When we visited Louisiana in 2004 I tried alligator on a number of occasions, but I was never able to get it cooked in any way other than breaded and fried. I've since cooked it on my grill and found it wonderful without breading and frying. To me, the breading ruins it. So, on a recent visit to Florida I was pleasantly surprised to find some alligator that was for sale, without breading. I had to try it. The first was while attending a seminar in Kissimmee, outside of Orlando. I noticed a pickup truck off the side of the road with a sign advertising "alligator jerky." I couldn't resist. The jerky was sold in a plastic, ziploc, sandwich bag. It was relatively thick, moist and had a very pleasant flavor.
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| alligator jerky |
I brought most of it back home where it was particularly enjoyed by my granddaughters. If I were to encounter that same truck again, I would stop for more.
The second situation was just outside Everglades National Park. There is a small house, turned restaurant, called Gator Grill, in Homestead.
They had a gator sandwich, so I went inside and asked if it was breaded and fried. No, they said, the alligator was grilled.
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| alligator cooking on the grill |
There was nothing fancy about the sandwich, it had a bun, slice of tomato, lettuce, grilled alligator and two types of sauce that both look mayonnaise based.
But it tasted quite good, much better than all of the fried alligator I ate in Louisiana.
As long as I don't think about it too much, I quite enjoy alligator. The jerky and sandwich were especially good.
ReplyDeleteI have had Alligator Jerky before. It had a tough texture, tougher than normal jerky, but it did taste quite similar to your description.
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