Penis as food

Penis or pizzle is a type of offal. In many cultures, penis is a taboo food. Penis is eaten in some cultures or traditional medicine systems as a purported health food: penis may be seen as an aphrodisiac, a cure for sexual dysfunction, a hangover cure, and more. Penis is often paired with testicles as food.

Description and production

Packaged bull pizzle

Penis is majority collagen, so it typically has a gelatinous texture.[1][2]

The penis is typically byproduct in the meat industry.[3] Penis has to be removed with care, at risk of rupturing the bladder or urethra and contaminating the carcass with urine.[4]

Consumption by region

Penis is a taboo food in many cultures, even those that consume copious offal; Robert Rotenberg of DePaul University opines that the symbolic association of penis to coitus, urination and ejaculation makes consuming it off-putting. Even in areas where penis is consumed, it is typically a niche food and eaten under specific circumstances, such as when their purported health benefits are needed.[5]

Americas

Bolivia

Caldo de cardán

Caldo de cardán (lit. 'driveshaft broth'), known by the moniker "The Viagra of the Andes", is a Bolivian cuisine bull penis and testicle soup. A speciality of El Alto and La Paz, the soup is eaten for its perceived benefits as a stimulant, aphrodisiac and hangover cure, and for pain relief. Caldo de cardán typically features many other meats, such as beef tendon, ribs, and ch'arki, as well as hardboiled eggs, potatoes, rice, onions and llajua. The soup is simmered for over ten hours and typically served on weekends, particularly Sunday morning, at a high temperature.[6][7][8][9]

Colombia

Caldo de raíz (lit. 'root soup') or caldo peligroso (lit. 'dangerous broth') is a Colombian cuisine bull penis and testicles soup. The soup is cooked for hours with potatoes, peas, and occasionally beans. Caldo de raíz is eaten as an aphrodisiac.[10][11][12]

Ecuador

Caldo de tronquito is an Ecuadorian cuisine bull penis soup. The soup features grains like hominy and corn, beans like chickpeas and fava beans, and offal like tripe and testicles; the ingredients are comparable to a fanesca with meat. Regional variations include Manabí, where peanuts and milk are added, and La Costa, which favors corn, cassava and carrots. The soup is eaten as a hangover cure, to treat anemia, assist recovery from sickness or post-partum, and as an aphrodisiac.[13][14][15]

Caldo de tronquito was created in 16th century Quito after the Spanish colonization of Ecuador introduced cattle to the continent.[15]

El Salvador

"Triple saldo" is a Salvadorean cuisine bull penis and testicles soup. The soup is simmered for eight hours, with crema and eggs of free-range chickens added at the end. Triple saldo is eaten as an aphrodisiac.[16]

Bull penis and testicle tacos (tacos de viril) are becoming popular in Ahuachapán.[17]

Jamaica

"Cow cod soup" is a traditional, rustic dish in Jamaican cuisine that is considered an aphrodisiac and made with bull penis ("cod"). It is traditionally cooked with bananas and Scotch bonnet peppers in a white rum-based broth.[18][19]

Mexico

chopped penis on toothpicks
Viril de toro, Oaxaca, Mexico

Viril de toro is a traditional Mexican cantina food prepared by boiling bull pizzle in vinegar, slicing it into pieces, and serving with toothpicks.[1][20]

Africa

Lasopy soucril (French: zizi de zebu[21]) is a zebu penis soup in Malagasy cuisine. It is seen as an aphrodisiac and a treatment for infertility and erectile dysfunction. The penis is soaked and par-boiled to remove any remaining urine, then boiled with vegetables for several hours. Lasopy soucril is served at a high temperature with pepper and chilies.[22]

Asia

China

Deer penis and testicle infusing in rice wine

In China, penis is eaten in traditional Chinese medicine to treat erectile dysfunction. Penis is euphemistically known as bian ('whip').[23][24]

Chongqing penis stew is a delicacy of Chongqing, featuring Sichuan peppercorn.[23]

