Inculinary terminology,squab is an immaturedomestic pigeon, typically under four weeks old,[1] or its meat. Some authors[who?] describe it astasting like dark chicken.[2]
The word "squab" probably comes fromScandinavia; the Swedish wordskvabb means "loose, fat flesh".[3] The term formerly applied to alldove and pigeon species (such as thewood pigeon, themourning dove, the extinct-in-the-wildsocorro dove, and the now extinctpassenger pigeon,[4][5]) and their meat. More recently, squab meat comes almost entirely from domesticated pigeons. The meat of dove and pigeongamebirds hunted primarily for sport is rarely called "squab".[4]
The practice of domesticating pigeons aslivestock may have originated inNorth Africa; historically, many societies have consumed squabs or pigeons, includingancient Egypt (still common in modernEgypt),Rome,China,India (Northeast),[6] andmedieval Europe. It is a familiar meat inJewish,Arab, andFrench cuisines. According to theTanakh, doves arekosher, and they are the only birds that may be used for akorban. (Other kosher birds may be eaten, but not brought as akorban.) Pigeon is also used inAsian cuisines such asChinese,Assamese, andIndonesian cuisines. Although squab has been consumed throughout much ofrecorded history, it is generally regarded[citation needed] as exotic, not as a contemporarystaple food; there are more records of its preparation for the wealthy than for the poor.
The modern squab industry usesutility pigeons. Squab farmers[7] raise the young until they are roughly a month old (when they reach adult size but have not yet flown) before slaughter.
The practice of domesticating pigeon aslivestock may have come from theNorth Africa;[9] historically, squabs or pigeons have been consumed in many civilizations, includingancient Egypt,ancient Rome, andMedieval Europe.[4]: 211 Doves are consideredkosher, though are not as common in the Jewish diet as they were in ancient times. Texts aboutmethods of raising pigeons for their meat date as far back asAD 60 in Spain.[10] Such birds were hunted for their meat because it was a cheap and readily available source of protein.[4]
In theTierra de Campos, a resource-poor region of north-western Spain, squab meat was an important supplement to grain crops from at least Roman times.Caelius Aurelianus, an Ancient Roman physician, regarded the meat as a cure for headaches, but by the 16th century, squab was believed to cause headaches.[10]
From the Middle Ages, adovecote (Frenchpigeonnier) was a commonoutbuilding on an estate that aimed to be self-sufficient.[4] The dovecote was considered a "living pantry",[10] a source of meat for unexpected guests, and was important as a supplementary source of income from the sale of surplus birds.[11] Dovecotes were introduced to South America and Africa by Mediterranean colonists. In medieval England, squab meat was highly valued, although its availability depended on the season.[12]
In England, pigeon meat was eaten when other food was rationed duringWorld War II and remains associated with wartime shortages and poverty. This was parodied in an episode of the sitcomDad's Army, "Getting the Bird".[13][14] Nevertheless, many people continue to eat it, especially the older generation.
