Cuy Asado — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Whole roasted guinea pig, marinated in garlic and cumin, spit-roasted until the skin is impossibly crispy and the meat is tender — a pre-Inca Andean delicacy.

Ingredients

1 whole dressed guinea pig (about 800g)
6 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp achiote powder
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
Lime juice

Instructions

1 Clean and pat dry the cuy. Score the skin lightly in a crosshatch pattern.
2 Make a paste of garlic, cumin, achiote, oil, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Rub all over and inside the cuy.
3 Marinate refrigerated for at least 4 hours or overnight.
4 Roast on a spit over charcoal or in a 200°C (400°F) oven for 45-60 min, basting frequently.
5 The skin should be deeply golden and crackling crispy. The meat should be tender and pull from the bone.
6 Serve whole on a platter with llapingachos and salad.

Did You Know?

Guinea pigs have been domesticated in the Andes for over 5,000 years — longer than chickens or turkeys in the Americas.