Deep-Fried Spicy Rattlesnake Recipe

I prefer to leave a rattlesnake alone, but if someone else kills one, they can make a delicious dinner.

By author of Timber 2 Table Wild Game Recipes Print Recipe
prep time
cook time
4-7
serves
Easy
difficulty

Now that you have your rattlesnake skinned and prepped for the table, what should you do with it? The answer is just about any recipe that works with frog legs, snapping turtle, or even chicken. But my favorite cooking method is also one of the easiest, deep fried.

Deep fry in hot oil until cooked through and golden brown.

There is something about deep fried food that welcomes everyone to give it a try, even if its something they haven't tried before. Like rattlesnake.

Drain the fried rattlesnake on a paper-lined platter while you cook the next batch.

For the coating, we mix corn meal, all-purpose flour, and one of my favorites, Everglades Heat for a bit of spice. For some reason, I feel like rattlesnake is best with a little bite to it, and the Everglades Heat is the perfect blend of seasoning and spice. I sprinkle it in liberally and mix it into the flour and meal before coating the snake.

Ingredients

2-3 pounds of skinned rattlesnake, cross cut into 3” sections

1 cup corn meal

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons Everglades Heat seasoning

Peanut oil for deep frying

Cooking Instructions

Heat the oil to 350 degrees. Mix the corn meal, flour, and Everglades Heat in a large bowl. Toss the snake sections to coat evenly with the dredge. Gently lower the rattlesnake into the hot oil, a few pieces at a time, being careful not to overcrowd the pan.

Coat the snake well with the seasoned dredge mixture.

Fry for 8 to 10 minutes, until the exterior is golden brown and crunchy, and the thickest part reads 165-degrees internal temperature. Serve with ranch dressing or your favorite dipping sauce. The best way to eat rattlesnake is to peel away the "backstraps" along either side of the backbone. These meaty sections will come off bone-free. After that, use your thumb or fingers to push the remaining meat down and away from the rib bones.

Deep-fried rattlesnake features firm white meat that peels cleanly away from the bone.

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