Squab

Squab is a young pigeon.

It is less than four weeks old. The meat is soft and moist. It can taste like dark chicken.

People have eaten it for a long time. Many lands like China and Egypt eat it. In China, people eat it at big feasts. In India, some people eat it for strength.

Pigeon parents work hard. Both parents feed the young chicks. They do this for four weeks. This helps the birds grow fast.

Farmers raise these birds carefully. They wait until the birds are big. But the birds cannot fly yet. This makes them easy to catch.

Squab is a special food. Many people think it is a treat. It is a tasty part of many meals.

Squab is the name for a young domestic pigeon.

These birds are usually less than four weeks old. The meat is very tender and moist. It is darker than chicken. Some say it has a mild berry flavor. The meat is rich in vitamins and minerals. Most of the meat is in the breast.

People have eaten squab for a very long time. Ancient groups in Egypt and Rome enjoyed it. In China, it is part of big holiday feasts. It is often deep-fried or roasted with soy sauce. In India, pigeon meat is linked to strength. In Indonesia, it is often deep-fried with spices.

Pigeon parents are very good at caring for their young. Both parents feed the chicks for four weeks. Farmers raise utility pigeons to grow quickly. They wait until the birds are big but cannot fly yet. This makes them easier to catch. Today, squab is often a special treat in fancy restaurants. It can cost a lot of money because it is rare.

Squab is the name for a young domestic pigeon or its meat.

These birds are usually under four weeks old. People often say the meat tastes like dark chicken. It is very tender, moist, and has a silky texture. The meat is dark and the skin is fatty like a duck. Many people enjoy it because it is rich in vitamins and minerals.

Most of the meat is found in the bird's breast.

Raising squab requires special care from the pigeon parents. Pigeons form pair bonds to breed and raise their young. Both parents must brood and feed the chicks for four weeks. They feed the babies something called crop milk.

Farmers use utility pigeons that are bred to grow very quickly. These birds are chosen for their health and weight gain. Farmers wait until the birds are about a month old. At this age, they are adult size but cannot fly yet. This makes them much easier to catch for food.

Humans have enjoyed eating pigeons for a very long time. The practice of raising them may have started in North Africa. People in ancient Egypt and ancient Rome ate squab.

In medieval Europe, many estates had a dovecote. A dovecote is a special building used to keep pigeons. It was like a "living pantry" for unexpected guests. In England, people ate pigeon meat during World War II. This was a time when other foods were very hard to find.

Different cultures have many special ways to cook squab.

In China, squab is served at big holiday feasts like Chinese New Year. It might be deep-fried or roasted with soy sauce and star anise. In Indonesia, it is often deep-fried with spices like turmeric and garlic. In Egypt, a dish called Mahshi uses rice and herbs to stuff the bird. In India, pigeon curry is a popular food for special occasions. Some people even believe the meat is linked to strength.

Today, squab is often seen as a special or exotic treat. It is not a common food that people eat every day. In the United States, it is a specialty item in fancy restaurants. Because it is rare, it can cost as much as eight dollars per pound.

Some people find it strange because they see city pigeons as pests. However, squab from farms is different from those wild birds. It remains a valued part of many traditions around the world.

Squab refers to an immature domestic pigeon, typically under four weeks of age, or the meat derived from it.

In culinary terms, the meat is often described as tasting like dark chicken. The word likely originates from Scandinavia, where a Swedish term means "loose, fat flesh." While the term once applied to various dove and pigeon species, modern squab meat comes almost entirely from domesticated birds. Because it is tender and moist, it is often treated as a culinary delicacy rather than a daily staple.

Most of the meat is concentrated in the bird's breast.

Raising squab requires a specific biological process involving the parents. Unlike many other types of poultry, pigeons form strong pair bonds to breed. Both parents must participate in brooding and feeding the chicks for the first four weeks. During this time, they provide the young with a substance called crop milk. To increase production, commercial farmers often use a two-nest system. In this method, the mother lays two new eggs in a second nest while the first offspring are still growing. This allows for a higher yield of birds for the industry.

Modern squab production relies on specialized utility pigeons. These birds have been artificially selected for specific traits. Farmers choose them for quick growth, weight gain, and overall health when kept in large numbers. They also select for the health of the infants.

In well-maintained pigeon lofts, approximately 15% to 20% of eggs may fail to hatch. Once the squabs reach about one month of age, they have reached adult size but cannot yet fly. This makes them easier to harvest. At this stage, they are slaughtered for meat.

History shows that pigeon domestication may have begun in North Africa. Many ancient civilizations, including Egypt and Rome, consumed squabs. In Roman times, the physician Caelius Aurelianus claimed the meat could cure headaches. However, by the 16th century, people believed it actually caused headaches. In medieval Europe, large estates often featured a dovecote, or pigeonnier. This was a specialized outbuilding used to house pigeons. It acted as a "living pantry" to provide meat for unexpected guests or to sell surplus birds for income.

Squab holds significant economic and cultural value across different regions. In the United States and Canada, annual production reached 1.5 million squabs per year as of 1986. Because it is considered an exotic item, it can be expensive, sometimes costing up to eight USD per pound. In medieval England, the meat was highly valued, though its availability changed with the seasons. During World War II, pigeon meat became a vital resource in England when other foods were rationed. Today, it remains a specialty item in high-end American restaurants.

Culinary traditions around the world offer many ways to prepare this meat.

In Chinese cuisine, squab is common at celebratory banquets like Chinese New Year. It can be served deep-fried or braised in soy sauce and star anise. Indonesian cuisine, particularly in Sundanese and Javanese traditions, often features deep-fried squab seasoned with turmeric and garlic. In Egypt, a dish called Mahshi involves stuffing the bird with rice and herbs. In India, particularly in the Northeast, pigeon curry is served on special occasions and is associated with strength.

Squab also connects to various religious and social systems. In the Jewish faith, doves are considered kosher and are the only birds permitted for a korban, or sacrifice. In some Hindu traditions, pigeons are sacrificed in temples before being eaten. Despite some people viewing urban pigeons as pests, farmed squab is considered a safe protein. It is rich in proteins, minerals, and vitamins, and it harbors fewer pathogens than some other poultry. This makes it a unique bridge between ancient tradition and modern specialty dining.