We were delighted to see this illustrated primer on squab in the NY Times by Tony Wolf, tracing it from Ancient Egypt to Delmonico’s. In our opinion, we all need to eat more squab.

Did you know that for thousands of years squab has been the favorite meal for every stratum of society throughout the world? And squab was unequivocally the first domesticated poultry, even preceding chicken. Learn more in our squab blog post.

Looking to try squab? We offer whole squab at dartagnan.com. 

Wait, what is squab? Funny you should ask …

For the rest of the story, link to the NY Times Culinary Arts cartoon.

Cooking Squab

Squab is considered an exquisite ingredient in cuisines as distinct as Cantonese, Moroccan, and French. The simple reason for squab’s universal appeal is its delicate, succulent flesh, truly unlike that of any other bird. Squab is a dark-meat bird, like duck and goose, yet the meat is not nearly as fibrous, rendering it far more tender. Its flavor, when properly cooked, is a lush, rich essence, reminiscent of sautéed foie gras, albeit with more texture.

We hope you will be inspired to cook squab at home. Here are two ways to enjoy squab from our recipe collection at dartagnan.com.

Squab with Bacon-Wrapped Plums & Frisee

Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s flavorful squab breast salad is delicious any time of year. With romaine lettuce that has been grilled in bacon fat, it’s certainly one of our all-time favorite salads.

Roast Squab with Porcini & Foie Gras

The spices in this lush, heady dish are readily available at supermarkets. If you can’t find chestnut honey, which is sweet and a bit bitter, use whatever honey you have on hand.

Find the recipe featured at top here: roast squab with corn cake and blueberry gastrique.

For an added bit of fun, watch Craig Claiborne, the famous NY Times critic, declare squab “perhaps my favorite poultry on Earth” in this 1968 CBS appearance with Harry Reasoner. It’s a real flashback!