Springtime in the Rockies & the Oysters are Here!

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Thanks so much to everyone who joined in.  The winner of the free digital copy of LOVELAND is Kathy O!

 

Welcome to the Springtime in the Country Blog Hop!  I’ll be giving away one digital copy of Loveland to someone who leaves a comment below.  All visitors who leave a comment and/or tweet about the Hop will be in the running for a $100 Amazon gift card.  Please click the button and go to the rafflecopter to join the fun!  And for the full list of authors participating, go to http://cowboycharm.blogspot.com/SpringTimeCountryBlogHop

Springtime in the Rockies and a cowboy thinks of…oysters???  Yup, it’s time for branding and, well, turning bull calves into steers.  And that means the oysters are here!  That lovely delicacy can be served several ways, but Amber Scholl of the Cottonwood Ranch has given me this delicious recipe.  If you can obtain the main ingredient I guarantee that with a bit of hot sauce it will definitely turn your cowboy’s thoughts to that other item for spring–love!  After all, the way to a man’s heart…

Here’s Amber’s recipe:

First you take the testicle and make a long incision vertically, just to remove the first membrane. Cut all remaining parts until membrane is completely separate. Wash or soak for an hour in cold water. Next,  you want to get your batter ready which includes approx. 1cup of flour, 2tbs of garlic powder (the more the better), 1tbs salt, 1tbs pepper, 1tbs seasoning salt (optional). Once your batter is ready,  get your 1 cup of peanut, vegetable, or canola oil hot in your frying pan. I prefer cast iron pans over anything, and peanut oil. While your oil is heating you want to then remove the second membrane from the “oyster”. To do this, you make another incision in the membrane until you can squeeze the meat out. It will naturally separate and then goes directly into the flour mixture. Once fully coated, add to oil, and cook until brown and crisp, maybe 8 minutes or so. Serve with fry sauce, ketchup, or anything else you prefer.

There are many ways to cook these, this is my favorite.

31 responses to “Springtime in the Rockies & the Oysters are Here!

  1. Your books look exciting and just the topics I love to read – western romance.

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  2. Pingback: Country Charm Blog Hop – March 20 to March 25 | Mary M. Forbes – Author

  3. OK, then … I guess it was a very brave man who ate the first Rocky Mountain oyster…

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    • Well, Celia, when you think of what else we eat in the line of offal, it’s hardly worth a second thought. I tasted Amber’s and they were rather good! Thanks for stopping by.

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      • True that. Once in the barracks, some of the other girls got sentimental and fixed up a mess of chittlings. At least, I’d be willing to try the oysters.

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  4. Interesting recipe
    bn100candg at hotmail dot com

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  5. Even though I grew up in the west, I never tried these. Have always been curious though.
    skpetal at hotmail dot com

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  6. I have tried something like these before but didn’t like them and it maybe just the thought of them. Your book sounds really good and I would love to read it. Love Spring its my favorite time of the year.

    lead AT hotsheet DOT com

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    • Yeah, Virginia, I’m sure the thought of what you’d be eating is off-putting–certainly put off my daughter. Isn’t it strange what things we will eat and what we won’t? Liver, anyone?

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  7. If I’ve eaten them, I’ve forgotten. I don’t think we ever had enough to make it worth the time and effort. Dad was a horseman and used his own horses when packing for the Forest Service. Mom had a couple of milk cows who now and then dropped a bull calf, but , as I recall, the calves were sold soon after being weaned. To me testicals are in the same catagory as frog legs. Yuck! And yes, I too, wonder who was the first to even think they might be good. 🙂

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    • I’m sure, Eunie, it must come from the necessity in the old days to make use of every part of the animal. Brains, kidneys, even hooves for glue or whatever. Or perhaps the men just thought the oysters would make them more potent?! 😉

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  8. At first I thought you were discussing seafood-type oysters, but then when I read the word “testicles” I realized you were talking about mountain oysters. 🙂 I’m afraid neither myself now my hubby will eat those and I don’t think we’ve ever tried them either. And I taught my kids to always “try” everything at least once before saying they didn’t like something! 🙂 But I’m glad you included the recipe for those who are game enough to cook and eat oysters! I do, however, appreciate that in the “olden days” every part of an animal, domesticated or wild, was used for food and everyday needs/uses. They didn’t have the choices or abundance of foodstuffs like we do today and eating/using all parts of an animal were a necessity. Thanks for your interesting post on this blog tour, Andrea! I’m going to check out your books on Amazon. jdh2690@gmail.com

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  9. great post – although I’m not sure how many brave souls will try your recipe! My husband and I have actually tried Rocky Mountain Oysters, and much prefer the local Cape Cod oysters, lol!

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    • Sadly, I suspect even if the experimental cooks reading this wanted to try the recipe, they might be hard pressed to get hold of the main ingredient–unless of course they live on or near a ranch. But at least the info is there should they luck out! 😉 Thanks for stopping by.

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  10. I never had Rocky Mountain Oysters, but I know ome people who have. We have a festival in Mo for it. Thanks for the hop and giveaway.

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    • Well, that’s interesting. I didn’t know there was a festival for the Rocky Mt. Oysters–though it strikes me as a mite strange to have it in MO. I’ll have to look into that. Thanks!

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  11. Forgot my email koala571 at msn dot com.

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  12. Sounds like a lot of work to me. I like the frozen section in the grocery stores, although I’ve NEVER tried oysters.

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  13. I have never heard of those oysters before,… i’m just used to the seafood kind, & I don’t even eat those lol. Thank you for sharing this interesting blog post,…. I learned something new today lol. =)

    Thank you for having this giveaway! Hope you have a great weekend. =)

    Brandi
    BLeigh1130 at yahoo dot com

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  14. Cathy Brockman

    your book looks great I have never had the oysters but my dad loves them and rooster fries.. Great blog hop! cathybrockmanromance@gmail.com

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  15. My roommate in college grew up on a cattle ranch. I was drug along for the bran dings and since I was the only ‘city girl, and couldn’t ride or rope, had to carry the oyster bucket. The memory is burned into my mind.

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  16. I grew up with my dad cooking these at the Stag Nights they had at the different clubs meetings, I was eating them before I knew what they were. When I got older and worked in one of the bars, it was my turn to cook and serve them. Yum!!!

    cmucha319 AT yahoo DOT com

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    • Thanks so much for telling us all that. I’d love to know what your own recipe was for cooking them. And did you grow up on a ranch where your dad had easy access to obtaining them?

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