BBQ Gator Ribs

Fulltimer

Fulltimer

New Member
I just picked up some gator ribs for tomorrow night. I have had tons of gator tail but never had the ribs so this could be interesting! There is a restaurant down on gator ally in the glades that specializes in ribs but that is just to far to try them. $22.00 for 2.5 pounds. They better be good!

Terry
 
There used to be a place out near 40 mile bend on the Tamiami Trail that had gator tail and ribs. If the ones you're getting are anywhere near what that place used to offer, you're in for a treat. Something like frog legs but lots more meat. Are yours pre cooked or are you going to do them? A charcoal fire is essential with something good to baste them in. Beer works great along with a little oily salad dressing. Don't burn them! Keep them slightly on the rare side. Enjoy, let us know how they are?
Tom
 
I worked on a seismograph boat in the early 80s off the backwaters off the coast of Louisiana we had a Cajun cook that cook up a good mess of Cajun gator tail and ribs.. for an ole boy from up north it sure was a different taste. He also made jumbalaya, gumbo, shrimp creole... crawdads... some of the stuff I didn't know what it was but if it didn't crawl off the plate you ate it.
buzzard
 
Viet Nam, Thailand, and a few other places, they had dried squid that looked like beef jerky. It was sold from corner street vendors and I loved it. Like chewing on salty beef with a fishy flavor. I used to find gator tail meat done the same way on my trips into the glades in Florida. They would stip it and hang it up to dry but it was soaked in heaven knows what first. Great stuff.
You guys are making me homesick. Conch fritters, lobster fresh from the water and shrimp that had never been frozen...fresh off the boats....oh, and beer, cold beer with the ocean just feet from where you were sitting.
Tom
 
I will be BBQ'n them myself. They are raw not precooked. One of my favorite places to eat here in Saint Augustine is out on the island. The South Beach Grill, right on the beach. We go up on the second floor so we can see over the sand dune. Yep, fresh conch fritters and fresh sea food. Pretty hard to beat! I too grew up on deer and anything else out of the woods and fields of Pennsylvania. The deer down here just look like a long legged dogs. Pitiful excuse for a deer!

Back to the gator. Some places cook the daylights out of gator tail and you end up with a chewy hunk of nothing. Just like frog legs, they can be easily over cooked. I had a hard time getting these ribs. You would think that it would be easy to get them here in Florida. I finally got a butcher shop to ask their suppliers for the tails to ask them for ribs.

Cross your fingers guys! If I get them to turn out right I'll send out an invitation for everyone to join me on the next batch! I can see it now...a nice long group ride followed with gator ribs and beer!!

Terry
 
I might be able to hook you up on any gator you want. I work with a liscenced trapper. It wouldn't be until next summer befor we start catching gator again. If you want to buy frozen we could do one large batch for ya. I bet we could beat that price too. pm me if your interested.

I live up in St. Simons Island
 
The verdict is in. They were great! I marinated them in olive oil, extra virgin (is there really such a thing as extra virgin) of course, garlic, salt and pepper. Instead of putting them on the grill I used the "Set it and Forget It!". It was raining and I just didn't feel up to the whole thing.

I had some bare and some with BBQ sauce. Both were good.

Terry
 
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