Squab have been commercially raised in North America since the early 1900s. As of 1986, annual production in the United States and Canada was one and a half million squabs per year.[15]
Pigeons, unlike other poultry, form pair bonds to breed, and squabs must be brooded and fed by both parents until they are four weeks old; a pair of pigeons may produce 15 squabs per year.[15] Ten pairs can produce eight squabs each month without being fed by their keepers.[16] Pigeons which are accustomed to their dovecote mayforage and return there to rest and breed.[10] Industrially raised pigeons have young which weigh 1.3 pounds (0.59 kg) when of age, as opposed to traditionally raised pigeons, which weigh 0.5 pounds (0.23 kg).[10]
Utility pigeons have beenartificially selected for weight gain, quick growth, health when kept in large numbers, and health of their infants.[17] For a greater yield, commercially raised squab may be produced in a two-nest system, where the mother lays two new eggs in a second nest while her offspring are still growing in the first nest,[16] fedcrop milk by both parents.[18] Establishing two breeding lines has been suggested as another strategy for greater yield, where one breeding line is selected forprolificacy and the other for "parental performance",[19] which, according to Aggrey and Cheng, is "vital" for squab growth after the age of two weeks.[15]
Meleg estimates that 15–20% of eggs fail to hatch in well-maintained pigeon lofts.[20] Egg size is important for the squab's initial size and for mortality at hatching,[citation needed] but becomes less important as the squab ages. Aggrey and Cheng say that the hatched weight of squabs is not a good indicator of their weight at four weeks old.[15]
Squabs reach adult size, but are not yet ready to fly (making them easier to catch) after roughly a month; at this point, they areslaughtered.[4][10][16]
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 594 kJ (142 kcal) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.00 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dietary fiber | 0.0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7.50 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Saturated | 1.96 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monounsaturated | 2.66 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polyunsaturated | 1.60 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17.50 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other constituents | Quantity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Water | 72.80 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
There is some variation in nutritional content depending on the breed of utility pigeon used for squabbing.[21] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Usually considered a delicacy, squab is tender, moist and richer in taste than many commonly consumedpoultry meats, but there is relatively little meat per bird, the meat being concentrated in thebreast.[4][22]Squab isdark meat, and the skin is fatty, like that ofduck.[4] The meat is very lean, easily digestible, and "rich in proteins, minerals, and vitamins".[10] It has been described as having a "silky" texture, as it is very tender and fine-grained.[10][23] It has a milder taste than other game,[24] and has been described as having a mild berry flavor.[10] Squab's flavor lends itself tocomplex red or white wines.[24] The 1997 edition ofthe Joy of Cooking cautions that if squab is cooked beyond medium-rare, its flavor becomes 'distinctly "livery"'.[25]
In the 14th centuryhumorism bookHealth Regime, squab was regarded as a "hot and moist" food, whereas the meat of older pigeons was regarded as hot, dry, and "barely edible".[10] The Roman cookbookApicius recommended sauces with a combined sweet and sour flavor to accompany roasted or braised squab. In 1607, a recipe book from a monastery inSalamanca, Spain, suggested cooking squab with pork fat or bitter limes. There is less information about traditional recipes incorporating squab or pigeon used by commoners, but there is evidence they were "handed down from generation to generation".[10]
In the 15th century, the Italian friarLuca Pacioli wrote a book of "culinary secrets" which included "How to Kill a Squab by Hitting with a Feather on the Head".[26] Indeed, squab would serve as a culinary staple in Italy, including inUmbrian andTuscan cuisine since before the Medieval era.[8] In 18th century France,pigeons à la crapaudine ("toad-like squab") was a popular "dish of skill" for both rich and poor, in which the squab was arranged so that it looked like a frog, with the breast forming the frog's "face".Religious dietary laws once prohibited meat on fast days, but allowed frog's meat, as it was a water dweller.Pigeons à la crapaudine played with that convention, and is still part of French traditional cuisine.[27][28]
