Entre: Alligator Courtbouillon (pronounced koo be aw)

happytidefan

All-SEC
Jul 24, 2008
1,576
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Columbus, Mississippi
Courtbouillon is like a gumbo, or soup.

I buy my alligator from a reputable vendor that sells seafood out of a truck roadside. Always check for tags to make sure it meets all the safety requirements.

Alligator Courtbouillon

5# Alligator (cut into bite size pieces)
1 bottle Italian Salad Dressing

Marinate the alligator in the dressing overnight. (May tenderize it somewhat but it also takes away some of the muddy flavor that it may have). Drain well in a collander.

2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 c green onions tops, chopped
1 1/2 c onions, chopped
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup plain flour
1 cup oil
1/4 c parsley, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 tsp Tony Cacheres seasoning
2 or 3 tsp cayenne pepper (suit to your tastes - 3 is a bit much for me)
1 8 oz can tomato paste
4 quarts chicken stock or water

Use a cast iron dutch oven or a big pot with a heavy bottom. Make light roux by browning oil and flour in a over medium heat until its the color of peanut butter, stirring it the entire time. (Never walk away from the pot when you're making roux...the stuff will burn and there's no alternative but to start all over). Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic and cook for just a few minutes until the veggies are tender. Add tomato paste and cook about 20 minutes. Skim off any oil on top and discard. Add stock/water, salt, cayenne and Tony's seasoning and cook 20 more minutes. Add green onions, parsley and alligator and cook for 30 minutes or until alligator is tender.

Serve in a bowl with a scoop of cooked rice in the middle of the bowl. Garnish with more parsley or green onions if you wish.

If you can't find alligator (or you'd just as soon not eat alligator), you may use catfish or shrimp, but don't cook either the fish or the shrimp as long...in fact, I would add either or both, cut the burner off, put a lid on the pot and let it sit about 5 or 6 minutes.
 

2003TIDE

Hall of Fame
Jul 10, 2007
8,576
4,849
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ATL
Never made gator. Is there a particular cut you ask for? Or is most of it tail meat?
 

Tidefan7887

Scout Team
Oct 27, 2006
185
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Tuscaloosa, AL
Does anyone have a good recipe they use for frying alligator. I have looked at a bunch online and have a good idea what I can do, but if some has a 'proven' recipe they'd like to share that would be great!
 

happytidefan

All-SEC
Jul 24, 2008
1,576
0
0
Columbus, Mississippi
I've eaten it fried a few times....sometimes the texture of it is not pleasing to me. I have never fried it, but some of my coonass relatives have, and most recently I've noticed that they marinate it overnight in something - that something varies, but Italian Dressing works fine. And yes, to my knowledge, all the gator I have eaten is from the tail.
 

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