exotic meats
 

I love to eat meat, and when I go to restaurants I tend to have what I'm most used to, which is beef, lamb, chicken and the occasional other poultry (ignore seafood for the purposes of this thread). Lately I've been wondering if I miss out on anything by not ordering some of the less common things that I occasionally see on the menu, such as kangaroo or ostrich. So, what kinds of meat do you eat that are non-traditional in the U.S. or Europe? Is there anything that you would really recommend?

Re: exotic meats
 

Tubesteak.

Re: exotic meats
 

Buffalo and elk are both very good lean meats. I have eaten alot of wild game, both birds and animals. Quail, dove, pheasant, venison (deer), and boar are all good when prepared well. In fact bacon wrapped dove with jalepeno and venison diane are two of my favorite rare dishes.

I have always wanted to try horse as I hear it is a slightly sweet different meat.

Re: exotic meats
 

in boston there are 2 restaurants owned by the same people that have wild boar dishes. one is angle hair in plum tomato sause with wild boar meat balls and the other is wild boar bolegase

Re: exotic meats
 

[ QUOTE ]
Tubesteak.

[/ QUOTE ]

Smothered in underwear?

OP, how about trying different kinds of seafood. There's all kinds out there and many ways of making it.

Or you could get into what's been called "snout to tail" eating and find out about all the stuff that Americans tend to pass by -- jowls, tongue, brain, various organ meats, tripe, sweatbreads, etc. This is actually starting to make a comeback among American foodies, and used to be just regular everyday food.

Re: exotic meats
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Tubesteak.

[/ QUOTE ]

Smothered in underwear?

OP, how about trying different kinds of seafood. There's all kinds out there and many ways of making it.

Or you could get into what's been called "snout to tail" eating and find out about all the stuff that Americans tend to pass by -- jowls, tongue, brain, various organ meats, tripe, sweatbreads, etc. This is actually starting to make a comeback among American foodies, and used to be just regular everyday food.

[/ QUOTE ]


Tripe is actually really good, the hard part is finding the restaurants that serve the food though, rather than deciding on what to try.

Re: exotic meats
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Tubesteak.

[/ QUOTE ]

Smothered in underwear?

OP, how about trying different kinds of seafood. There's all kinds out there and many ways of making it.

Or you could get into what's been called "snout to tail" eating and find out about all the stuff that Americans tend to pass by -- jowls, tongue, brain, various organ meats, tripe, sweatbreads, etc. This is actually starting to make a comeback among American foodies, and used to be just regular everyday food.

[/ QUOTE ]

I love seafood, but I've tried a lot of stuff. I don't think I've ever eaten anything from the sea that I don't like. I just wanted to hear about different "earth animals" in this thread because I have less experience with a variety of them. I also eat a lot of tripe. brains fried in breadcrumbs are a particular favorite.

Re: exotic meats
 

[ QUOTE ]
Tripe is actually really good, the hard part is finding the restaurants that serve the food though, rather than deciding on what to try.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm turkish, and having various kinds of tripe soup with lots of garlic and vinegar after a long night of drinking is pretty standard. Right now I live in spain and most restaurants serve various kinds of tripe. They also serve a lot of cheek meat that I love. One thing I haven't gotten around to trying yet is pigs ears, about which I've heard mixed reviews.

Re: exotic meats
 

Mountain oysters.

Re: exotic meats
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Tripe is actually really good, the hard part is finding the restaurants that serve the food though, rather than deciding on what to try.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm turkish, and having various kinds of tripe soup with lots of garlic and vinegar after a long night of drinking is pretty standard. Right now I live in spain and most restaurants serve various kinds of tripe. They also serve a lot of cheek meat that I love. One thing I haven't gotten around to trying yet is pigs ears, about which I've heard mixed reviews.

[/ QUOTE ]


Ive had pigs foot/ear that was used to flavor tomato sauce, I just tried a little peice, nothing spectacular. What is really funny about this whole trend is that people are paying tons of money, to eat crap. Snoot, ears, feet, tail, those are [censored] parts of the pig, and the only reason to eat them is because there was nothing else available. People are paying top dollar to eat like poor people, and dont even realize it.

