Rocky Mountain oysters - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Rocky Mountain oysters are bull calf

Calf

Calves are the young of domestic cattle. Calves are reared to become adult cattle, or are slaughtered for their meat, called veal.-Terminology:...

testicles used as food.

They are often deep-fried after being peeled, coated in flour, pepper and salt, and sometimes pounded flat. This delicacy is most often served as an appetizer with a cocktail sauce dip.

North America

It is a well-known novelty dish in parts of the American West and Western Canada

Western Canada

Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...

where cattle

Cattle

Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...

ranching is prevalent and castration of young animals is common ("prairie oysters" is the preferred name in Canada, where they may be served in a demi-glace

Demi-glace

Demi-glace is a rich brown sauce in French cuisine used by itself or as a base for other sauces. The term comes from the French word glace, which used in reference to a sauce means icing or glaze...

, not deep-fried). In Oklahoma and North Texas, they are sometimes called calf fries but only if taken from very young animals. In Spain

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

and many parts of Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

they are referred to as "criadillas," and they are colloquially referred to as huevos de toro (literally, "bull’s eggs"; huevos is a Spanish slang term for testicles) in Central and South America. Rocky Mountain oysters are sometimes confused with lamb fries

Lamb fries

Lamb fries are lamb testicles used as food.One popular dish in the United States serves them breaded and fried.Lamb testicles are served in a variety of cuisines, including Italian, Persian,, American Basque, barbecue, Chinese, Russian, Turkish, etc....

or animelles

Animelles

The testicles of calves, lambs, cocks, and other animals are eaten in many parts of the world, under a wide variety of euphemistic culinary names...

(lamb testicles), which are served in a manner similar to Rocky Mountain oysters. A few other descriptive terms, such as "cowboy caviar", "Montana tendergroins", "dusted nuts", "bull fries" or "swinging beef" may be used.

The dish, purportedly cowboy fare, is most commonly found served at festivals, such as the ones in Montana

Montana

Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...

and Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...

, amongst ranching families, or at certain specialty eating establishments and bars. They are, however, also readily available at some well-known public venues (e.g. at Coors Field

Coors Field

Coors Field, located in Denver, Colorado, is the home field of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies. It is named for the Coors Brewing Company of Golden, Colorado, which purchased the naming rights to the park prior to its completion in 1995...

during Colorado Rockies

Colorado Rockies

The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...

baseball games). Eagle, Idaho

Eagle, Idaho

Eagle is a city in Ada County, Idaho, United States. The population was 19,908 at the 2010 census. Due to growth in the Boise metropolitan area, Eagle has become increasingly suburban in recent years.-Geography:...

, claims to have the "World's Largest Rocky Mountain Oyster Feed" during its Eagle Fun Days (typically the first weekend in June). Usually this meat product is sold frozen, as it is inconvenient to get testicles fresh anyplace other than on the range.

The primary goal of testicle removal is not necessarily culinary. Castration in veterinary practice and animal husbandry

Animal husbandry

Animal husbandry is the agricultural practice of breeding and raising livestock.- History :Animal husbandry has been practiced for thousands of years, since the first domestication of animals....

is common and serves a variety of purposes, including the control of breeding, the growth of skeletal muscle suitable for beef, and temperament alteration.

External links

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