Nutria, Myocastor coypus – Healthy and Nutritious Recipes

• Invasive Species: Nutria, native to South America, have become invasive in various regions, including North America and Europe, due to their rapid reproduction and destructive feeding habits.
• Physical Characteristics: These semi-aquatic rodents typically weigh between 4 to 9 kilograms and measure 40 to 60 centimeters in body length, with a tail adding an additional 30 to 45 centimeters.
• Diet and Impact: Nutria consume about 25% of their body weight daily, primarily feeding on aquatic vegetation, which can lead to significant habitat degradation in wetlands.
• Reproduction: Females can produce up to three litters per year, with each litter containing as many as 13 offspring, contributing to their rapid population growth.

Nutria, often called “river rats,” made their way to the U.S. West Coast in the mid-1900s as an alternative to mink for the fur industry. At its peak, the fur trade led to trapping up to 1.5 million nutria each year.

But when demand for nutria fur waned, wild populations exploded. They breed rapidly—up to three litters annually, with as many as 13 pups per litter. Nutria have hearty appetites, often leaving riparian vegetation in ruins.

Trapping remains the best way to control their numbers. Live traps baited with sweet potatoes or carrots, especially along active trails, work particularly well. Despite their rodent-like look, wild nutria are actually clean eaters, sticking strictly to plant-based diets. Plus, their meat is both high in protein and low in fat, making it one of the healthiest options out there.

Believe it or not, nutria meat is a nutritious choice, and there are various health benefits of this meat.

There are stews, soups, roasted, and grilled options.

Over time, public acceptance grew, leading to a significant rise in nutria meat consumption. Today, more people are embracing this unconventional yet sustainable food source than ever before.

Ragondin Salad

Ingredients

• 1 nutria hind saddle
• 2 quarts water
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 dashes Louisiana hot sauce
• 1/2 cup classic mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

I start by bringing the nutria, water, vinegar, and salt to a low boil in a stockpot for about an hour until the meat turns tender. Once it’s done, I take the meat out, remove it from the bones, and let it cool down.

For the vinaigrette, I boil the wine for around 3 minutes to cook off the alcohol, then set it aside to cool. After that, I mix it well with the rest of the ingredients and store it in the fridge. To finish, I marinate the nutria meat in the vinaigrette for about 30 minutes before serving it over a bed of mixed greens. This recipe serves 4 to 6 people.

Soupe au Ragondin

Ingredients

Nutria

• 1 hind saddle nutria meat
• 2 quarts water
• 1/2 cup tomato puree
• 1 cup red wine
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp Louisiana hot sauce
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar

Roux (mix well)

• 4 Tbsp flour
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 Tbsp corn starch

Mire Poix

• 1 chopped onion
• 1 chopped carrot
• 1 chopped celery stalk
• 2 cloves garlic

Bouquet Garni

• 2 whole cloves
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 4 black peppercorns

Ragondin à l’Orange

Ingredients

Mire Poix

• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 1/3 cup chopped carrots
• 1/3 cup chopped onion

Nutria

• 2 hind saddle portions of nutria meat
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Bouquet Garni

• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• 1 bunch parsley
• bay leaves
• 2 cups white wine
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• Orange zest minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Start by adding oil, mirepoix, and bouquet garni to a pan and set it aside. Season each hind saddle with brown sugar, salt, and pepper to your liking. Lay the hind saddles over the other ingredients in the pan.

Bake, uncovered, at 350°F for 15 minutes. Take it out and deglaze with white wine, soy sauce, and orange juice. Seal the pan first with plastic wrap, then cover with aluminum foil.

Return it to the oven for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the meat turns tender. Pull the meat off the bones. Arrange it on a plate and garnish with the cooked vegetables, sauce from the pan, and a bit of orange zest. Serves 4.

Heart Healthy “Crock-Pot” Nutria

Ingredients

• 2 hind saddle portions of nutria meat.
• 1 small onion, sliced thin
• 1 tomato, cut in big wedges
• 2 potatoes, sliced thin
• 2 carrots, sliced thin
• 8 Brussel sprouts
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cup water
• 2 tsp chopped garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup demi glace (optional)

First, I layer onion, tomato, potatoes, carrots, and Brussels sprouts in a crock pot. I season the nutria with salt, pepper, and garlic, then place it right on top of the veggies.

Next, I pour in some wine and water, set the crock pot to low, and just let it cook until the meat turns nice and tender. It usually takes about 4 to 6 hours. Once it’s ready, I garnish everything with the cooked vegetables and a bit of demi-glace. This recipe serves four.

Nutria Fettuccini

Ingredients

Mire Poix

• 1 chopped onion
• 1 chopped carrot
• 1 chopped celery stalk
• 2 cloves of garlic

Pasta

• 2 lbs cooked fettuccine
• 3 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 clove of garlic
• Fresh spinach to taste
• 1 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, minced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Parmesan cheese to taste
• 1 red bell pepper, minced

Bouquet Garni

• 1 while clove
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 4 black peppercorns

Nutria

• 1 hind saddle; nutria meat
• 2 quarts cold water
• 1 cup of red wine
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Louisiana hot sauce

Start by bringing water, seasonings, mirepoix, and bouquet garni to a boil. Add the nutria hind saddle and let it simmer for about an hour, or until the meat gets nice and tender. Once it’s ready, take the meat out and pull it off the bones, making sure to get rid of any gristle or silver skin.

In a pan, heat some olive oil and sauté garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, bell pepper, and spinach for 3 to 4 minutes. Then, toss in the poached nutria meat and cook for another 3 minutes until everything’s hot. Mix in the fettuccine, give it a quick sauté, and serve it up. Finish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Makes enough for 4 servings.

Culotte de Ragondin à la Moutarde

Ingredients

Mire Poix

• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 1/3 cup chopped carrots
• 1/3 cup chopped onion

Bouquet Garni

• Fresh thyme
• Parsley
• Bay leaves

Nutria

• 1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 hind saddle portions of nutria
• 4 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp crushed rosemary
• 2 cups water

Sauce

• 1 cup of demi glace
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard

To prepare sauce

In a saucepan, combine demi-glace, cream, and mustard. Stir thoroughly and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes until it reduces slightly. Season to taste. In a separate pan, add oil, mirepoix, and a bouquet garni; set that aside for now. Rub each hind saddle generously with 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard and some rosemary. Lay the hind saddles on top of the prepared ingredients in the pan.

Transfer the pan, uncovered, into a preheated 350°F oven for 15 minutes. Once done, take it out and deglaze with white wine. Add a bit of water, cover the pan with plastic wrap first, followed by aluminum foil. Return it to the oven and cook for another 45 minutes to an hour, until the meat becomes tender.

Remove the meat from the bones, then plate it up. Finish with some vegetables, the sauce, or any pan drippings. Serves 4.