Most people prepare Thanksgiving dinner with the standard turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potato casserole, and pumpkin pie. What guests don’t expect to see placed in front of them is an alligator. For those who take the culinary road less traveled, the mild taste and tender texture of alligator meat can’t be beat. For those not partial to hunting down their main course, there are butchers who are busy preparing antelope, camel, kangaroo, elk, bear, and yes……alligator. What most people don’t know is that in the United States, alligator can only be legally sourced from alligator farms. Of course, it doesn’t come cheap. Whole head-on skinned alligators — ready to smoke or grill — run anywhere from $150 to $1,400, depending on the size. Alligator meat is lean, firm, and almost pink in color. It’s versatile and can be used in any recipe that calls for veal, seafood or chicken. It’s considered fully cooked when it’s white all the way through. So, if you’re tired of the same old turkey on Thanksgiving, why not venture down that road less traveled?
