Eating rattlesnake?

[RickN]

What kind of rattlesnake is that in the top pic?

A dead one.

 

[Shottyshooter90]

The only time ive had it, we grilled it with a touch of salt, pepper and cavenders. It was pretty tasty. Such clean looking meat.

 

[NomDeBoom]

That's a biggun, a'rightt!
What most people don't consider is that the skins do tend to stretch out a bit, or when you hold up a dead one, the spine relaxes & they tend get a little longer too. But; big snake (by any measure)!
Thankfully; (??)One of those critters gave me a Lifetime excuse to type badly, as my favorite 'flipper' finger is still a 'bit' numb after all these years. I used to mess with 'em, but the '3rd X's the charm'...(long story, abrupt ending). 20 vials of anti-nip, but I still let the li'l feller go...'tweren't his fault :-}
To tan/// very carefully remove any flesh from hide with a dull (old butter knife?) tool, being very careful not to tear a hole. Turn flesh side up, stretch lightly & tack (not TOO tightly)...to a long board, like ply-wood, & brush on the 50/50 mix of alcohol & glycerin...for a few days. You'll know when it's 'done'.
To Cook///Cooks up more like frog legs, or lean chicken legs. Can get a tad tough, so don't overcook.
I once fed my young son Nopalitos (Prickly Pear Cactus) & Rhombus (<>)-Back fillet for breakfast, & told him to tell his teacher that he 'ate rattlesnake & cactus for breakfast & now he's ready to kick butt'...
Another time we had a caviar omelet, & I told him to tell his teacher that he had an omelet made from 'thousands of eggs' for breakfast" ....
Hey; I was too old to mess with my own teachers any more, but I did what I could.
He grew up just fine (an Outlaw)- & now he manages some very high end restaurants.
P S- Congratulations on using your rattle-y resource respectfully. You'll learn a new craft, & expand your culinary skills.
As a total A-Hole once said: 'Never let a good opportunity go to waste'.
.....Even broken clocks...

 

[Chris Hayes]

Slow-Cooked Rattlesnake​

6 - 8 pieces rattlesnake
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon seasoning salt (to taste)
1 cup chicken bouillon
1/2 cup chopped celery

Cut off rattlesnake head and skin. Remove entrails and cut into three inch sections. Wash in salt water and drain. Mix lime juice and oil and pour over snake pieces. Cover and let marinate in refrigerator overnight. Drain and pat dry. Roll in flour and seasoning salt. Brown in lightly oiled frying pan. Place celery in bottom of slow cooker and add meat. Pour bouillon over meat and cook on low 6 to 8 hours. Baste occasionally during cooking. Juice can be thickened slightly and used for gravy.​

Copyright 1998-2014 Stephen Ricciardelli

 

[NomDeBoom]

That's a biggun, a'rightt!
What most people don't consider is that the skins do tend to stretch out a bit, or when you hold up a dead one, the spine relaxes & they tend get a little longer too. But; big snake (by any measure)!
Thankfully; (??)One of those critters gave me a Lifetime excuse to type badly, as my favorite 'flipper' finger is still a 'bit' numb after all these years. I used to mess with 'em, but the '3rd X's the charm'...(long story, abrupt ending). 20 vials of anti-nip, but I still let the li'l feller go...'tweren't his fault :-}
To tan/// very carefully remove any flesh from hide with a dull (old butter knife?) tool, being very careful not to tear a hole. Turn flesh side up, stretch lightly & tack (not TOO tightly)...to a long board, like ply-wood, & brush on the 50/50 mix of alcohol & glycerin...for a few days. You'll know when it's 'done'.
To Cook///Cooks up more like frog legs, or lean chicken legs. Can get a tad tough, so don't overcook.
I once fed my young son Nopalitos (Prickly Pear Cactus) & Rhombus (<>)-Back fillet for breakfast, & told him to tell his teacher that he 'ate rattlesnake & cactus for breakfast & now he's ready to kick butt'...
Another time we had a caviar omelet, & I told him to tell his teacher that he had an omelet made from 'thousands of eggs' for breakfast" ....
Hey; I was too old to mess with my own teachers any more, but I did what I could.
He grew up just fine (an Outlaw)- & now he manages some very high end restaurants.
P S- Congratulations on using your rattle-y resource respectfully. You'll learn a new craft, & expand your culinary skills.
As a total A-Hole once said: 'Never let a good opportunity go to waste'.
.....Even broken clocks...