Guo Li Zhuang

Guo Li Zhuang is a Chinese-American restaurant founded in Atlanta, Georgia that specializes in penis dishes. The restaurant features table-side traditional Chinese medicine nutritionists that recommend dishes based on diners' ailments; penises offered include dog, goat, deer, bull, ox, yak, sheep, horse, donkey, and seal. The restaurant has expanded from America to China, with multiple locations in the Beijing area.[25][26][24]

Malaysia

Sup torpedo (lit. 'torpedo soup'; also sup hameeed) is a Malaysian Indian cuisine bull penis curry soup, a delicacy of mamak stalls typically served with roti benggali.[27] The soup is typically eaten as an aphrodisiac; variations include sup torpedo campur, which includes goat's testicles and horse penis.[28] The Mufti of Federal Territory's Office [ms] opines that eating sup torpedo, although halal, is makruh for being genital meat.[29][30]

Philippines

"Soup Number Five" (also Soup No. 5, Soup #5) is a Filipino cuisine soup made from bull's testes or penis. It is believed to have aphrodisiac properties.[31][32][33] Cebu's variant of Soup Number Five is called lansiao (also lanciao; from Chinese: 𡳞鳥; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lǎn-chiáu, penis) from Philippine Hokkien.[34] Soup Number Five is popularly known as "Remember Me" ("RM") in Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao, supplanting its other names in the northern regions of the Philippines.[35][36][37]

