Dig Into The Wyoming Delicacy Of Rocky Mountain Oysters

Some folks will shudder, some will automatically get a craving, and some will start to feel sick to their stomach, just by mentioning Rocky Mountain Oysters.

When the topic is brought up or an order is made, my wife stares in disbelief.

For those who don't know, Rocky Mountain Oysters, also known as Calf Fries, Cowboy Caviar, Bull Fries, or Lamb Fries, are the deep-fried testicles of a bull, calf, lamb, or other animal.

The Western Delicacies that are a part of the cowboy tradition. Many times at brandings or roundups, when they were removed, they were tossed into a bucket of water, and then prepared as a meal when the work was done.

They are a popular food, so much so that there are festivals all over the country to celebrate them. You can also find them on menus all over Wyoming.

Some may say that eating them is an acquired taste, but if you can get past the mental part, they're actually pretty darn good. If you've ever had steak fingers, or chicken fried steak, you've almost had them.

If they're prepared right, with your favorite dipping sauce on the side, and a squeeze of lemon, they're good. My go-to sauce is a ketchup/ horseradish cocktail sauce, but I also enjoy a mango-habanero dipping sauce, too.

When people question what a food tastes like, others will sometimes say that it tastes like chicken. Rocky Mountain Oysters, other than being prepared like fried chicken, don't taste anything like chicken.

Preparing them at home may be tough for some folks, so I would suggest finding them on the menu of a restaurant and ordering them there. I've had them at a few different places around Wyoming.

When you think of a food that describes Wyoming, is it Rocky Mountain Oysters? For many people, I'd say they would. They represent the traditions of the cowboy, and Wyoming is the Cowboy State.

If you have a location somewhere in Wyoming where you love to get Rocky Mountain Oysters, let me know. Shoot me an email: drew.kirby@townsquaremedia.com

If you've been wanting to try them and feel that you want to make them at home, here's a pretty straightforward recipe.