Cooking Gator

#1
kiddiedoc

kiddiedoc

Renaissance Man
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#1
Anyone had success grilling gator tail? I tried years ago, but it was so tough. I'm convinced that serving gator as an appetizer tomorrow night is crucial to us winning the game, and I'd prefer not to have to deep fry.

(Posted in this forum for exposure and to encourage others to follow suit...)
 
#3
#3
I'm sure some diehard tailgaters will be serving gator before and after the game.

Doc, it's tomorrow at noon, not tomorrow night.
 
#5
#5
marinate it in whatever overnight.. and cut into small pieces..... tenderize if you like, (beat that danged gator with sumn dude) and then drop em in egg and then flour and toss into the deep fryer.... little gator nuggets!!:clapping::pepper:
 
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#6
#6
AirVol said:
I'm sure some diehard tailgaters will be serving gator before and after the game.

Doc, it's tomorrow at noon, not tomorrow night.
Click to expand...

The game is actually Saturday. Tomorrow night, I am entertaining out-of-town guests. There will be no cooking going on in section D. :)
 
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#9
#9
I'm glad someone started this thread. I picked up 2 lbs of gator meat, but I have no clue how to cook it.

I've heard that frying it was easiest/best, but I'd love to hear other options.
 
#11
#11
Guys from Louisiana that park next to us in the infield at Talladega cook gator every year.

They season the hell out of it and inject it with Cajun spices, wrap it up in foil and cook it over a grill for about 6 hours.
 
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#12
#12
VolFan_N_NC said:
I'm glad someone started this thread. I picked up 2 lbs of gator meat, but I have no clue how to cook it.

I've heard that frying it was easiest/best, but I'd love to hear other options.
Click to expand...

It is good fried, I think I used a Paula Dean recipe the last time I cooked it.

I'm just trying to stay out of the kitchen by putting it on the Kamado with some ribeyes. Looking online, it looks like tenderizing with a meat mallet and marinating are important...
 
#17
#17
My best advice, based on our failed attempt, make sure FOR THE LOVE OF GOD that you get all the fat cut off. We didn't know this small detail, and almost turned the tailgate into a Vomitorium.
 
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#18
#18
I deep fried it last year after dredging it in a cajun breading and then had a couple of different sauces to dip it in. The family liked it in Buffalo sauce the best!

EDIT: it doesnt take to long to cook so watch it closely or it will turn to rubber.
 
#19
#19
AirVol said:
Guys from Louisiana that park next to us in the infield at Talladega cook gator every year.

They season the hell out of it and inject it with Cajun spices, wrap it up in foil and cook it over a grill for about 6 hours.
Click to expand...

The key there is to make the foil tightly sealed... it will essentially steam in its own juices that way. That also works of you're in a big hurry to make ribs (1-1/2 hours in a foil pouch, plus a browning on each side gets you more-or-less restaurant style ribs) or cooking something tougher, like cheek meat or tongue.

(source: worked on and off in casual dining/turn-n-burns for 10 years between real "grown-up" jobs)
 
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#20
#20
Living down here near cajun country, gator is best served fried. If it is overcooked it is really chewy. Good gator should be a little flaky.
 
#21
#21
Papain meat tenderizer is your friend for really tough meat. It comes from papaya, and breaks down the fibrous protien in meats. Get a meat injector, chose an injectable marinade that piques your fancy, add the papain powder but be sure you follow the directions and only add the right amount per pound or you'll get mush with a crispy shell.

Best way .. Fry it like fried chicken with your favorite fried chicken recipe. ... But soak it overnight in a buttermilk marinade to tenderize it.

People have used milk or buttermilk forever to tendrize and buttermilk works well if your going to fry. It's lightly acid and thick so the flour/cornmeal spice blend sticks well.

Cut the gator in small pieces and refrigerate in lightly salted buttermilk marinade spiced to taste. Black pepper, fresh ground peppercorns, or crushed red pepper? Garlic? Cayenne? The Kentucky Fried recipe guesses off the internet? Too many different tastes in spices so follow your own preferences.

Have a pan of flour and a pan of lightly peppered cornmeal ready. Maybe a little crushed red pepper in the cornmeal or a little of Zatarain's rub if you like it hot or cajun, but not too much 'cause some folk don't like spicy or hot at all.

Quickly, drop thouroughly wetted marinated gator meat in the flour (don't roll as you get too much of a flour paste, lift flip and drop other side, Now you can roll it in the spicy cornmeal which will stick to the flour paste well and give you more of a spicy cracklin kind of crispy as you fry it up.
 
#22
#22
Dragging gators back and forth on a very large field for 60 mins will tenderize them just fine.
 
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#23
#23
Don't do anything to it until you marinate it for at least 12 hours. I've always used lemon juice and salt. It needs to be small pieces like 2 inches long max. If you want it really tender put it on a cutting board place saran wrap over it and pound it with a mallet until it's 1/4 inch thin. Deep frying is best. To grill it use indirect heat if possible and try cook it for a longer period of time.
 
#24
#24
I've never liked Gator, I think it has a dirty taste too it, maybe it's in my head. Or maybe it's the nasty swamp water where they live
 
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