Rocky Mountain Oysters Explained: A Local Delicacy

Bull in a corral with a plate of fried Rocky Mountain Oysters.Photo byColorado Martini

Rocky Mountain Oysters are a culinary delicacy in the western region of the United States. This local delicacy goes by many names: mountain oysters, prairie oysters in Canada, in French animelles, or bull testicles. It is a dish made from testicles and deep-fried. The organ is usually skinned, floured, and fried. They are not just a Colorado dish but can be found in other regions and countries.

The dish is served in parts of Canada. You can usually find them on the menu in the prairie cattle country around Calgary. Canadians serve Prairie Oysters serve in a demi-glace. A demi-glace is a rich concentrated brown sauce.

In Spain, Argentina, or Mexico they are referred to as "Criadillas." Criadillas is Spanish for testicle. The dishes are made from the testicles of various animals, including calves, lambs, roosters, and turkeys. Sometimes referred to as huevos de toro; which translates to, "bull’s eggs." The word huevos is a Spanish slang term for testicles in Central and South America.

American West

In Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle, they are often called calf fries. Depending on your region, you can find the names, "cowboy caviar", "Montana tendergroins", "dusted nuts", "swinging beef", or simply "mountain oysters."

Early ranchers of the West needed inexpensive sources of food. Back in the day, they did not waste any part of the animal. So, they began cooking testicles over branding coals. It was common to sautéed, braised, broiled, and poached testicles. Most often the organs are peeled, pounded flat, coated in flour, salted, peppered, and fried.

Rocky Mountain oysters started appearing on menus in restaurants across the American West in the 1950s, particularly in Colorado and Wyoming.

Have you ever had Rocky Mountain Oysters? Or do you have a favorite place to get them? Let us know in the comments.

Since 1995, Coors Field in Denver, Colorado has served Rocky Mountain Oysters at the Grill in section 144. According to the Denver Gazette, the following are the top 8 places to get Rocky Mountain Oysters in Denver Metro:

1. The Fort – Morrison, Colorado: sliced before breading is added in the fryer. Check out the famous sweet chile-caper sauce along with these breaded delicacies.

2. Willy’s Wings – Morrison, Colorado: thinly sliced and breaded.

3. The Buckhorn Exchange – Denver, Colorado: served as an appetizer with cocktail and peppercorn-horseradish sauces.

4. Bruce’s Bar – Severance, Colorado: Served with a house cocktail sauce. The bar also serves “Black Hills oysters”, which are bison testicles instead of the traditional bull testicles. They have built their reputations on serving Rocky Mountain oysters since the 1950s.

5. Coor’s Field – Denver, Colorado: Grill in section 144

6. Timberline Steaks & Grill – Denver International Airport

7. Wynkoop Brewery – Colorado Wide

8. Handlebars – Silverton, Colorado

Annually, Eagle, Colorado has the Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry. The event is usually held in March. Rumor has it the fry was almost banned due to a series of commercials. See one of the commercials below:

Traditional Cowboy Rocky Mountain Oysters

• Bull testicles (amount depends on the number of people being served)
• Salt and pepper
• Paprika (mild or hot)

Wash and pat dry the testicles with a paper towel. On each testicle, make a small incision in the skin. Slide your thumb into the incision and separate the skin from the flesh. Pull back the skin while pushing out the flesh through the incision. Thread each testicle onto a skewer. Season each with salt, pepper, and paprika. Fry on a grill until they slightly blush.

Criadillas a la Mexicana

2 pounds criadillas
Manteca (lard) or vegetable oil
Pico de Gallo

In a 4-quart stockpot, cover the Criadillas with just enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 30 minutes or until the Criadillas are soft to the touch. Once the Criadillas have finished cooking, drain and chop them into bite-size pieces. Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of manteca (lard) in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped Criadillas and Pico de Gallo. Sauté for about 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt. Serve with warm corn tortillas for delicious Tacos de Criadillas a la Mexicana.

Latin American Criadillas Recipe (Calf or Bull Testicle Fries)

1-pound Bulls testicles
5 Garlic cloves
1 Egg
½ cup Breadcrumbs
Salt and Black pepper
Thyme
Cayenne pepper
Olive oil

Filet the criadillas using a sharp knife. Remove the skin and cut each testicle lengthways into fours. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add a dash of salt. Place the criadillas into the pot. Cover and leave to simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl combine the breadcrumbs with garlic, thyme, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper and mix well. Remove the criadillas from the pan and pat dry, leaving for around 5 minutes. Fill a frying pan with enough oil to shallow fry and preheat. Crack an egg into a separate shallow bowl and whisk briefly. Now dip each of your criadillas into the egg, then into the breadcrumb mixture. Once they are all, coated, pop them into the frying pan for around 3 minutes or until they float to the surface. Serve with salsa.

Do you have a recipe to share in the comments?

In the video below Chevy Chase eats calf fries without realizing it (Scene from Funny Farm - Sheep Balls)

______________

Click for more NewsBreak articles from Colorado Martini

Please subscribe so you don't miss another exciting article. It would be greatly appreciated if you would be so kind to “heart” this article.

References

• Food Spice and All Things Nice
• Coors Field Food
• Lite Online
• Rocky Mountain oysters - Wikipedia