Oh, I've also used large snapping turtle legs (skin & clawed feet only) for a few projects. Like to cover a grip/handle on a beat-up WW2 Machete, & even add a but more OAL to a folding stock on a Polish AK-74 Tantal. Yeah; a little different, but it looks good & wears well. With a bit of shoe polish, tung oil, or whatever it looks like gator.
You can always back thinner skins with other leathers, but big snappers are pretty tough, & very tasty.
I've found on of the easiest ways to skin/clean one, is to leave as much of the neck as possible when removing the head (cut right behind the skull)- then put a hose clamp around the neck, insert garden hose down throat, tighten clamp, & sLoWlY turn on water. Pretty gruesome affair, but this method tends to 'balloon' the skin away from the meat on the legs & make cleaning & skinnig MUCH EZr (not that skinning a 100 million year old dinosaur is EZ).
When the shell 'pops' & water squirts everywhere, get to cleaning. I call it an 'Okie Lawn Sprinkler'.
It's true that turtles have several 'types' of meat...all of it delicious when prepared correctly. Just toss any of that old yeller fat, as it likely contain decades of toxins concentrated from everything it ate since Bill first cheated on his cousin, Hillary.
...Or longer, even.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Oh, I've also used large snapping turtle legs (skin & clawed feet only) for a few projects. Like to cover a grip/handle on a beat-up WW2 Machete, & even add a but more OAL to a folding stock on a Polish AK-74 Tantal. Yeah; a little different, but it looks good & wears well. With a bit of shoe polish, tung oil, or whatever it looks like gator.
You can always back thinner skins with other leathers, but big snappers are pretty tough, & very tasty.
I've found on of the easiest ways to skin/clean one, is to leave as much of the neck as possible when removing the head (cut right behind the skull)- then put a hose clamp around the neck, insert garden hose down throat, tighten clamp, & sLoWlY turn on water. Pretty gruesome affair, but this method tends to 'balloon' the skin away from the meat on the legs & make cleaning & skinnig MUCH EZr (not that skinning a 100 million year old dinosaur is EZ).
When the shell 'pops' & water squirts everywhere, get to cleaning. I call it an 'Okie Lawn Sprinkler'.
It's true that turtles have several 'types' of meat...all of it delicious when prepared correctly. Just toss any of that old yeller fat, as it likely contain decades of toxins concentrated from everything it ate since Bill first cheated on his cousin, Hillary.
...Or longer, even.

7 different kinds of meat in a snapping turtle. 8 if it bites your finger off.

 

[Catt57]

Better to eat the Rattler than to let it "eat" you....

 

[NomDeBoom]

7 different kinds of meat in a snapping turtle. 8 if it bites your finger off.

Ha ha. How true!
I've been bitten by diamond backs, but never a big turtle. I've seen both on occasion that have stayed 'alive' for an hr. or more with no head. I had a headless rattler 'strike' my arm once & leave a 'print' from the stub of a neck on my arm. It doesn't happen often; but watch out for the 'dead' ones.
Last Sunday I saw a HUGE softshell turtle in a creek. If I HAD to get chomped by a big turtle, I'd pick one of those. I imagine it's bite would be like getting nipped by a pair of Plasti Dipped needle nosed pliers.

 

[dennishoddy]

Oh, I've also used large snapping turtle legs (skin & clawed feet only) for a few projects. Like to cover a grip/handle on a beat-up WW2 Machete, & even add a but more OAL to a folding stock on a Polish AK-74 Tantal. Yeah; a little different, but it looks good & wears well. With a bit of shoe polish, tung oil, or whatever it looks like gator.
You can always back thinner skins with other leathers, but big snappers are pretty tough, & very tasty.
I've found on of the easiest ways to skin/clean one, is to leave as much of the neck as possible when removing the head (cut right behind the skull)- then put a hose clamp around the neck, insert garden hose down throat, tighten clamp, & sLoWlY turn on water. Pretty gruesome affair, but this method tends to 'balloon' the skin away from the meat on the legs & make cleaning & skinnig MUCH EZr (not that skinning a 100 million year old dinosaur is EZ).
When the shell 'pops' & water squirts everywhere, get to cleaning. I call it an 'Okie Lawn Sprinkler'.
It's true that turtles have several 'types' of meat...all of it delicious when prepared correctly. Just toss any of that old yeller fat, as it likely contain decades of toxins concentrated from everything it ate since Bill first cheated on his cousin, Hillary.
...Or longer, even.

I’ve been served snapping turtle many times. It’s very good.
We used to go to a goat ropin’ a couple times a year where goats were fed out and butchered.
Several folks would take on the cooking using their equipment and recipes.
Some of the invited guests said they wouldn’t eat goat which was a trigger for the host to tell them he had some red snapper from the Gulf he would share.
They ate it up and complimented on the taste.
Of course it was snapping turtle deep fried in chunks.