Cajun Gator Sausage
 
Makes 10
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying
  • ¼ cup finely chopped yellow onion
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced green onion
  • ¼ cup finely chopped celery
  • ¼ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound fresh or frozen alligator meat, thawed if frozen, patted dry, and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • ¼ pound pork belly, trimmed of rind, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce, plus more to serve
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • Biscuits, to serve
Instructions
  1. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add yellow onion, green onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from skillet; let cool.
  2. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
  3. In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse alligator, pork belly, Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper until finely ground.
  4. In a large bowl, combine onion mixture, alligator mixture, ground pork, and parsley until well blended. (Do not overmix.) Divide into 10 portions. Shape each portion into a ½-inch-thick patty. Refrigerate on prepared pan for 1 hour.
  5. In a large cast-iron skillet, pour oil to a depth of ¼ inch, and heat over medium heat. Add patties in batches, and cook until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 160°, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Serve with biscuits and hot sauce.
Notes
Kitchen Tips
Before cooking alligator, trim the white fat from the pink meat.
To keep alligator tender, cook it hot and fast, like frying or blackening, or braise for a long time.
Marinate alligator overnight in buttermilk or a brine to tenderize and add flavor before cooking.
Recipe by Louisiana Cookin' at https://louisianacookin.com/cajun-gator-sausage/