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Squab

February 16, 2024

For other uses, see Squab (disambiguation).

In culinary terminology, squab is an immature domestic pigeon, typically under four weeks old,[1] or its meat. Some authors describe it as tasting like dark chicken.[2]

Pigeon chicks, approximately twenty days of age

The word "squab" probably comes from Scandinavia; the Swedish word skvabb means "loose, fat flesh".[3] The term formerly applied to all dove and pigeon species (such as the wood pigeon, the mourning dove, the extinct-in-the-wild socorro dove, and the now extinct passenger pigeon,[4][5]) and their meat. More recently, squab meat comes almost entirely from domesticated pigeons. The meat of dove and pigeon gamebirds hunted primarily for sport is rarely called "squab".[4]

The practice of domesticating pigeons as livestock may have originated in North Africa; historically, many societies have consumed squabs or pigeons, including ancient Egypt (still common in modern Egypt), Rome, China, India (Northeast),[6] and medieval Europe. Although squab has been consumed throughout much of recorded history, it is generally regarded[citation needed] as exotic, not as a contemporary staple food; there are more records of its preparation for the wealthy than for the poor.

The modern squab industry uses utility 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.

History edit

 
A pair of king pigeons. Large breast muscles are common in utility pigeons.

The practice of domesticating pigeon as livestock may have come from the North Africa;[8] historically, squabs or pigeons have been consumed in many civilizations, including ancient Egypt, ancient Rome, and Medieval Europe.[4]: 211  Doves are considered kosher, though are not as common in the Jewish diet as they were in ancient times. Texts about methods of raising pigeons for their meat date as far back as AD 60 in Spain.[9] Such birds were hunted for their meat because it was a cheap and readily available source of protein.[4]

In the Tierra 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.[9]

 
A dovecote in the caves of Orvieto, Italy where the locals have raised squab for food since the time of the Etruscans in the Iron Age[10]

From the Middle Ages, a dovecote (French pigeonnier) was a common outbuilding on an estate that aimed to be self-sufficient.[4] The dovecote was considered a "living pantry",[9] 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 during the Second World War and remains associated with wartime shortages and poverty. This was parodied in an episode of the sitcom Dad's Army, "Getting the Bird".[13][14] Nevertheless, many people continue to eat it, especially the older generation.

Husbandry edit

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 may forage and return there to rest and breed.[9] 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).[9]

Utility pigeons have been artificially 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] fed crop milk by both parents.[18] Establishing two breeding lines has been suggested as another strategy for greater yield, where one breeding line is selected for prolificacy 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 feel 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 are slaughtered.[4][9][16]

In cuisine edit

Squab, (pigeon), meat only, raw
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy594 kJ (142 kcal)
0.00
Dietary fiber0.0
7.50
Saturated1.96
Monounsaturated2.66
Polyunsaturated1.60
17.50
VitaminsQuantity
%DV†
Vitamin A equiv.
4%
28 μg
Vitamin A94 IU
Thiamine (B1)
25%
0.283 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
24%
0.285 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)
16%
0.787 mg
Vitamin B6
41%
0.53 mg
Folate (B9)
2%
7 μg
Vitamin B12
20%
0.47 μg
Vitamin C
9%
7.2 mg
MineralsQuantity
%DV†
Calcium
1%
13 mg
Iron
35%
4.51 mg
Magnesium
7%
25 mg
Manganese
1%
0.019 mg
Phosphorus
44%
307 mg
Potassium
8%
237 mg
Sodium
3%
51 mg
Zinc
28%
2.7 mg
Other constituentsQuantity
Water72.80
There is some variation in nutritional content depending on the breed of utility pigeon used for squabbing.[21]

Source: USDA FoodData Central
 
A large volume of squab is served at Chinese American restaurants.

