Cajun Alligator Bites

Alligator is bayou food at its finest. Folks who've never tried it get nervous, but one bite and they're converts for life. The tail meat is tender, mild, almost sweet. It's closer to chicken than fish, but with a character all its own. My grandmother Evangeline would say that God put gators in Louisiana so we'd have something interesting to eat.

Now here's what most people get wrong: they treat alligator like it's exotic and precious. It's not. It's country food. You season it bold, you fry it hot, and you serve it generous. At Lagniappe, we go through fifty pounds on a busy football weekend. The secret is the buttermilk soak. That acid tenderizes the meat and lets the seasoning work its way deep into every piece. Then you hit it again with seasoned flour. Layers of flavor, that's the bayou way.

Don't be shy with the cayenne. This is Cajun cooking, and Cajun cooking has heat. Start with what I tell you here, taste a piece after frying, and adjust your next batch. Your palate is the final judge. I've been making these for thirty years, and I still taste as I go.