Want to cook those Florida Gators’ tails on Saturday? (UK plays Florida at 3:30 p.m. Saturday)
Right now, there’s plenty of gator meat in town. But if you want to make sure you have it for your tailgating party, call these places today:
- Charlie’s Fresh Seafood & Carry-Out Market, 928 Winchester Road, (859) 255-6005.
- Critchfield Meats, Zandale Shopping Center, 2200 Nicholasville Road, (859) 276-4965.
- Lexington Seafood Market, 867 East High Street, (859)-266-8888.
Barry Sissle, co-owner of Charlie’s, said you need to pre-order if you want gator. “This is the most gator meat we’ve ordered, in the 14 years I’ve been here. We have a whole bunch of it going out,” he said. It’s $10 for a 1-pound package.
Mike Yessin at Lexington Seafood is selling some of the gator already prepared, or for $12.95 pound. It’s $12.29 for a 1-pound package at Critchfield Meats.
The alligator’s white meat has a fine, light-grained texture that many people compare favorably to pork and chicken. It’s sold frozen and it’s best thawed in the refrigerator and used promptly. Do not re-freeze once thawed. Many of your favorite recipes for veal, chicken and seafood may be successfully prepared using alligator. Here are some recipes suitable for tailgating.
Fried alligator
2 pounds Florida alligator meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup flour
Season alligator cubes with garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Combine eggs, milk and mix well. Roll each piece of alligator in flour then dip in egg and milk batter. Shake off excess batter and deep fry at 325 degrees until golden brown.
Source: www.fl.seafood.com
Speared gator
12 wooden skewers
2 pounds Florida alligator meat
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin seed
1 teaspoon paprika
Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes. Cut alligator meat into 1-by 1-inch cubes. Place four to five pieces of the meat on each wooden skewer until all the meat is used. Put skewers in a flat bottom glass container and set aside. Combine next five ingredients and mix well. Brush mixture onto spears, making sure they are coated on all sides. Marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour. Cook 6 to 8 inches over medium hot coals for 6 to 7 minutes on each side. Can be served hot or cold. Makes 12 spears.
Source: www.fl-seafood.com
Christopher’s croc pot chili
1 pound ground alligator meat
1 pound ground beef
2 onions
1 green bell pepper
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 16-ounce cans whole stewed tomatoes with juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons to 2 tablespoons hot sauce, to taste
2 16-ounce cans spicy chili beans
2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (garnish)
Mix ground gator meat and ground beef together. Place in large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven. Add onions, pepper, garlic and mushrooms. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until meat is thoroughly cooked. Remove meat and vegetables with a wooden spoon and drain. Set aside. Discard any fat in pan.
Pour tomatoes with juice into Dutch oven or stockpot. Add oregano, pepper, salt, chili powder, and hot sauce. Stir to mix. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in meat and vegetables. Add beans. Simmer an additional 12 to 15 minutes. Blend in peanut butter and heat throughout. Remove from heat, top with shredded cheese and serve.
If you use a slow-cooker, brown the meat and drain it. Put meat and other ingredients, except spices and cheese, into the pot. Stir; add spices and stir again. Cook on low heat for 3 hours or on high for 1 1/2 hours. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Source: The Gourmet Gator Cookbook by Lindy Brookhart Stevens
This recipe is from Emeril lagasse which he prepared on his Food Network show, Emeril Live.
Alligator sauce piquante over creamy stone ground grits
4 cups whole milk
4 tablespoons butter
Salt
1 cup stone ground white grits
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound alligator meat, cut into 2-inch strips
Creole seasoning
1 cup flour
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeno peppers
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
2 bay leaves
2 1/2 cups peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
3 cups chicken stock
Cayenne
1/2 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons chopped green onions, green part only
In a saucepan, over high heat, bring the milk and 2 tablespoons of the butter to a boil. Season with salt. Stir in the grits, reduce the heat to medium low. Cook, stirring occasionally until the grits are tender, about 1 1/2 hours. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil. Season the alligator meat and flour with Creole seasoning. Toss the meat in the seasoned flour, coating completely. When the oil is hot, brown the alligator meat on all sides. Remove and set aside. Add the onions, green onions, celery, bell peppers, jalapenos, and garlic. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the herbs and bay leaves and continue sauteing for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and stock. Season with cayenne, salt and pepper. Add the alligator. Simmer the sauce for about 30 minutes or until the alligator meat is tender. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir the heavy cream into the grits. Season with salt and white pepper. To serve, spoon the grits in the center of each serving bowl. Spoon the alligator mixture over the grits. Garnish with green onions.
Source: www.foodnetwork.com