Usually considered a delicacy, squab is tender, moist and richer in taste than many commonly consumed poultry meats, but there is relatively little meat per bird, the meat being concentrated in the breast.[4][22] Squab is dark meat, and the skin is fatty, like that of duck.[4] The meat is very lean, easily digestible, and "rich in proteins, minerals, and vitamins".[9] It has been described as having a "silky" texture, as it is very tender and fine-grained.[9][23] It has a milder taste than other game,[24] and has been described as having a mild berry flavor.[9] Squab's flavor lends itself to complex red or white wines.[24] The 1997 edition of the Joy of Cooking cautions that if squab is cooked beyond medium-rare, its flavor becomes 'distinctly "livery"'.[25]

In the 14th century humorism book Health Regime, squab was regarded as a "hot and moist" food, whereas the meat of older pigeons was regarded as hot, dry, and "barely edible".[9] The Roman cookbook Apicius recommended sauces with a combined sweet and sour flavor to accompany roasted or braised squab. In 1607, a recipe book from a monastery in Salamanca, 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".[9]

In the 15th century, the Italian friar Luca 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 in Umbrian and Tuscan cuisine since before the Medieval era.[10] 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 from California for Pastales de pollos y pichones (Chicken and squab pastry) was as a savory pie with alternating layers of chicken and squab with a picadillo 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 to casseroles and slow-cooked stews.[9] The meat from older and wild pigeons is much tougher than squab, and requires a long period of stewing or roasting to tenderize.[4] The consumption of squab probably stems from both the relative ease of catching birds which have not yet fledged,[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, including China, France, Egypt, the United States, Italy, Northern Africa, and several Asian countries.[21][32] Typical dishes include breast of squab (sometimes as the French salmis), Egyptian Mahshi (stuffed with rice or Freekeh and herbs), Assamese pigeon curry[33] and the Moroccan pastilla.[34] In Spain and France, squab is also preserved as a confit.[9] 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]

 
Dressed squab displayed for sale in Hong Kong

In the United States, squab is "increasingly a specialty item", as the larger and cheaper chicken has mostly displaced it.[35] In 1942, MFK Fisher quipped in How 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 American haute cuisine restaurants such as Le Cirque and the French Laundry,[22][37] and has enjoyed endorsements from some celebrity chefs.[4] Accordingly, squab is often sold for much higher prices than other poultry, sometimes as high as eight USD per pound.[4]

In Indian cuisine, squab features prominently in the Northeast,[38] such as in the Assamese cuisine.[39] Pigeon is usually cooked as curry and is sometimes cooked with banana blossom.[40][33] It is popular among both the tribal[41][42] and non-tribal populations. Pigeon meat is associated with strength, and the pre-colonial Kamarupa Yatra also recommends it for health.[6] Pigeon is sacrificed in some Hindu temples, especially in the Shakta tradition, such as in the Kamakhya temple in India,[43][44] after which it can be eaten. A similar practice is followed in Nepal too.[45] Pigeon curry is often reserved for special occasions.[46]

In Chinese cuisine, squab is a part of celebratory banquets for holidays such as Chinese 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.[47] Squabs are sold live in Chinese marketplaces to assure freshness,[48] 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 within Chinatowns.[4]: 213 