Vietnam

Phở in Vietnamese cuisine includes many variations, including the addition of penis (ngẩu pín, lit. 'bull's penis', but also used generally).[38] In Vietnamese street food [vi], penis is skewered and grilled; popular varieties include bull, buffalo, goat, dog, and deer.[39]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Urdaneta, Diego (April 9, 2018). "Comí pene de toro en Guadalajara y estoy muy arrepentido". VICE (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  2. ^ Tan, Joel (November 15, 2020). "Tasty Oxtail Soup At New Beef Noodle Stall, With, Er, Bull's Penis In Pipeline". CNA Lifestyle. Mediacorp. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  3. ^ Schoop, Ryan (May 17, 2019). "The 5 Fascinating Steps to Making a Bully Stick". The Bully Stick Blog: Everything Bully Sticks. Bully Bundles. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  4. ^ Blair, Amanda; Bakker, Christina (October 23, 2023). "At-Home Hog Slaughter". South Dakota State University Extension. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  5. ^ Rotenberg, Robert (2008). "Udders, Penises, and Testicles". Ethnology. 47 (2/3): 123–128. ISSN 0014-1828.
  6. ^ "Caldo de cardán". TasteAtlas. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
  7. ^ Oré, Diego (February 5, 2009). "Ni bebida energética ni viagra criollo;caldo de cardán boliviano". Reuters América Latina. Archived from the original on 2009-03-17. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
  8. ^ Spangler, Micah (October 21, 2015). "Bull Penis Soup Is the National Hangover Cure of Bolivia". VICE. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
  9. ^ Cárdenas, José Arturo (February 16, 2014). "Caldo de cardán, el "viagra de los Andes"". Opinión Bolivia (in Spanish). AFP. Archived from the original on 2020-08-07. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
  10. ^ Chacón, Mateo (November 26, 2018). "Conozca los brebajes afrodisiacos de las plazas de mercado de Bogotá". RCN Radio (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-01-03.
  11. ^ "Bull's eyes... and balls! – Mama Eva's Afro-Colombian 'dangerous broth' draws crowds in Cali". www.viory.video. April 24, 2025. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
  12. ^ Sánchez, Enrique (2013), Paseo de olla: Recetas de las cocinas regionales de Colombia (PDF), Biblioteca Básica De Cocinas Tradicionales De Colombia, Colombia: Ministerio de Cultura, p. 192
  13. ^ de Reyes, Patricia Baquerizo (September 4, 2016). "Caldo de tronquito". La Revista (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  14. ^ El tradicional caldo de tronquito, La Hora, November 10, 2019
  15. ^ a b Mera, Michaella Changoluisa (February 5, 2021). "Yo te lo pruebo: Caldo de tronquito, la fuente de la virilidad". Diario Extra (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  16. ^ Guaman, J. (February 25, 2020). "Triple saldo, la sopa energizante". Canal 12 de El Salvador (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-01-03.
  17. ^ Díaz, Cristian (February 4, 2022). ""Cuando le decimos que tenemos tacos de viril (pene de toro), lo toman como broma": Chef de Ahuachapán propone exótica receta". elsalvador.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2025-06-12. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
  18. ^ Thomas, Polly; Vaitlingam, Adam; Brown, Polly Rodger (2003). The Rough Guide to Jamaica (2nd ed.). Rough Guides. p. 38. ISBN 9781843531111.
  19. ^ Allsopp, Richard; Allsopp, Jeannette (2003). Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage. University of the West Indies Press. p. 174. ISBN 978-976-640-145-0.
  20. ^ Tucker, Duncan (April 29, 2016). "Guadalajara's Oldest Cantina Changed Hands 112 Years Ago in a Game Of Poker". VICE. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  21. ^ "My Kind of Holiday: Erica Platter". Sunday Times. New Zealand. October 23, 2011. Retrieved 2026-01-04.
  22. ^ Raberanto, Aina Zo (April 10, 2025), "A soup that's considered an aphrodisiac — thanks to a zebu organ", Healing soup recipes, Part 2: Definitely not your grandma's chicken soup!, NPR
  23. ^ a b Mateer, Noelle (September 18, 2017). "China's Niche Market for Bull Penis Is Small But Powerful". VICE. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  24. ^ a b Ye, Jun (August 22, 2010). "Real man food". ChinaDaily. Beijing. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  25. ^ Spencer, Richard (February 17, 2006). "Menu: Horse penis and testicles with a chilli dip". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2026-01-05 – via ChinaDaily.
  26. ^ "Sex on a plate served up in Asia". News24. South Africa. October 9, 2013. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  27. ^ Foad, Helmi Mohd (November 7, 2019). "20 jenis herba dalam hidangan sup" [20 types of herbs in soup dishes]. WilayahKu (in Malay). Retrieved 2026-01-13.
  28. ^ Jesudason, Tim (March 19, 2015). "Malaysia's Market for Bull Dick Soup is Bigger than Yours". VICE. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
  29. ^ Bakhardurin, Aniul Yaqin Binti (February 12, 2023). "Al-Kafi #1917: Hukum Makan Sup Torpedo" [The Ruling on Eating Torpedo Soup]. Mufti of Federal Territory's Office. Malaysia. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
  30. ^ Harian, Sinar (December 21, 2023). "Hukum makan 'sup torpedo' yang wajib diketahui" [The rules regarding eating 'torpedo soup' that you should know]. Astro Awani (in Malay). Retrieved 2026-01-13.
  31. ^ "Philippines: Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern". Archived from the original on August 27, 2007. Retrieved July 16, 2007.
  32. ^ Sutherland, Matthew. "Philippines From A British Perspective". Archived from the original on July 14, 2007. Retrieved July 16, 2007.
  33. ^ Asiras, Reggie. "More Healing Recipes". Retrieved July 16, 2007. [dead link]
  34. ^ "Soup No. 5, Lanciao". Overseas Pinoy Cooking. February 14, 2011. Archived from the original on October 14, 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  35. ^ Taguchi, Yasunari Ramon Suarez (May 28, 2013). "Culinary Slangs". The Freeman. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  36. ^ "Region X (Northern Mindanao – Misamis Oriental Cagayan de Oro): RM (Remember Me) Soup". Around the Philippines in 12 Plates. Bitesized.ph. April 7, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  37. ^ "Philippines CRAZIEST food? SOUP #5 in MINDANAO". GrooTravel. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  38. ^ Nguyễn, Giụ Hùng (January 1, 2022). "Phở". Northwest Vietnamese News (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 2026-01-03.
  39. ^ Trinh, Thảo (October 2, 2025). "Khách Tây nếm thử món ăn 'ngượng đỏ mặt' ở Hà Nội, trầm trồ khen giòn, ngon". VietNamNet News (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 2026-01-03.
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