Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Mountain Oysters - Rocky Mountain Style

MOUNTAIN OYSTERS

Buckhorn Exchange
1000 Osage, Denver, CO - (303) 534-9505
The  Buckhorn Exchange is Denvers oldest Restaurant serving up half - a - pound size hamburgers to a Five Pound Steak called the Big Boy.  The menu is devoted to the Cowboy Cuisine of the Old-West with such dishes on the menu like Rocky Mountain Oysters, shown above which are deep fried bull testicles. Other meats include Bison, Elk, and Rattlesnake, with an impressive steak menu that will not come cheap. 
The atmosphere is outfitted with an array of antique firearms, furniture along with wild trophy game hung about the walls shot by the former owner Shorty Zietz. 


Rocky Mountain Oysters
Ingredients:

2 pounds calf testicles
2 cups beer
2 eggs, beaten
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup yellow cornmea1
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Vegetable oil
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce

Be sure to ask your butcher for calf testicles, not bull testicles. Calf testicles are the size of a walnut and are much more tender than the larger bull testicles. Bull testicles will be tough.

In a large deep cast iron skillet, or fryer add enough vegetable oil to fill your frying container half-full: This allows for bubbling/ splatter while completely covering the calf testicles when frying.

Preparation:

With a very sharp knife, split the tough skin-like muscle that surrounds each testicle. Remove the skin (you can remove the skin easily if the testicles are frozen, then peel while thawing). Slice each testicle into approximately 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick ovals. Place slices in a large pan or blow with enough beer to cover them; cover and let sit 2 hours.

In a shallow bowl, combine eggs, flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Remove testicles from beer; drain and dredge thoroughly in the flour mixture. In a large, deep cast iron skillet, heat oil to 375 degrees F.  Fry testicles for 3 minutes or until golden brown. The Mountain Oysters should float to the surface of the oil when done. With a strainer, remove and set on paper towel to absorb excess oil before serving. Serve warm and with your favorite hot sauce. Note: Always when frying foods, have a lid available that can cover the skillet in case oil ignites.

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6 comments:

  1. I like your blog very much! the history behind chuckwagons, cookies and cowboys is amazing thank you for sharing sooo many info about! ciao from Francesca, Italy ps: I soon will try to make sourdough bisquits and post them on my blog, and I am asking your permission of put one of your chuckwagon pictures on it. Thank you !

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  2. Francy, Good luck on your post and per your email, yes you can use the picture: I'd like to thank you and we look forward reading you post, too.

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  3. is there something that you can use other than beer?

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    Replies
    1. You could use a mix of milk and vinegar (1.5 cup milk and 1/2 cup vinegar) Marinating meat with naturally acidic ingredients, like vinegar or citrus juices, tenderizes the meat, making your protein easier to digest.

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  4. I've ate them before. But where can you buy them?

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    Replies
    1. Most meat markets carry Rocky Mountain Oysters (testicles) beef or lamb: Check with your local market, and when not in stock, they can possibly order for you

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