In Indonesian cuisine, especially Sundanese and Javanese, squab is usually seasoned, spiced with coriander, turmeric, garlic and deep fried in a lot of palm oil. It is served with sambal (chili sauce), tempeh, tofu, vegetables, and nasi 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 for food security.[16] In parts of the world, squab meat is thought of as distasteful by some consumers because they view feral pigeons as unsanitary urban pests.[32] However, squab meat is regarded as safer than some other poultry products as it harbors fewer pathogens,[49][50] and may be served between medium and well done.[49]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Game Birds". All Q'd Up. 2014-06-23. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  2. ^ For example: Lachiusa, Dean (8 November 2021). Adventures in Historic Cures: Amusing Home Remedies, Anecdotes, and Definitions. Dean Lachiusa. Retrieved 16 September 2023. A domesticated pigeon that reportedly tastes like dark chicken.
  3. ^ "squab". Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th ed.). 2004. p. 1210. ISBN 978-0-87779-809-5. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Andrew D., Blechman (2006). Pigeons: The Fascinating Saga of the World's Most Revered and Reviled Bird. Open City Books. pp. 211–214. ISBN 978-0-8021-1834-9.
  5. ^ OED gives earliest known usage in 1640 as a young bird, in 1694 as a young pigeon.
  6. ^ a b Saikia, Arani (2013). "Food habits in pre-colonial Assam". International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention. 2 (6): 1–5 – via Academia.edu.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ United States Department of Agriculture (August 1967). Squab Raising. Farmers' Bulletin, Issue 684 (revised ed.). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  8. ^ Hansell, Jean (2001). Dovecotes. A Shire album Shire Library. Vol. 213. Osprey Publishing. p. 4. ISBN 978-0-7478-0504-5. Retrieved 2009-09-02.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Canova, Jane (Spring 2005). "Monuments to the Birds: Dovecotes and Pigeon Eating in the Land of Fields". Gastronomica. 5 (2): 50–59. doi:10.1525/gfc.2005.5.2.50. JSTOR 10.1525/gfc.2005.5.2.50.
  10. ^ a b . Great Italian Chefs. 2019. Archived from the original on June 13, 2019.
  11. ^ Hansell, Jean (2001). Dovecotes. A Shire album Shire Library. Vol. 213. Osprey Publishing. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-7478-0504-5. Retrieved 2009-09-02.[permanent dead link]
  12. ^ Woolgar, C.M.; Serjeantson, Dale; Waldron, Tony (2006). Food in medieval England: diet and nutrition. Medieval history and archaeology. Oxford University Press. p. 151. ISBN 978-0-19-927349-2.
  13. ^ Squab at IMDb  
  14. ^ Croft, David; Perry, Jimmy; Webber, Richard (2000). The Complete A–Z of Dad's Army. Orion. ISBN 0-7528-4637-X.[page needed]
  15. ^ a b c d Aggrey, S. E.; Cheng, K. M. (1992). "Estimation of genetic parameters for body weight traits in squab pigeons". Genetics Selection Evolution. 24 (6): 553–559. doi:10.1186/1297-9686-24-6-553. PMC 2711175.
  16. ^ a b c d Schiere, Hans; van der Hoek, Rein (2001). Livestock keeping in urban areas: a review of traditional technologies based on literature and field experiences. FAO animal production and health paper. Vol. 151. Food and Agriculture Organization. p. 29. ISBN 978-92-5-104575-6.
  17. ^ Skinner, B.F. (March 1986). "Some Thoughts About The Future". Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. 45 (2): 229–245. doi:10.1901/jeab.1986.45-229. PMC 1348231. PMID 3958668.
  18. ^ Bolla, Gerry (2007). "Squab raising" (PDF). New South Wales Department of Primary Industries. Retrieved 2009-09-03.
  19. ^ Aggrey, S.E.; Cheng, K.M. (1993). "Genetic and Posthatch Parental Influences on Growth in Pigeon Squabs". Journal of Heredity. 84 (3): 184–187. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a111314.
  20. ^ "Poultry Research Foundation". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  21. ^ a b J. F. Pomianowski; et al. (2009). "Research Note: Chemical composition, cholesterol content, and fatty acid profile of pigeon meat as influenced by meat-type breeds". Poultry Science. 88 (6): 1306–09. doi:10.3382/ps.2008-00217. PMID 19439644.
  22. ^ a b Thomas, Keller (1999). The French Laundry Cookbook. Artisan. ISBN 978-1-57965-126-8.