Re: exotic meats
 

Alligator ftw.

Only saw it in one place before, but it's pretty good, like a chicken/swordfish combo texture wise with quite a unique taste.

Re: exotic meats
 

[ QUOTE ]
Alligator ftw.

Only saw it in one place before, but it's pretty good, like a chicken/swordfish combo texture wise with quite a unique taste.

[/ QUOTE ]

alligator is the [censored], I eat it all the time (friends own a restaurant that have fried alligator as an app). Last time I was there, the chef made us alligator ribs, they were great. He boiled them, baked em, smoked them in a smoker, then grilled them to crust them over, [censored] great.

Re: exotic meats
 

[ QUOTE ]
Alligator ftw.

Only saw it in one place before, but it's pretty good, like a chicken/swordfish combo texture wise with quite a unique taste.

[/ QUOTE ]

where did you eat this? it sounds like it would be interesting to try. for some reason i think alligator meat would be really tough but i guess i'm just associating it with the skin. any details on how it was prepared?

Re: exotic meats
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Alligator ftw.

Only saw it in one place before, but it's pretty good, like a chicken/swordfish combo texture wise with quite a unique taste.

[/ QUOTE ]

where did you eat this? it sounds like it would be interesting to try. for some reason i think alligator meat would be really tough but i guess i'm just associating it with the skin. any details on how it was prepared?

[/ QUOTE ]


Most cajun, or creole restaurants have some form of alligator, its skinned obv, and he was spot on, its a cross between chicken (as far as density), and imo frog legs. Usually it is batter dipped and deep fried w/ cajun spice. Its usually the underside that is eaten.

Re: exotic meats
 

Stay away from emu jerky.

Re: exotic meats
 

How about pickled pigs feet? My dad was crazy for those.

Oh, and how about chicken feet? Asians go crazy for 'em.

Re: exotic meats
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Tripe is actually really good, the hard part is finding the restaurants that serve the food though, rather than deciding on what to try.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm turkish, and having various kinds of tripe soup with lots of garlic and vinegar after a long night of drinking is pretty standard. Right now I live in spain and most restaurants serve various kinds of tripe. They also serve a lot of cheek meat that I love. One thing I haven't gotten around to trying yet is pigs ears, about which I've heard mixed reviews.

[/ QUOTE ]


Ive had pigs foot/ear that was used to flavor tomato sauce, I just tried a little peice, nothing spectacular. What is really funny about this whole trend is that people are paying tons of money, to eat crap. Snoot, ears, feet, tail, those are [censored] parts of the pig, and the only reason to eat them is because there was nothing else available. People are paying top dollar to eat like poor people, and dont even realize it.

[/ QUOTE ]


Ummm. Ever eat potted meat, vienna sausages, spam? That's exactly what you're eating.

Re: exotic meats
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Tripe is actually really good, the hard part is finding the restaurants that serve the food though, rather than deciding on what to try.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm turkish, and having various kinds of tripe soup with lots of garlic and vinegar after a long night of drinking is pretty standard. Right now I live in spain and most restaurants serve various kinds of tripe. They also serve a lot of cheek meat that I love. One thing I haven't gotten around to trying yet is pigs ears, about which I've heard mixed reviews.

[/ QUOTE ]


Ive had pigs foot/ear that was used to flavor tomato sauce, I just tried a little peice, nothing spectacular. What is really funny about this whole trend is that people are paying tons of money, to eat crap. Snoot, ears, feet, tail, those are [censored] parts of the pig, and the only reason to eat them is because there was nothing else available. People are paying top dollar to eat like poor people, and dont even realize it.

[/ QUOTE ]


Ummm. Ever eat potted meat, vienna sausages, spam? That's exactly what you're eating.

[/ QUOTE ]


no, but if I did I wouldnt pay 30$ for it like a bunch of idiots are doing nowadays.

