Sunbathing iguanas have been disrupting airport runways in San Juan, Puerto Rico. They've been blamed for electrical blackouts due to their habit of nesting near the warmth of power plants. Iguanas are also destroying property by burrowing under building foundations.
The ability to breed swiftly and the absence of natural predators has caused an iguana population explosion and the unfortunate designation as a local menace. Roughly 4 million iguanas currently roam the island, outnumbering the human population and forcing this U.S. Caribbean territory to take a stand. Daniel Galan Kercado of the Dept. of Natural Reources says, “This is a very big problem. We have to attack it. It has impacted the economy, crops and the ecosystem.”
Puerto Rico has proposed an eradication project that includes plans to export the meat to America for as much as $6 per pound. Volunteers will be trained to capture live iguanas and deliver them to slaughtering facilities for processing and subsequent U.S. distribution.
In regions of the U.S. where Latino and Asian populations are dense, the demand for iguana meat is high. If approved by U.S. Government agencies, Southern California may soon be flush with the prized meat of this exotic reptile. Alluding to Puerto Rico's sluggish economy, Kercado adds, “The project has great economic potential.”
Iguanas are commonly eaten in many regions of Mexico and Central America, particularly in the Pacific coastal and Isthmus areas. Mexicans have long considered the reptile's meat to be an aphrodisiac as well as remedy for the common cold.
Often used as a component of tamale filling, and a treasured ingredient of hearty stew or soup (posole), the meat is best when parboiled or slowly braised. Some will slow-roast the iguana meat and baste with a spicy chile or peanut sauce.
'The Recipe Book for Iguana' by Martinez Campos offers this basic, traditional recipe:
Iguana roasted with birria marinade
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one medium iguana
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8 guajillo chile
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2 pasilla chile
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4 cloves garlic
Oregano, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
Butcher, skin and cut the iguana into pieces. Wash, salt and blanch for 15–20 minutes.Toast and soak the peppers. Blend the soaked chile with vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Marinate the iguana meat in the mixture for at least two hours. Roast the iguana at high heat (450 deg F) until tender.
If Puerto Rico's plan becomes a reality, many Los Angeles-area ethnic restaurants will certainly be amending their menus. Will the high-brow deans of dining, e.g., Wolfgang Puck and Gordon Ramsey embrace the slithering delicacy? There's no doubt about it. At least until the eradication project has run its course.