  23. ^ a b Green, Aliza (2005). Field Guide to Meat: How to Identify, Select, and Prepare Virtually Every Meat, Poultry, and Game Cut. Quirk Books. pp. 221–223. ISBN 978-1-59474-017-6. squab asia.
  24. ^ a b Cornish, Richard (July 25, 2006). "Pigeon fanciers". The Age. Retrieved 2009-09-02.
  25. ^ JOC All New Rev. - 1997. Simon and Schuster. 1997-11-05. ISBN 9780684818702.
  26. ^ Parzen, Jeremy (Fall 2004). "Please Play with Your Food: An Incomplete Survey of Culinary Wonders in Italian Renaissance Cookery". Gastronomica. 4 (4): 25–33. doi:10.1525/gfc.2004.4.4.25.
  27. ^ Davis, Jennifer J. (February 2009). "Masters of Disguise: French Cooks Between Art and Nature, 1651–1793". Gastronomica. 9 (1): 36–49. doi:10.1525/gfc.2009.9.1.36.
  28. ^ Abrahams, Marc (29 September 2009). "When is a frog not a frog? When it's a bird". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
  29. ^ El cocinero español by Encarnación Pinedo, 1898
  30. ^ Hansell, Jean (2001). Dovecotes. A Shire album Shire Library. Vol. 213. Osprey Publishing. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-7478-0504-5. Retrieved 2009-09-02.[permanent dead link]
  31. ^ "7.0 Backyard small species / 7.1.3 Pigeons". Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
  32. ^ a b Blechman, Andrew D. (April 9, 2006). "March of the Pigeons". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-02-24.
  33. ^ a b Sarma, Upasana; Govila, Viney Kumar; Yadav, Akansha (2020). "The traditional and therapeutic use of banana and its plant based delicacies in ethnic Assamese cuisine and religious rituals from Northeast India" (PDF). Journal of Ethnic Foods. 7: 1–7. doi:10.1186/s42779-020-00053-5. S2CID 219530329.
  34. ^ Morgan, James L. (2006). Culinary creation: an introduction to foodservice and world cuisine. Butterworth-Heinemann hospitality management series. Butterworth-Heinemann. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-7506-7936-7.
  35. ^ Jerolmack, Colin (April 2007). "Animal archeology: Domestic pigeons and the nature-culture dialectic" (PDF). Qualitative Sociology Review. 3 (1): 74–95. doi:10.18778/1733-8077.3.1.06. S2CID 142002800.
  36. ^ "How to Make a Pigeon Cry" in How to Cook a Wolf (1942) in The Art of Eating: 50th Anniversary Edition by Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher, page 419
  37. ^ Bruni, Frank (February 6, 2008). . The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2008-03-05. Retrieved 2008-02-24.
  38. ^ Hauzel, Hoihnu (2014). Essential North-East Cookbook. Penguin.
  39. ^ Dutta, Parasmoni (2008). "Physical Folklife of Assam" (PDF). Folklife. 31: 20–21 – via Academia.edu.[dead link]
  40. ^ "Food of Assam | Mouth-Watering Dishes From Assam". Holidify. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  41. ^ Boro, Franky. (PDF). ARF Journal. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-06-16. Retrieved 2021-11-04.
  42. ^ Kumari, Pratisha (2014). "The Mising foodways: an analytical study on the foods and food related cultural practices of the Misings of Assam" (PDF). Tezpur University Ernet.
  43. ^ Acharyya, Kangkan (30 May 2018). "Row over buffalo sacrifice in Kamakhya Temple: Banning practice will deprive poor, says head priest". [[Firstpost]. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  44. ^ Sunil, Oinam (16 October 2006). "At Kamakhya, there's no stopping animal sacrifice". The Times of India. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  45. ^ Lang, Olivia (24 November 2009). "Hindu sacrifice of 250,000 animals begins". The Guardian.
  46. ^ Patgiri, Rituparna (20 June 2021). "Assamese Pigeon Curry: How a staple dish is now becoming almost a rarity". EastMojo. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  47. ^ CNN Go 40 Hong Kong foods we can't live without 2012-11-05 at the Wayback Machine 13 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-09
  48. ^ Hsiung, Deih-Ta; Simonds, Nina; Lowe, Jason (2005). The food of China: a journey for food lovers. Murdoch Books. p. 125. ISBN 978-1-74045-463-6. Retrieved 2009-09-02.
  49. ^ a b Morgan, James L. (2006). Culinary creation: an introduction to foodservice and world cuisine. Butterworth-Heinemann hospitality management series. Butterworth-Heinemann. p. 220. ISBN 978-0-7506-7936-7.
  50. ^ Jeffrey, J.S.; Atwill, E.R.; Hunter, A. (2001). . Poultry Science. 80 (1): 66–70. doi:10.1093/ps/80.1.66. PMID 11214338. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2009-09-06.

