Python, Rattlesnake, Crocodile

[Food on the brain]

Can anyone tell me what Python, Rattlesnake, and Crocodile taste like and what their texture is like? I'm also going to try some Kangaroo, but have already found some recipes for that. I'm excited to try some of these.

Thx!

[alanbarnes]

I've only had alligator once, and didn't care for it. Tough and a little fishy. I'm willing to assume that it is delicious when prepared well; I just haven't had that experience.

As far as snake goes, I don't care for plain rattlesnake. As others have noted, it tends to be stringy, bony, and dry. But if you simmer the snake, pick the meat off the bones, and make it into cakes (a la crabcakes), it's delicious.

Hudson's restaurant in Austin serves pistachio-crusted rattlesnake cakes in a chipotle cream sauce. I've had 'em (they're very tasty) but can't find a recipe. The Rattlesnake Bar in Boston serves serrano-infused rattlesnake cakes with a mango-jalapeño puree that sound pretty good, too. Here's the recipe: http://poeskitchen.wordpress.com/2009...

[pacheeseguy]

There is a big difference between alligator back meat, which is a brownish-yellow color,
and caiman - South American crocodile. A broader tail of a croc yields a nice white fillet,
with much more flavor and a better texture.

[bushwickgirl]

Crocodile? I've had alligator jambalaya, feh, a bit chewy but somewhat chicken-like with a mild flavor, and a friend of mine had rattlesnake, which he pronounced as "not something I'd eat again." He couldn't seem to describe it beyond that, although he commented it was a bit dry.

[Food on the brain]

Thanks for all the feedback! The crocodile I was looking at is definitely a tail, so if it is mostly "white" meat, I'm not as interested. Sounds Rattlesnake and Python make not be up our alley either. I had intended to suggest that I only wanted comments that didn't say "tastes like chicken," but I see I forgot. ;-)

I'm looking at an Ostrich fan filet, and will probably try some Kangaroo - strip loin. Always interested in trying something different. Bison, Boar, Elk etc. we have tried and quite like, and now it's time to try something else new. :-)

[coll]

It's not like white meat on chicken, more like veal I would say. Ostrich is definitely red/ dark.

[Food on the brain]

Ah - thanks for the clarification. Love veal - perhaps we will try the Crocodile after all. Any thoughts, coll, on the rattlesnake and python?

I've had ostrich before - long time ago, and I seem to recall liking it quite a bit. I'm looking forward to giving it a try again.

[coll]

I've been places where rattlesnake etc has been served, but only to a select few, and I wasn't one of them. I wasn't begging for any though. Alligator is another story, especially deep fried nuggets, I could eat a million of them.

[EricMM]

Snake, as everyone said, is dry and stringy. Boring food. Alligator reminds me of veal...kind of like a cross between veal and mild freshwater fish. Not much flavor on its own. I'm not a fan of ostrich..like slightly beefy turkey...not beefy enough for me. I had kangaroo once..it was fantastic! Really rich flavor..like the best venison. I'm not a fan of bison. Not enough flavor......grass fed beef is far better.

[todao]

Never had Python, Rattlesnake tastes (honestly) a little like chicken but it's somewhat dry and chewy, and I haven't had "Crocodile" but I've had Alligator (in a restaurant) and it tasted like gym socks smell; UGH!

[petitgateau]

The crocodile meat that I ate was a bit gelatinous. I didn't finish my bite of it...

[coll]

Alligator comes tail meat (like white) and then the rest which is cheap and disgusting. So inquire with crocodile, probably the same deal.

[foiegras]

Crocodile is the only one on your list I've had ... it's chewy. And not at all like chicken of course ... I suspect it might be less chewy if cooked expertly ...

Ostrich is fantastic if you're on an exotic kick ...

[Bada Bing]

"Tastes like chicken," of course!

But seriously, I'm curious to see what people say here. I used to see some of these things at Detroit's Eastern Market, and would be interested in trying them, too.

[foodiesnorth]

Snake: dry, boney. Had it a few times (rattlesnake and python) and really did not enjoy either.

Alligator: depends on the cut. We braise it NOLA style in an etouffe and everyone loves it. We have that a few times a year.

Kangaroo: we eat a lot of wild meat from Canada (all commerically processed, I am not a hunter!). We eat musk ox, caribou, bison and elk all the time and they share one characteristic: they are not marbled. As such a tenderloin from any of the animals is easy to cook the same way you cook a beef tenderloin. The other cuts need fat and/or moisture during cooking...of eat it raw as a tartar. One chef at a northern food function we held cooked a roast of caribou by putting a pig skin (fat and all) on it..wow did that work well! It was really good.

Kangaroo is not all that different tasting than beef.

We eat odd meats all the time, so we are happy to answer any other questions!