Re: exotic meats
 

Rocky Mountain Oysters

Re: exotic meats
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Alligator ftw.

Only saw it in one place before, but it's pretty good, like a chicken/swordfish combo texture wise with quite a unique taste.

[/ QUOTE ]

where did you eat this? it sounds like it would be interesting to try. for some reason i think alligator meat would be really tough but i guess i'm just associating it with the skin. any details on how it was prepared?

[/ QUOTE ]

I ate it in a restaurant called 'Old Orleans' In Reading UK. It was just a steak (no skin) and my guess was that it was panfried and then baked in the oven.... not sure how it was spiced though, but it was good.

It was also a few years back and haven't seen it anywhere since.

Re: exotic meats
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Tripe is actually really good, the hard part is finding the restaurants that serve the food though, rather than deciding on what to try.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm turkish, and having various kinds of tripe soup with lots of garlic and vinegar after a long night of drinking is pretty standard. Right now I live in spain and most restaurants serve various kinds of tripe. They also serve a lot of cheek meat that I love. One thing I haven't gotten around to trying yet is pigs ears, about which I've heard mixed reviews.

[/ QUOTE ]


Ive had pigs foot/ear that was used to flavor tomato sauce, I just tried a little peice, nothing spectacular. What is really funny about this whole trend is that people are paying tons of money, to eat crap. Snoot, ears, feet, tail, those are [censored] parts of the pig, and the only reason to eat them is because there was nothing else available. People are paying top dollar to eat like poor people, and dont even realize it.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's how I've felt when eating with Asians sometimes at authentic places and at home. They love to eat chicken's feet and gelatinated blocks of blood and even just huge hunks of cartilage(which is basically flavorless but has a not particularly appealing texture, to me anyway).

To me this is all just trash, even if you find something to like in the flavor. And ligaments and tendons and cartilage have next to no flavor, so what's the point? Yet even wealthy Asians will shovel this stuff in happily. I've gone to a big Asian meal where there was basically almost nothing I would consider "real" to eat -- just tendon and blood and cartilage. Just scraps. I can eat it, but it's not fun and not satisfying.

Re: exotic meats
 

[ QUOTE ]
I love to eat meat, and when I go to restaurants I tend to have what I'm most used to, which is beef, lamb, chicken and the occasional other poultry

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm completely the opposite. If its got a meat I haven't ever had on the menu, that's what I'm going to get the vast majority of the time. The worst "meat" I've had is chicken feet. I just couldn't get around actually chewing through the foot bones and then sucking the meat and gristle off the toes. It was cooked in some sort of garlic/ginger sauce, so the taste was ok, but I couldn't help but think the whole time that any chicken meat would taste just as good without the texture problems.

When I worked at a smaller commercial kitchen in Utah, I ordered rattlesnake, planning on making a rattlesnake stew as an entree. There was about a week lag between ordering and delivery. Apparently word got out that it was coming, and there were a ton of Navajos working there. They literally wanted to hurt me for even daring to order rattlesnake. Apparently its a sacred animal to them, and if I had received it and cooked, they couldn't eat anything cooked in the same pot, with the same knife, with the same tongs, etc, ever again. My order was diverted to an upscale restaurant and I never got to try it.

This was the same place where a coworker had his brakes sabotaged, so there were definitely some anti-social, angry people around.

Re: exotic meats
 

gah i thought the thread was about this

Re: exotic meats
 

squab is pretty awesome.

Re: exotic meats
 

Bald Eagle is unspeakably toothsome.

Re: exotic meats
 

[ QUOTE ]
Lately I've been wondering if I miss out on anything by not ordering some of the less common things that I occasionally see on the menu, such as kangaroo or ostrich.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've never had ostrich, but I've had kangaroo steak a few times. It was tender, juicy and delicious. It tasted like beef.

Re: exotic meats
 

My ex-gf used to love to eat chicken feet when we went to Dim Sum restaraunts. I tried them once and now I get a gag reflex every time I think about it. Good times.