Further reading edit

Cooking edit

  • Ash, John (2013). Culinary Birds: The Ultimate Poultry Cookbook. Philadelphia: Running Press. OCLC 861751622.
  • Daguin, Ariane; Faison, George; Pruess, Joanna (1999). D'Artagnan's Glorious Game Cookbook. Boston: Little & Brown. OCLC 40744512.
 
Look up squab in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Squab.

Husbandry edit

  • Allen, Barbara (2009). Pigeon. London: Reaktion Books. ISBN 978-1-86189-513-4.
  • Dare, Carl (1914). Profitable Squab Breeding: A Complete Illustrated Guide. A. B. Morse Company.
  • Eggleston, E. H. (1916). American Squab Culture. Chicago: W. B. Conkley.
  • Lee, Alfred R; Haynes, Sheppard Knapp (1946). Squab Raising. Vol. Farmers' Bulletin no. 684. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.
  • Rice, Elmer (1916). How to Make Money with Squabs. Melrose, Mass: Plymouth Rock Squab Company.

February 16, 2024
squab, other, uses, disambiguation, culinary, terminology, squab, immature, domestic, pigeon, typically, under, four, weeks, meat, some, authors, describe, tasting, like, dark, chicken, pigeon, chicks, approximately, twenty, days, agethe, word, squab, probably. For other uses see Squab disambiguation In culinary terminology squab is an immature domestic pigeon typically under four weeks old 1 or its meat Some authors describe it as tasting like dark chicken 2 Pigeon chicks approximately twenty days of ageThe word squab probably comes from Scandinavia the Swedish word skvabb means loose fat flesh 3 The term formerly applied to all dove and pigeon species such as the wood pigeon the mourning dove the extinct in the wild socorro dove and the now extinct passenger pigeon 4 5 and their meat More recently squab meat comes almost entirely from domesticated pigeons The meat of dove and pigeon gamebirds hunted primarily for sport is rarely called squab 4 The practice of domesticating pigeons as livestock may have originated in North Africa historically many societies have consumed squabs or pigeons including ancient Egypt still common in modern Egypt Rome China India Northeast 6 and medieval Europe Although squab has been consumed throughout much of recorded history it is generally regarded citation needed as exotic not as a contemporary staple food there are more records of its preparation for the wealthy than for the poor The modern squab industry uses utility 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 Contents 1 History 2 Husbandry 3 In cuisine 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 6 1 Cooking 6 2 HusbandryHistory edit nbsp A pair of king pigeons Large breast muscles are common in utility pigeons The practice of domesticating pigeon as livestock may have come from the North Africa 8 historically squabs or pigeons have been consumed in many civilizations including ancient Egypt ancient Rome and Medieval Europe 4 211 Doves are considered kosher though are not as common in the Jewish diet as they were in ancient times Texts about methods of raising pigeons for their meat date as far back as AD 60 in Spain 9 Such birds were hunted for their meat because it was a cheap and readily available source of protein 4 In the Tierra 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 9 nbsp A dovecote in the caves of Orvieto Italy where the locals have raised squab for food since the time of the Etruscans in the Iron Age 10 From the Middle Ages a dovecote French pigeonnier was a common outbuilding on an estate that aimed to be self sufficient 4 The dovecote was considered a living pantry 9 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 during the Second World War and remains associated with wartime shortages and poverty This was parodied in an episode of the sitcom Dad s Army Getting the Bird 13 14 Nevertheless many people continue to eat it especially the older generation Husbandry editSquab 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 may forage and return there to rest and breed 9 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 9 Utility pigeons have been artificially 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 fed crop milk by both parents 18 Establishing two breeding lines has been suggested as another strategy for greater yield where one breeding line is selected for prolificacy 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 feel 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 are slaughtered 4 9 16 In cuisine editSquab pigeon meat only rawNutritional value per 100 