Covid times has brought many positive things in my life. One of them are my daily walks. And after 24 years of living in Corral de Tierra area I have finally met most of our neighbors along my walking route.
One of the people is a Rancher named Scott. Here are a few things that come to mind about connecting with Scott, He has been so kind. During spring time I collected feathers when he saw that I was collecting them he gave me a few special ones that he found on his ranch. Also when he saw the article in ‘In The Loop magazine of my “Bay Leaf Wreath Making” Scott asked if I needed anymore bay leafs that there were a few trees way up on his property, of course I said Yes! Scott gave me a beautiful bushel of bay leafs which I used as Christmas gifts attaching a recipe “How to make Bay Leaf Tea”.
So this brings us up to now, Scott asked if I wanted to try Calf fries/Rocky Mountain Oysters, again, I said yes! When the calves are being branded the testicles are cut off and saved in a bucket of water to prepare and eat later. They are a delicacy, other names are cowboy caviar, prairie oysters, swinging beef and calf fries. I was so excited because if you know me I’m a adventurous eater and will try most anything. So the following day I took my four mile walk to pick up the goods and had the privilege to take a quick video of Scott to explain how he makes these morsels of goodness that he and the cowboys after branding make to eat. Watch the video and enjoy!
Ingredients:
10-20 calf fries
1 stick of butter, use 1/2 stick if only 10 calf fries
1 cup flour, use 1/2 if only 10 calf fries
Seasoning of choose, pepper, salt, garlic powder, I used Kinder’s The Blend (Salt, pepper & Garlic)
12 inch Skillet, I used cast iron
1 ziplock bag or paper bag, to shake n bake the calf fries in
Directions:
Heat stove top on medium high heat, adding butter to melt.
Add Flour and seasoning to your bag, then add the calf fries and shake to coat each one.
Place in hot skillet, As the calf fries cook they will plump up, take a sharp knife and cut a slit in each of them (this will allow the inside meat to pop out)
Continue to saute in the butter for 15 minutes, add more seasoning to them.
Remove from the pan and enjoy only eating the meat, discard the outside cover aka grissel , save for a dog treat.
Optional: You can remove the grissel outside of the calf fries prior to cooking which makes it easier and consistent with the coating of the seasoned flour to stick on the entire calf fries.
