Nutria: The other white swamp rat

by Nick Vagnoni, Posted Jun 24th 2006 @ 12:06PM

Actually, according to The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, nutria is a red meat, but it supposedly tastes like rabbit or dark meat turkey. More than a little confusing, I know. What is clear is that Louisiana has a surplus of these 20 pound South American swamp rodents, which the LDWF kindly dubs "fur bearing herbivores." As some of you may know, Louisiana has, for several years, had a campaign going to try to cut down on the population (the nutria population, that is) by convincing people to eat to eat these critters, which were originally brought in for their fur, but then escaped and wreaked havoc on the local greenery. Also known as coypu, the nutria is apparently also a host for a type of nematode that can infect human skin and cause 'nutria itch,' according to Wikipedia. Nevertheless, the LDWF has plenty of recipes for the little guys, the names of which are too good not to mention: there's Heart Healthy 'Crock-Pot' Nutria, nutria sausage, nutria chili, "Stuffed Nutria Hindquarters," and "Enola's Smothered Nutria." The site also has over 20 photos of how to butcher a nutria, but we don't need to get into that right now.

Filed Under: Food Oddities, Ingredients
Tags: america, eating, game, history, louisiana, meat, nutria, oddities, preparation, recipes, rodent, southern states, swamp

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

6-24-2006 @6:14PM Diane said... EEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW stuffed swamp rat, (shutter shutter shutter) time to think about going veggie
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6-26-2006 @12:27PM Baron said... Wow, I've seen these all over when hunting down in the LA swamps, but didn't know that LA actually encouraged eating of them! I've heard of some people doing it though. To each their own... I have felt a nutria pelt from a nutria up north (where it's colder and they get fatter/have better coats) and it was actually quite nice.
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9-20-2009 @11:24PM Duncan said... I started cleaning and eating nutria a few years back and I've never sorry. They are a whole lot cleaner than a chicken. The meat is beautiful. I first tried it in a stew but then I tried it chicken fried and never looked back. PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE MISSING!!
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3-22-2011 @1:18PM Precious said... I was looking up this animal because I saw one in my neighbor's yard. It freaked me out. I then saw Andrew Zimeran, of Bizarr Foods, eat one in LA. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE trying new foods! I would love for a true cajun to cook one for me. Yum!!!!! People are so quick to knock foods before they even try them. Not me. I was tought to try everything at least once, twice, is better. Hell, if I didn't adhere to this I would never have fallen in love with cabbage or cheese. Seriously people, can't we keep an open mind or at least not damn people who do have an open mind? This may very well be the answer to world hunger. Has anyone thought of that? Seriously!
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11-23-2011 @6:31PM Eric T Hammond said... I ate it at a homless shelter and i thought it was nasty im not into wasting food but its gross.But im shure that somewhere in the world there are people willing to eat it. Eric Hammond.
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3-30-2007 @9:07AM Margaret Hughes said... There are places in the world that people will eat anything... This is sickening... I guess some people will eat anything. I won't dare eat anything that I wasn't raised up on... Basic beef, pork, fish and chicken. I won't eat any kind of wildlife and I certainly wouldn't eat RAT! Gross!!!
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3-30-2007 @12:18PM Richard said... As kids we use to shoot nutria rats in the ditches and swamps of the New Orleans east area for the pelts which would fetch 75 cents each. But never heard about eatting them, I always thought what a waste of meat. Never dreamed of trying to eatting them YUCK. What is worse is right after the US air Lift out of Viet Nam in the 70s was witnessing two relocated old vietnamese hiking down the side of Hwy 90 early in the morning with a road kill canine hanging between them on a long stick. I doubt they were taking it home for burial. That imgage has stuck with me so bad that I never want to try vietnamese food ever.
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9-10-2007 @5:18PM Amanda Fandal said... i am from louisiana and am i wildlife student. there is no harm in eating nutria. it doesnt taste like cow but its not bad. they are not RATS. yes they are rodents, but people eat squirrels and so are they. nutria is also the healthiest meat you can consume. lower is calories, fat and cholestrol then any other meat.
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