g 3 5 oz Energy594 kJ 142 kcal Carbohydrates0 00Dietary fiber0 0Fat7 50Saturated1 96Monounsaturated2 66Polyunsaturated1 60Protein17 50VitaminsQuantity DV Vitamin A equiv 4 28 mgVitamin A94 IUThiamine B1 25 0 283 mgRiboflavin B2 24 0 285 mgPantothenic acid B5 16 0 787 mgVitamin B641 0 53 mgFolate B9 2 7 mgVitamin B1220 0 47 mgVitamin C9 7 2 mgMineralsQuantity DV Calcium1 13 mgIron35 4 51 mgMagnesium7 25 mgManganese1 0 019 mgPhosphorus44 307 mgPotassium8 237 mgSodium3 51 mgZinc28 2 7 mgOther constituentsQuantityWater72 80There is some variation in nutritional content depending on the breed of utility pigeon used for squabbing 21 Units mg micrograms mg milligrams IU International unitsSource USDA FoodData Central nbsp A large volume of squab is served at Chinese American restaurants Usually considered a delicacy squab is tender moist and richer in taste than many commonly consumed poultry meats but there is relatively little meat per bird the meat being concentrated in the breast 4 22 Squab is dark meat and the skin is fatty like that of duck 4 The meat is very lean easily digestible and rich in proteins minerals and vitamins 9 It has been described as having a silky texture as it is very tender and fine grained 9 23 It has a milder taste than other game 24 and has been described as having a mild berry flavor 9 Squab s flavor lends itself to complex red or white wines 24 The 1997 edition of the Joy of Cooking cautions that if squab is cooked beyond medium rare its flavor becomes distinctly livery 25 In the 14th century humorism book Health Regime squab was regarded as a hot and moist food whereas the meat of older pigeons was regarded as hot dry and barely edible 9 The Roman cookbook Apicius recommended sauces with a combined sweet and sour flavor to accompany roasted or braised squab In 1607 a recipe book from a monastery in Salamanca 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 9 In the 15th century the Italian friar Luca 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 in Umbrian and Tuscan cuisine since before the Medieval era 10 In 18th century France pigeons a 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 a la crapaudine played with that convention and is still part of French traditional cuisine 27 28 A 19th century recipe from California for Pastales de pollos y pichones Chicken and squab pastry was as a savory pie with alternating layers of chicken and squab with a picadillo 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 to casseroles and slow cooked stews 9 The meat from older and wild pigeons is much tougher than squab and requires a long period of stewing or roasting to tenderize 4 The consumption of squab probably stems from both the relative ease of catching birds which have not yet fledged 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 including China France Egypt the United States Italy Northern Africa and several Asian countries 21 32 Typical dishes include breast of squab sometimes as the French salmis Egyptian Mahshi stuffed with rice or Freekeh and herbs Assamese pigeon curry 33 and the Moroccan pastilla 34 In Spain and France squab is also preserved as a confit 9 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 nbsp Dressed squab displayed for sale in Hong KongIn the United States squab is increasingly a specialty item as the larger and cheaper chicken has mostly displaced it 35 In 1942 MFK Fisher quipped in How 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 American haute cuisine restaurants such as Le Cirque and the French Laundry 22 37 and has enjoyed endorsements from some celebrity chefs 4 Accordingly squab is often sold for much higher prices than other poultry sometimes as high as eight USD per pound 4 In Indian cuisine squab features prominently in the Northeast 38 such as in the Assamese cuisine 39 Pigeon is usually cooked as curry and is sometimes cooked with banana blossom 40 33 It is popular among both the tribal 41 42 and non tribal populations Pigeon meat is associated with strength and the pre colonial Kamarupa Yatra also recommends it for health 6 Pigeon is sacrificed in some Hindu temples especially in the Shakta tradition such as in the Kamakhya temple in India 43 44 after which it can be eaten A similar practice is followed in Nepal too 45 Pigeon curry is often reserved for special occasions 46 In Chinese cuisine squab is a part of celebratory banquets for holidays such as Chinese 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 