Rattlesnake meat is a southwestern delicacy. If you haven't ever eaten rattlesnake, you are in for a real treat. No, it doesn't taste like chicken! It has a much gamier flavor - much more reminiscent of pheasant, frog legs, alligator, or even elk.
There are two ways to cook rattlesnake meat: De-boned, or with the bones still intact. If you cook it with the bones intact you will have to deal with them while eating it. This is no big deal really, and in fact many "just the snake" type recipes (baked snake, southern fired snake, etc.) call for the snake to be cut into pieces and cooked with the bones.
\"Diet Meals\"
Using the snake meat in chili or other dishes where the meat is blended into the dish calls for removing the bones. This can be done by simmering the snake carcass for an hour in a pot of water with some lemon juice and maybe a little bit of spices. Then the meat will come off the bones easily. Be sure to taste it before mixing it in with the other ingredients!
Here is an easy-to-make recipe for Rattlesnake Chili:
1 large onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can tomato paste
1 28 oz. can chili beans
1/4 cup chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 lb. rattlesnake meat
juice from 1/2 lemon
Simmer rattlesnake in water and lemon juice for 1 hour, remove and separate meat from bones.
Combine de-boned meat with the rest of the ingredients in a crockpot and slow-cook for 6-8 hours, or bring to boil in large cooking pot and simmer for 2 hours.
Cooking with Delicious Rattlesnake Meat
Andrew Kasch loves the flavor of game dishes - Boar, Quail, Elk, Caribou, Pheasant, and of course, Rattlesnake! Find more of his rattlesnake recipes at: http://www.rattlesnakerecipe.us