Re: exotic meats
 

Venison will always attract my attention on a menu. Rabbit will, also.

Frogs legs are light and tender.

Just yesterday for lunch I had an octopus stew at Steven's (Greek restaurant) in Boston Back Bay that was superb.

Re: exotic meats
 

Buffalo is good, but get it rare -- it dries out fast.

If you can find and old-school Italian place that cooks it right, tripe can be pretty delicious.

I like ostrich, but only when it comes wrapped in bacon.

Re: exotic meats
 

+1 for the alligator recommendation. I've had it both fried (just OK) and grilled in a fajita (AWESOME). Grilled, it has the flavor of dark meat chicken but the consistency/mouthfeel of steak. Very good imo.

Re: exotic meats
 

Frog legs: not bad but wouldn't eat again. Not tasty enough to justify eating that nasty little thing

Snails: texture is exactly like you'd expect. It's kinda slimy and crunchy at the same time. The only thing that makes it almost edible is the garlic butter.

Soft Crab: Usually deep-fried. Only crab i know that you eat *with* the shell. It's actually really nice. The shell taste a bit like fried chicken skin.

Brain: Veal or lamb. I used to love it when i was a kid. Boiled with a little bit of lemon juice. I haven't eaten any in years and don't think i will.

Re: exotic meats
 

Dog is pretty good I thought.

Re: exotic meats
 

Had bear. Tough, not as good flavor as beef.

Re: exotic meats
 

[ QUOTE ]
What is really funny about this whole trend is that people are paying tons of money, to eat crap. Snoot, ears, feet, tail, those are [censored] parts of the pig, and the only reason to eat them is because there was nothing else available. People are paying top dollar to eat like poor people, and dont even realize it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Testa? That's headcheese, which Batali defines this way: "You take everything north of the shoulder on a pig--the eyebrows, a big hunk of nostril, all that good stuff--and put it in a pot." Boil and serve as an appetizer--for $10, at Batali's flagship restaurant, Babbo. .... Three, Batali thinks it's funny to serve headcheese for 10 bucks.

Time article on Batali

Re: exotic meats
 

I don't know if there is one around wherever you are from, but look for a Brazilian churrascaria. It's an all-you-can-eat style restaurant where they have guys walking around with various meats on a skewer and cut you pieces at your request. If you find a good one, there will be tons of exotic meats. That's how I've tried alligator, quail, and a couple other meats I'm not remembering.

Also, one of my new favorites are frozen buffalo burger patties from Trader Joe's. They cook really quick, they are pretty tasty, and it's something like 15g fat & 45g protein per patty. Fairly heathly as meat goes.

Re: exotic meats
 

All,

wrt to buffalo, always check the package/menu for "100% buffalo" or "90%" or whatever. Buffalo is so lean that most places selling buffalo burgers actually cut it with beef, to aid in ease of cooking. Some places that have buffalo are actually serving you as much as 50% beef.

Re: exotic meats
 

Buffalo/Bison is awesome and getting pretty common around here (mid hudson area of NY). From burgers (you can even get them at Ruby Tuesdays, a chain of sorts) to steaks to jerky, it's great.

Alligator tail is also great. I prefer fried with a variety of dipping sauces. Easy to find in FL and LA.

I have tried Rabbit and found it a bit greasy-ish and gamier than I'd like, but that could be the way it was prepared.

Ostrich is next on the list, supposed to be very healthy and tasty but never tried it. They carry it in one of the local supermarkets but I don't think it sells very often (and therefore is not likely fresh, imo).

Re: exotic meats
 

Abaloney but its prolly the most expensive thing ever.

Re: exotic meats
 

I don't know whether to be relieved or disappointed that this thread is not actually about, as I first read it, erotic meats.

Re: exotic meats
 

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know whether to be relieved or disappointed that this thread is not actually about, as I first read it, erotic meats.

[/ QUOTE ]

It was briefly with guids' mention of tubesteak.