Anyone eating all these armadillos?

[Dan Forrester]

I cooked up an armadillo the other day and thought it was pretty tasty.  But have now been reading about them being disease carrying and dangerous to eat. 

What do you guys think? 

Dan

[Mona Folds]

I would think it depends on what they eat.   If they're eating out of trash cans and garbage, that might be why they could be diseased.   A neighbor says he and friends used to hunt turtles all the time and eat them even though "they" say you shouldn't because they're "diseased".   He said they never got sick.   So, I don't know.

[The Fishin Magician]

Armadillo has been called the "poor man's hog", since the meat is reported to taste like pork. I've never had the chance to try any myself, but it's definitely on my list. Their diet consists mostly of grubs and other soil dwelling invertebrates, so there's a very high chance they're not eating out of trash cans, Mona.

If you're referring to the whole armadillos-and-leprosy thing... it's true that they can be infected with leprosy, but the estimates are that less than 5% of wild armadillos have it, and armadillo-to-human transmission is slim (since researchers estimate that 95% of humans are naturally immune to leprosy). You'd probably have a better chance of getting Hepatitis B from a shady tattoo parlor than leprosy from an armadillo.

Just be sure to cook the meat thoroughly and adhere to proper sanitation guidelines...you should be fine.

[4bull]

ate my share while in the service, BBQ sauce helps. soft and easy to chew juicy. boil , then grill with sauce.

[Sweethearts Mom]

Armadillos used to carry leprosy. Don't they still?

[4bull]

@ 5% do in the wild . yep yup was hungry.

[Sweethearts Mom]

I don't think I would ever be that hungry

[4bull]

its better than boiled possem, and raw squid, ive eaten just about everthing around.

[Hector500NC]

Any meat cooked thoroughly should be ok to consume.  Think about it, people all over the world, here included have eaten all types of meat for centuries without getting sick.  Some people eat rats, bats, possum, etc.. without getting sick.  I think an armadillo would be just fine.  I would be curious about how they taste, but with enough spices I am sure would be a good meal.  I am of the opinion that if you can eat chicken, you can eat anything!

-Hector 500 in NC

[Foxfire]

I can eat chicken but I cannot or won't eat goat, possum, rabbit. lamb, snake or armadillo.

[LdMorgan]

Having seen a case of wet leprosy up close, I'll pass on armadillo as long as I have other culinary options.

If the carry rate really is only 5%, all you have to do is handle 20 to be pretty sure of being exposed. Then, if you happen to be in the unlucky 5% that's susceptible...

I'd rather take my risks with things that are more fun and kill more quickly. Like doing my own electrical wiring, for example.

(Let's see now...Red wire? Blue wire? Red wire? Blue wire? Battery....)

[monkeyboyf]

I'm with LdMorgan on this one. Almost all of the cases of leprosy in S Texas in the last 20 years were from people eating armadillo regularly.  The odds are too great.  Guess anything else would be ok if cooked well. Tried snake once at the rattlesnake roundup, tasted just like chicken.  Not my cup of tea, but would be ok if nothing else is available. Bless it and eat it and be glad you have it.

[Dan Forrester]

Well I’ve been reading up on this and asking a couple people who know more about this stuff then I do and I think I’ll be holding off for now.  The thing that scares me the most is that it usually seems to take a couple years before you begin to show signs of leprosy.  It’s one thing if you get sick within 24 hours and another to have a ticking time bomb inside you.

Thanks for all the comments.

Dan

[1floridacracker]

i have never eaten armadillo but i wouldn't shy from it if it were offered. about the leprosy, couldn't one just wear gloves while preparing it for the pot.

[DeltaEchoVictor]

i have never eaten armadillo but i wouldn't shy from it if it were offered. about the leprosy, couldn't one just wear gloves while preparing it for the pot.

Ya know...bein' a hillbilly & all, it almost shames me to say I've never eaten armadillo.

I've killed a few but never had the urge for possum on the half shell.

Maybe some day.