October 28, 2022
About the cook
Hey again! It's Chris Calvey with Jennings-Calvey Funeral Home in Pennsylvania. I'm super excited to share this cook with the BBQ community because it's super fun, easy and gets people out of their comfort zone. This recipe is one you need to try at your next dinner party - everyone will have fun with it and get to try something new and tasty.
Alligator done right
When you think of cooked alligator, or just Cajun food in general, you might immediately think of fried food. However, I cooked this gator the right way...on the Traeger Pellet Grill. After brining it for a few hours, I trimmed the gator and stuffed it with boudin sausage and jalapeno cream cheese. Then to top it off, I wrapped it in thick-cut bacon. Bon Appetit!
Ingredients and supplies
For cooking:
- A whole alligator
- Boudin sausage
- Jalapeno cream cheese
- Thick cut bacon
Stuffed gator, wrapped in bacon, and ready to cook!
Cooking instructions
Prep the gator:
Brine the gator for a few hours.
Trim the fat off of the tail to reduce gaminess (Very important!)
Mix the boudin sausage with jalapeno cream cheese and stuff the mixture in the tail and up the back of the gator.
Wrap the gator in thick-cut bacon.
Start cookin':
Once you've prepped the gator and you're ready to start cooking, put a rock in its mouth to hold it open. After I was done cooking the gator, I stuffed a whole chicken in its mouth to add to the meal and the presentation 😉
Heat your grill to 250, and toss the entire gator on.
Cook it low and slow until you get it to the desired temperature. Hint: just like with so many other meats, the longer you cook it, the more tender it will be. Start early!
When you've reached the desired temperature, take it off the grill, arrange it how you want, and you've got a perfect Cajun dining experience.
Bon appetit!
A Ragin', Cajun dinner party
Cooking this gator was a fun and different experience. There were so many ways to serve gator - really anything Cajun pairs perfectly! But for this cook, here's what I did:
Cajun fricassee with mustard greens, black eyed peas, and naturally, more bacon.
Boudin stuffing, slathered in Cajun BBQ sauce to make a few sandwiches.
Boiled crawdads and corn on the cob - what's a Cajun dinner party without a crawdad boil?
The legacy of funeral service
Funeral service is not only a huge part of my life, but also a huge part of my family. Something I love is the fact I get to carry on my family's legacy while innovating to meet the everchanging needs and demands in our industry. Like so many other funeral directors, my job is so much more than a career - it's a lifestyle and a legacy.