Feeling adventurous? Exotic meat is not only fun to try, but it's usually good for you and the environment. You get lean, high-quality, wild or well-raised meat that wasn't fed grains and pumped with chemicals in a huge factory farm, so you'll end up with flavorful, natural and sustainable food. You can bet that it tastes way different than the usual grocery store stuff. Exotic Taco Tuesday is the perfect time to try different kinds of meat.
You get to taste new flavors and textures, but you also get a tortilla and topping buffer, so it's a pretty "safe" way to taste something you might be nervous about. Of course, you don't have to make your own tortillas from scratch, but they are really delicious with any recipe if you have a few extra minutes!
Check around to see if you have exotic meat dealers in your area – your local farmer's market might have an exotic meat stand, where you'll most likely get the best deals on quality, fresh meat. If you don't mind steeper prices, you can purchase a lot of this stuff online too.
1. Ostrich Tacos with Lime-Pickled Radish Slaw
There's a good reason why ostrich is a favorite among the exotic meat crowd. It's lean but tender with a delicate flavor, kind of a like a good filet mignon, and the fresh flavors like mint and cilantro paired in this recipe bring that out in the best way. Buy ostrich steaks here.
2. Veal Brain Tacos
We promise you won't turn into a zombie. Meat brain (you can use beef or pork brain too) tastes kind of creamy and tender and doesn't have that strong of a flavor – that's why it goes so well with this tangy spicy bouillon. Don't know where to find animal brains? Chances are, your local Mexican or Halal butcher will have some.
3. Southwest Bison Tacos
In honor of National Bison Month, you should totally taste this delicious meat. Bison is super healthy and lean while still tender and flavorful. It's also pretty easy to get your hands on and a great place to start when tasting new kinds of meat. Buy ground bison here.
4. Alligator Tacos with Homemade Tortillas
Love frog legs? Give alligator tail a try – it's kind of like a cross between chicken and white fish with a bit of an "oceany" flavor. Fry it up like fish tacos and top with Manchego cheese and mango salsa for a perfect pairing. Buy alligator filets here.
5. Kangaroo Soft Tacos
Tender kangaroo meat has its own unique flavor; so, as delicious as it is, you can't just substitute it for beef. This recipe has the perfect balance of spices to optimize that unique but delicious taste and is perfect if you're trying it for the first time. Buy kangaroo leg meat here.
6. Smoked Rabbit Tacos
If you like chicken, you'll love rabbit. Smoke it like so and toss it in a taco. If you don't have a smoker, do this instead. Buy rabbit meat here.
7. Spicy Dry Rub Elk Tacos
Elk kind of just tastes like really high quality beef, with just a touch more flavor than that stuff you'll find at the supermarket, so it's best to keep it simple with this spicy dry rub. Buy elk steaks here.
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