. Why not leave them be instead of turning them into the latest fad-food?

Because they are an invasive species, and dont belong there and are booming in numbers......

I think its a great idea to capitalize on it, plus they are damn tasty......

People eat gator down there all the time too!

I've worked with guys who shoot them with BB guns and eat them. Like others have said they're not native and are considered by many to be a nuisance; like reptilian rats.

originally posted by: paraphi
Give it five years and iguanas will be on the endangered list. Why not leave them be instead of turning them into the latest fad-food?

Because they are an invasive species they hunt native lizards, and other small animals, nestling birds and eggs.

They are an infestation and wiping them out in Florida would be a good thing.

Plus all the iguana farts are destroying the atmosphere they should be part of the GREEN NEW DEAL...or the GREEN NEW MEAL .

a reply to: ketsuko

Alligator is very much like pork in taste, texture and color imo.

I'm down for some iguana.

a reply to: pravdaseeker

My wife is from Latin America and they call them Tree Chickens down there.

Not a bad idea to take turn a bad situation into a profitable one all the while reducing the bad situation.

Lizard skin boots are made primarily from iguana skin .

I wonder if he’s tapped that market ?

must have been a wall of voodoo fan

Mississippi here. You got some cheap gator. When it’s done right it’s not greasy or rubbery. Some really really good meat when done right. Better than a sirloin.

He should look into to anaconda and boa constrictor meat, also. They are taking over the Florida Everglades.

originally posted by: putnam6
must have been a wall of voodoo fan

I'd rather be in, Tijuana, eating bar-b-qed iguana.

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: putnam6
must have been a wall of voodoo fan

I'd rather be in, Tijuana, eating bar-b-qed iguana.

AH! Beat me to it.

Wall of Voodoo's only hit and people still remember that line. I have that song on my computer and play it on the CB when Mexican signals come in during skip conditions.

I dial it in and tune the station They talk about the U.S. inflation I understand just a little No comprende, it's a riddle

They should have an invasive species restaurant that serves a different special daily. On Friday they could serve that jumping Asian carp, with Zebra mussels and some insect side dishes. They could serve fire ants with iguana taco Tuesdays. Rat burgers with deep fried cockroach crunchies on Thursdays. Pigeon with Dandelion salad on Mondays.