47 Squabs are sold live in Chinese marketplaces to assure freshness 48 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 within Chinatowns 4 213 In Indonesian cuisine especially Sundanese and Javanese squab is usually seasoned spiced with coriander turmeric garlic and deep fried in a lot of palm oil It is served with sambal chili sauce tempeh tofu vegetables and nasi 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 for food security 16 In parts of the world squab meat is thought of as distasteful by some consumers because they view feral pigeons as unsanitary urban pests 32 However squab meat is regarded as safer than some other poultry products as it harbors fewer pathogens 49 50 and may be served between medium and well done 49 See also editPigeon pieReferences edit Game Birds All Q d Up 2014 06 23 Retrieved 23 June 2014 For example Lachiusa Dean 8 November 2021 Adventures in Historic Cures Amusing Home Remedies Anecdotes and Definitions Dean Lachiusa Retrieved 16 September 2023 A domesticated pigeon that reportedly tastes like dark chicken squab Merriam Webster s Collegiate Dictionary 11th ed 2004 p 1210 ISBN 978 0 87779 809 5 Retrieved 27 August 2009 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Andrew D Blechman 2006 Pigeons The Fascinating Saga of the World s Most Revered and Reviled Bird Open City Books pp 211 214 ISBN 978 0 8021 1834 9 OED gives earliest known usage in 1640 as a young bird in 1694 as a young pigeon a b Saikia Arani 2013 Food habits in pre colonial Assam International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention 2 6 1 5 via Academia edu permanent dead link United States Department of Agriculture August 1967 Squab Raising Farmers Bulletin Issue 684 revised ed Washington D C U S Government Printing Office Retrieved 16 September 2023 Hansell Jean 2001 Dovecotes A Shire album Shire Library Vol 213 Osprey Publishing p 4 ISBN 978 0 7478 0504 5 Retrieved 2009 09 02 permanent dead link a b c d e f g h i j k l m Canova Jane Spring 2005 Monuments to the Birds Dovecotes and Pigeon Eating in the Land of Fields Gastronomica 5 2 50 59 doi 10 1525 gfc 2005 5 2 50 JSTOR 10 1525 gfc 2005 5 2 50 a b Pigeon recipes Great Italian Chefs 2019 Archived from the original on June 13 2019 Hansell Jean 2001 Dovecotes A Shire album Shire Library Vol 213 Osprey Publishing p 6 ISBN 978 0 7478 0504 5 Retrieved 2009 09 02 permanent dead link Woolgar C M Serjeantson Dale Waldron Tony 2006 Food in medieval England diet and nutrition Medieval history and archaeology Oxford University Press p 151 ISBN 978 0 19 927349 2 Squab at IMDb nbsp Croft David Perry Jimmy Webber Richard 2000 The Complete A Z of Dad s Army Orion ISBN 0 7528 4637 X page needed a b c d Aggrey S E Cheng K M 1992 Estimation of genetic parameters for body weight traits in squab pigeons Genetics Selection Evolution 24 6 553 559 doi 10 1186 1297 9686 24 6 553 PMC 2711175 a b c d Schiere Hans van der Hoek Rein 2001 Livestock keeping in urban areas a review of traditional technologies based on literature and field experiences FAO animal production and health paper Vol 151 Food and Agriculture Organization p 29 ISBN 978 92 5 104575 6 Skinner B F March 1986 Some Thoughts About The Future Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior 45 2 229 245 doi 10 1901 jeab 1986 45 229 PMC 1348231 PMID 3958668 Bolla Gerry 2007 Squab raising PDF New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Retrieved 2009 09 03 Aggrey S E Cheng K M 1993 Genetic and Posthatch Parental Influences on Growth in Pigeon Squabs Journal of Heredity 84 3 184 187 doi 10 1093 oxfordjournals jhered a111314 Poultry Research Foundation The University of Sydney Retrieved 13 March 2022 a b J F Pomianowski et al 2009 Research Note Chemical composition cholesterol content and fatty acid profile of pigeon meat as influenced by meat type breeds Poultry Science 88 6 1306 09 doi 10 3382 ps 2008 00217 PMID 19439644 a b Thomas Keller 1999 The French Laundry Cookbook Artisan ISBN 978 1 57965 126 8 a b Green Aliza 2005 Field Guide to Meat How to Identify Select and Prepare Virtually Every Meat Poultry and Game Cut Quirk Books pp 221 223 ISBN 978 1 59474 017 6 squab asia a b Cornish Richard July 25 2006 Pigeon fanciers The Age Retrieved 2009 09 02 JOC All New Rev 1997 Simon and Schuster 1997 11 05 ISBN 9780684818702 Parzen Jeremy Fall 2004 Please Play with Your Food An Incomplete Survey of Culinary Wonders in Italian Renaissance Cookery Gastronomica 4 4 25 33 doi 10 1525 