FOTO FRIDAY: Devouring Guinea Pig (Cuy)

Guinea Pig or Cuy

Cuenca was the final stop on my Ecuador adventure and I had yet to experience the most famous of Ecuadorian cuisine, the guinea pig or cuy.

I had the opportunity to taste these little bastards on numerous occasions from street stalls and restaurants around Ecuador but had managed to dodge them until this point.

Eating Cuy in Cuenca Ecuador
Don't look at me like that.

On one of my last days in Cuenca, I told a local friend I was ready to devour my sister’s childhood pet so she took me to “the best” cuy restaurant in the city – the Guajibamba Restaurant.

Eating Cuy in Cuenca Ecuador
The Cuy Spread - Mote (bottom left), Potatoes (bottom right), Cuy, salsas and Mora Juice

The traditional preparation was butterflied and grilled with sides of hot salsas, potatoes and mote hervido (corn cooked in water).

Eating Cuy in Cuenca Ecuador
Eating Cuy in Cuenca, Ecuador

The taste was salty and a bit gamey, almost like a pork-rabbit blend and the skin was my favorite part (although it felt weird enjoying it so much). It was crispy and fatty like the skin on well cooked pork ribs. It would probably be great with some mac and cheese! Maybe a new appetizer idea for Applebee’s?

Crushing Cuy (Guinea Pig) in Cuenca Ecuador
Oink Oink Squeak Squeak Yum Yum

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My name is Gareth Leonard, a Marketing Director turned World Traveler with a passion for slow, meaningful travel. I have been traveling the world full-time for the past 9+ years and document it all on Instagram and YouTube. Come join me!

2 Comments

  1. She couldn’t believe it… I always joked about throwing him on the grill but I never thought it was a normal part of people’s diets like it is here in Ecuador. Haha, really weird, sorry Casie!

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