A 19th-century recipe fromCalifornia forPastales de pollos y pichones (Chicken and squab pastry) was as a savorypie with alternating layers of chicken and squab with apicadillo of minced veal,bacon,ham fried in lard with onion, mushrooms, apples, artichokes. tomatoes and seasonings layer.[29]
Commercially raised birds "take only half as long to cook" as traditionally raised birds, and are suitable for roasting, grilling, or searing, whereas the traditionally raised birds are better suited tocasseroles and slow-cooked stews.[10] The meat from older and wild pigeons is much tougher than squab, and requires a long period ofstewing orroasting to tenderize.[4] The consumption of squab probably stems from both the relative ease of catching birds which have not yetfledged,[4] and that unfledged birds have more tender meat.[30] Once a squab has fledged, its weight decreases significantly.[31]
Today, squab is part of the cuisine of many countries, includingChina,France,Egypt,the United States,Italy,Northern Africa, and severalAsian countries.[21][32] Typical dishes include breast of squab (sometimes as the Frenchsalmis),Egyptian Mahshi (stuffed with rice orFreekeh and herbs), Assamese pigeon curry[33] and theMoroccanpastilla.[34] In Spain and France, squab is also preserved as aconfit.[10] Demand for squab is increasing in Nigeria, despite being more expensive than beef, pork or chicken, as pigeons can quickly be raised to table weight and are easy to keep, providing diseases are controlled, as young pigeons are especially susceptible to disease.[citation needed]
In the United States, squab is "increasingly a specialty item", as the larger and cheaperchicken has mostly displaced it.[35] In 1942,MFK Fisher quipped inHow to Cook a Wolf, "It is not easy to find pigeons, these days. Most of the ones you know about in the city are working for the government."[36] However, squab produced from specially raised utility pigeons continues to grace the menus of Americanhaute cuisine restaurants such asLe Cirque andthe French Laundry,[22][37] and has enjoyed endorsements from somecelebrity chefs.[4] Accordingly, squab is often sold for much higher prices than other poultry, sometimes as high as eightUSD per pound.[4]
InIndian cuisine, squab features prominently in theNortheast,[38] such as in theAssamese cuisine.[39] Pigeon is usually cooked as curry and is sometimes cooked with banana blossom.[33] It is popular among both the tribal[40][41] and non-tribal populations. Pigeon meat is associated with strength, and the pre-colonialKamarupa Yatra also recommends it for health.[6] Pigeon is sacrificed in someHindu temples, especially in theShakta tradition, such as in theKamakhya temple in India,[42][43] after which it can be eaten. A similar practice is followed inNepal too.[44] Pigeon curry is often reserved for special occasions.[45]
InChinese cuisine, squab is a part of celebratory banquets for holidays such asChinese New Year, usually served deep-fried.[4] Cantonese-style pigeon is typically braised in soy sauce, rice wine and star anise then roasted with crispy skin and tender meat.[46] Squabs are sold live in Chinese marketplaces to assure freshness,[47] but they can also be dressed in two styles. "Chinese-style" (Buddhist slaughter) birds retain their head and feet, whereas "New York-dressed" (Confucian slaughter) birds retain their entrails, head and feet.[23] The greatest volume of U.S. squab is currently sold withinChinatowns.[4]: 213
InIndonesian cuisine, especiallySundanese andJavanese, squab is usually seasoned, spiced withcoriander,turmeric,garlic and deep fried in a lot ofpalm oil. It is served withsambal (chili sauce),tempeh,tofu, vegetables, andnasi timbel (rice wrapped in banana leaf).[citation needed]
Despite the relative ease of raising pigeons, squab is "not usually considered" in terms of its potential forfood security.[16] In parts of the world, squab meat is thought of as distasteful by someconsumers because they viewferal pigeons as unsanitary urban pests.[32] However, squab meat is regarded as safer than some other poultry products as it harbors fewerpathogens,[48][49] and may be served betweenmedium and well done.[48]
Several species of wild pigeons and doves are used as food; however, all types are edible.[50]
In Europe, thewood pigeon is commonly shot as agame bird.[51]
The extinction of the passenger pigeon in North America was at least partly due to shooting for use as food.[52]Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management contains recipes for roast pigeon andpigeon pie, a popular, inexpensive food in Victorian industrial Britain.[53]
A domesticated pigeon that reportedly tastes like dark chicken.
| Poultry |   | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Livestock | |||||
| Game | |||||
| Fish | |||||
| Shellfish and otherseafood | |||||
| Insects | |||||
| Cuts and preparation | |||||
| List articles |
| ||||
| Ethics and psychology | |||||
| Alternatives | |||||
| Meat science | |||||
| Meat industry | |||||
| Related subjects | |||||
.svg)