gfc 2004 4 4 25 Davis Jennifer J February 2009 Masters of Disguise French Cooks Between Art and Nature 1651 1793 Gastronomica 9 1 36 49 doi 10 1525 gfc 2009 9 1 36 Abrahams Marc 29 September 2009 When is a frog not a frog When it s a bird The Guardian Retrieved 20 October 2010 El cocinero espanol by Encarnacion Pinedo 1898 Hansell Jean 2001 Dovecotes A Shire album Shire Library Vol 213 Osprey Publishing p 7 ISBN 978 0 7478 0504 5 Retrieved 2009 09 02 permanent dead link 7 0 Backyard small species 7 1 3 Pigeons Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations a b Blechman Andrew D April 9 2006 March of the Pigeons The New York Times Retrieved 2008 02 24 a b Sarma Upasana Govila Viney Kumar Yadav Akansha 2020 The traditional and therapeutic use of banana and its plant based delicacies in ethnic Assamese cuisine and religious rituals from Northeast India PDF Journal of Ethnic Foods 7 1 7 doi 10 1186 s42779 020 00053 5 S2CID 219530329 Morgan James L 2006 Culinary creation an introduction to foodservice and world cuisine Butterworth Heinemann hospitality management series Butterworth Heinemann p 10 ISBN 978 0 7506 7936 7 Jerolmack Colin April 2007 Animal archeology Domestic pigeons and the nature culture dialectic PDF Qualitative Sociology Review 3 1 74 95 doi 10 18778 1733 8077 3 1 06 S2CID 142002800 How to Make a Pigeon Cry in How to Cook a Wolf 1942 in The Art of Eating 50th Anniversary Edition by Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher page 419 Bruni Frank February 6 2008 In Defense of Decadence The New York Times Archived from the original on 2008 03 05 Retrieved 2008 02 24 Hauzel Hoihnu 2014 Essential North East Cookbook Penguin Dutta Parasmoni 2008 Physical Folklife of Assam PDF Folklife 31 20 21 via Academia edu dead link Food of Assam Mouth Watering Dishes From Assam Holidify Retrieved 4 November 2021 Boro Franky GLIMPSES OF TRADITIONAL FOOD HABITS DRESS AND ORNAMENTS A STUDY AMONG THE BODOS OF UDALGURI DISTRICT IN ASSAM PDF ARF Journal Archived from the original PDF on 2022 06 16 Retrieved 2021 11 04 Kumari Pratisha 2014 The Mising foodways an analytical study on the foods and food related cultural practices of the Misings of Assam PDF Tezpur University Ernet Acharyya Kangkan 30 May 2018 Row over buffalo sacrifice in Kamakhya Temple Banning practice will deprive poor says head priest Firstpost Retrieved 4 November 2021 Sunil Oinam 16 October 2006 At Kamakhya there s no stopping animal sacrifice The Times of India Retrieved 4 November 2021 Lang Olivia 24 November 2009 Hindu sacrifice of 250 000 animals begins The Guardian Patgiri Rituparna 20 June 2021 Assamese Pigeon Curry How a staple dish is now becoming almost a rarity EastMojo Retrieved 4 November 2021 CNN Go 40 Hong Kong foods we can t live without Archived 2012 11 05 at the Wayback Machine 13 July 2011 Retrieved 2011 10 09 Hsiung Deih Ta Simonds Nina Lowe Jason 2005 The food of China a journey for food lovers Murdoch Books p 125 ISBN 978 1 74045 463 6 Retrieved 2009 09 02 a b Morgan James L 2006 Culinary creation an introduction to foodservice and world cuisine Butterworth Heinemann hospitality management series Butterworth Heinemann p 220 ISBN 978 0 7506 7936 7 Jeffrey J S Atwill E R Hunter A 2001 Farm and management variables linked to fecal shedding of Campylobacter and Salmonella in commercial squab production Poultry Science 80 1 66 70 doi 10 1093 ps 80 1 66 PMID 11214338 Archived from the original on 2011 07 24 Retrieved 2009 09 06 Further reading editCooking edit Ash John 2013 Culinary Birds The Ultimate Poultry Cookbook Philadelphia Running Press OCLC 861751622 Daguin Ariane Faison George Pruess Joanna 1999 D Artagnan s Glorious Game Cookbook Boston Little amp Brown OCLC 40744512 nbsp Look up squab in Wiktionary the free dictionary nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Squab Husbandry edit Allen Barbara 2009 Pigeon London Reaktion Books ISBN 978 1 86189 513 4 Dare Carl 1914 Profitable Squab Breeding A Complete Illustrated Guide A B Morse Company Eggleston E H 1916 American Squab Culture Chicago W B Conkley Lee Alfred R Haynes Sheppard Knapp 1946 Squab Raising Vol Farmers Bulletin no 684 U S Dept of Agriculture Rice Elmer 1916 How to Make Money with Squabs Melrose Mass Plymouth Rock Squab Company Portals nbsp Food nbsp Asia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Squab amp oldid 1188202466, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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