# Antelope vs Deer Rocky Mountain Oysters



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

It's the mourning (sic) after the Presidential election. I can't think of a better time to talk about nuts.

I've processed and cooked antelope and deer gonads together for a taste test, a taste comparison.

The balls were soaked in lightly salted water and stored in the fridge for 4 or 5 days: 


Don't forget to skin your little jewels:


I didn't parboil these before I sliced them. Wish I would have. They're easier to slice and to cook if they're parboiled and I think nuts taste better prepared that way.

Slice the cajones and double-dip, first in flour and egg, then in Panko or bread crumbs:


Deep fat fry at 375° until golden brown. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. I like ****tail sauce:


The Mule Deer golden nuggets flavor easily won over the Antelope Rocky Mountain oysters.

The deer balls were edible but not incredible.

The antelope nuts were pretty strong flavored.


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

Deep fried balls, Dang I gotta get up there.


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

I just......I don't know...seeing that nut cut in half like that and the knife next to the plate???? I just.....it ain't right.


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

3arabians said:


> I just......I don't know...seeing that nut cut in half like that and the knife next to the plate???? I just.....it ain't right.


+1

Made me squirm a little.


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## Chuckmclean (Nov 10, 2016)

In the most serious of ways, how would you describe the "strong" flavor of antelope balls?
From my experience, cow balls kinda taste like chicken nuggets. Is the flavor of the game animal reflected in the flavor of their balls. I guess what I'm asking is, do antelope balls taste like a strong version of antelope meat?


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## Karl (Aug 14, 2016)

3arabians said:


> I just......I don't know...seeing that nut cut in half like that and the knife next to the plate???? I just.....it ain't right.


The ethical issue from a hunting philosophy perspective is to eat everything possible and not waste any of the animal's meat.

It is a corollary to not killing anything that you don't or wouldn't eat or don't need to eat.

Tripe is yet another creepy thing that can be eaten but few people do eat it, except maybe Asians, from what I have heard.

I don't agree with Goob about eating lions, but I do agree with him on his oyster recipe -- looks good!


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## Karl (Aug 14, 2016)

Chuckmclean said:


> In the most serious of ways, how would you describe the "strong" flavor of antelope balls?
> From my experience, cow balls kinda taste like chicken nuggets. Is the flavor of the game animal reflected in the flavor of their balls. I guess what I'm asking is, do antelope balls taste like a strong version of antelope meat?


Everything tastes like chicken in one form or another -- even 'gator or rattlesnake meat.


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## Karl (Aug 14, 2016)

Clarq said:


> +1
> 
> Made me squirm a little.


Cannibalism is about the only thing that would make me squirm, but all the survival manuals say that if you are in a Donner type situation you should quickly butcher and eat the first person who dies before it is too late for you too.

And Herodotus records that on the Persian expedition into the Egyptian desert the soldiers of Cambyses drew lots to see who would be volunteered for butchering and slaughtering -- they did not wait for anyone to die -- they killed them as needed.

That's what the Donner's did too -- they killed their 2 Native American Indians and ate them.

Rocky Mountain Oysters are better than McDonalds.


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## willfish4food (Jul 14, 2009)

One day I'll have balls enough to keep and eat the balls of my game. Until then, I'll just pat myself on the back for eating the heart.



Karl said:


> Everything tastes like chicken in one form or another -- even 'gator or rattlesnake meat.


If your gator tastes like chicken, you're eating it wrong or the restaurant gave you tough chicken and called it gator...


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

Karl said:


> 3arabians said:
> 
> 
> > I just......I don't know...seeing that nut cut in half like that and the knife next to the plate???? I just.....it ain't right.
> ...


While I appreciate the ethics lesson Karl-- I will not be eating Rocky Mountain Oysters from any animal in the near future, simply because it doesn't strike my fancy.....well wait...no its because it scares the hell out of me. However, if I found myself sharing a campfire with goob and he was cooking that up I would be game to give it a go. Until then all game animal nut sacks and thier associated balls will rest peacefully with the gut pile of all my big game harvests. Thank you very much.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Chuckmclean said:


> In the most serious of ways, how would you describe the "strong" flavor of antelope balls?
> From my experience, cow balls kinda taste like chicken nuggets. Is the flavor of the game animal reflected in the flavor of their balls. I guess what I'm asking is, do antelope balls taste like a strong version of antelope meat?


Great question and welcome to the Forum.

Yes, these antelope testicles had a very strong gamey flavor. I would call the flavor "disagreeable".

Mule deer testicles were mild tasting, a slight hint of gamey flavor but not disagreeable.

If you are "nuts" about testicles I recommend using the Forum's search engine and check out threads on elk and bison Rocky Mountain oysters.

.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

How much do you think "age" has to do with taste? Odd thought I know... but most restaurants with "oysters" on the menu use young animals, usually prepubescent for their ... uh, cuts of meat.

Had'em at Cowboy Grub on Foothill drive in SLC years back, was surprisingly good.


-DallanC


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

DallanC said:


> How much do you think "age" has to do with taste? Odd thought I know... but most restaurants with "oysters" on the menu use young animals, usually prepubescent for their ... uh, cuts of meat.
> 
> Had'em at Cowboy Grub on Foothill drive in SLC years back, was surprisingly good.
> 
> -DallanC


I don't know. As far as hogs and cows go they were always young animals. This was a young antelope but I don't have anything to compare it to. This is my first time eating antelope oysters best I can remember.

The bison I got was 6.5 yrs old and it's nuts were fantastic. Same with mature bull elk nuts I've had.

.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

:rotfl:


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

I mentioned out loud once that I was going eat the balls if I got a buck that year. I don't know if my wording was poor or what, but my wife so mercilessly taunted me that I couldn't go through. she still brings it up at social gatherings.


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

turkey nuts were common fare at gatherings in southern iowa


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Dunkem said:


> Deep fried balls, Dang I gotta get up there.


Yeah, grab your nuts and come on up. We can do our balls together.

.


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