There are two main cuy dishes popular in Peru: Cuy al horno – (sometimes also called Cuy al palo) – baked guinea pig, cooked over a spit served whole and stuffed with herbs Cuy Chactado – fried guinea pig, often squashed under stones before frying Before cooking they are often doused in salt and garlic to make the skin crisp.

In Peru, an estimated number of 65 million Guinee pigs are eaten every year. Cuy Chactado consists of frying an entire cuy with abundant vegetable oil in a special stone oven until it becomes crunchy and can be easily broken up. It is then served with a side of potatoes and salad.

Cuy frito or cuy chactado is one of the oldest traditional Peruvian dishes that has been consumed since Incan times. It is made with guinea pigs, which are obviously not kept as pets in Peru – instead, they are fried to crispy perfection.

Pachamanca is traditional Peruvian dish that’s cooked underground with the help of hot stones. Red meat, lamb, pork, cuy (Peruvian guinea pig), and chicken are cooked together along with potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, green lima beans, and yucca. It is most commonly eaten in the Andes region of Peru.