The New Popular: Frog Legs
Slightly sweet, white meat…from a frog? The idea of eating frogs legs is, to many Americans, completely foreign. We tend to think of frog legs as a strange food eaten in France – but the truth is, frog leg meals are common throughout many parts of the world – including the American south. CBS even reports that frog legs are quickly becoming a popular food world wide. As with anything, the trick to making frog legs delectable is all in the cooking technique.
Buying Frog Legs
Truly fresh frog leg are, not surprisingly, the best, but frozen legs can be purchased where fresh ones aren’t available. Although it’s not illegal to kill wild frogs in the United States, it may be more wise to purchase commercially raised frogs. According to some environmentalists, frogs are on their way to becoming extinct. According to How Stuff Works, an estimated 170 species of frogs have disappeared in the last decade and thousands more are considered threatened.
Preparing Frog
Although many culinary experts consider the legs the only edible part of the frog, many people eat the entire amphibian, minus the head. However, the legs are considered by far the best part.
To prepare a frog, make a small incision in the skin, immediately behind the ear. Then cut all the way around the frog’s head, being sure to cut completely through the frog’s skin. Place a thumb beneath the edge of the throat skin, loosing the skin a bit. Using pliers, pull the skin off, toward the back feet. Once the skin is at the feet, cut off the feet completely. Then completely cut off the head. Cut down along the length of the rib cage, cutting through the breast bone. Remove the internal organs. Rinse the carcass. If you are cooking only the legs, cut those off before rinsing the frog.
Cooking Frog Legs
In the United States, frog or frog leg is usually dredged through flour (which is usually seasoned with salt, pepper, and perhaps herbs or spices), then deep or pan fried. Another method is to mix a couple of eggs, the juice of one lemon and some fresh, chopped parsley in a bowl, then soak the legs in the mixture for an hour or so. The legs can then be rolled in bread crumbs and pan fried.
For a more European approach to cooking frog legs, be sure to check out Tomatoes filled with Frog Legs by Michelin star chef Arnaud Lallement, or Frog Legs with Wild Garlic.
