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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Terry Green on July 01, 2024, 06:13:57 PM

Title: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: Terry Green on July 01, 2024, 06:13:57 PM

One of my Laredo Tusk Roundup hunters killed a really nice prickly pear, and he was kind enough to share some with me.  :campfire:

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: Terry Green on July 01, 2024, 06:33:21 PM

It takes a very complex recipe of olive oil and salt.  :readit:

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: rastaman on July 01, 2024, 10:38:42 PM

Looks kind of dangerous!

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: Kodiak Fan on July 02, 2024, 08:41:46 AM

I knew you were part javi.  JV

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: Terry Green on July 02, 2024, 02:57:23 PM

 Kodiak Fan, it was nice to get some revenge on those spiked monsters.  :biglaugh:


I did not cook them well done for sure.  These were 'medium rare'.  I will cook them again 3 at a time but put one on the grill 15 minutes before the next one and the last one 30 minutes after the 1st.  And, I will add only one thing, fresh ground pepper.

I was shocked that they tasted pretty good to tell you the truth.  I'll describe the taste as this.... FRESH green beans, asparagus, and a hint of dill pickle.  I will definitely be grilling these again and again.

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: rainman on July 02, 2024, 04:15:12 PM

They suck to skin.

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: Terry Green on July 02, 2024, 06:20:12 PM

Quote from: rainman on July 02, 2024, 04:15:12 PM

They suck to skin.

That is why I ate them with the skin on.  :thumbsup:

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: McDave on July 04, 2024, 09:06:01 AM

How do you get rid of the prickly part of the pear?

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: Terry Green on July 04, 2024, 11:16:12 AM

Two ways....

I just learned this as I did have a clue you could eat it, nor how easily.

You can back scrape them off, or like I did, baste them with plenty of olive oil and that and the heat will wilt them to nothing.  I opted for the later for a more aggressive revenge!

Next year in TX Patrick and I are already planning on grilling out some paddles with some hog or javie.

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: Russell Southerland on July 13, 2024, 04:45:33 PM

 :biglaugh: :biglaugh: :biglaugh:
I didn't know you could eat them!

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: Riverrat43 on July 18, 2024, 08:43:53 AM

I spent some time back in the 80's at Camp Bullis in TX for survival training with the AF. We learned to cook them over the camp fire along with Armadillo. Terry is correct, they do have a taste close to green beans. Not bad at all. Armadillo is another story.

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: Terry Green on July 18, 2024, 09:29:04 AM

Yes, I can't wait till I get some more to cook for different time segments to see how they taste at different 'doneness'. You can also eat it raw.

https://extension.unr.edu/publication.aspx?PubID=2157

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: smokin joe on July 18, 2024, 09:44:37 AM

This is great. A side dish of cactus added to the Laredo experience is just the thing! Keep experimenting until you have a few good cactus recipes and then we can all sample them during the Tusk Roundup.

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: Wudstix on July 18, 2024, 09:51:13 PM

That would be a nice twist.
 :campfire: :coffee: :archer2: :campfire:

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: Terry Green on July 19, 2024, 09:46:11 AM

Yeah Wud, can't wait to try it fresh right off the cluster.  :thumbsup:

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: Riverrat43 on July 19, 2024, 10:15:34 AM

Yeah, we ate it boiled, raw and grilled on a stick over a mesquite fire. Boiled, it was slick like boiled okra, raw it was a bit slimy but had a crunch. Grilled was definitely best. No matter how it was cooked it had a taste like a cross between uncooked butter beans and uncooked green beans.

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: Terry Green on July 19, 2024, 11:31:24 AM

I HATE boiled okra..... Grilling only.  :goldtooth:

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: frank bullitt on July 20, 2024, 12:00:26 PM

You can buy Cactus, pickled!
Pickled Okra is the best!

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: M60gunner on July 20, 2024, 02:57:33 PM

I have mixed feelings about eating such delicacies. But, the fruit can be made into great tasting jelly. After my experience eating monkey and Boa meat with a side of roots down in Panama many years ago I tend to shy away from “eating off the tree”.

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: charles m on July 21, 2024, 10:09:46 AM

After reading this, I did some poking around on the internet yesterday and although I have heard of people eating it, I didn't know that Prickly pear cactus has been a Mexican and Central American dietary staple for thousands of years.

Nopales(paddles) and prickly pear fruit are high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. They are a nutritious addition to a balanced diet and may help decrease blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and lower cholesterol.

There are also a number of medicinal uses, thanks to this cactus's varied health benefits.

    It's an antiviral. ...
    It protects nerve cells. ...
    It's high in antioxidants. ...
    It can regulate blood sugar levels. ...
    It can treat enlarged prostate. ...
    It may reduce cholesterol. ...
    It can eliminate hangovers.

These are just some of the things I copied and pasted this morning.

I have seen this in grocery stores but never thought about eating it, but I am now. Cool thread!  :thumbsup:

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: Terry Green on July 23, 2024, 01:55:06 PM

 M60gunner, I'm interested more in your comment 'off the tree', sound intriguing. I have eaten off my grandfathers apple and crab apple trees, and my grandmother's on the other side's pear and fig trees, and my best friend live on a peach orchard.  So, I've eaten off the tree for my entire life basically.

""monkey and Boa meat with a side of roots ""

I want to hear about that!  :jumper:

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: Wudstix on July 23, 2024, 02:37:18 PM

"monkey and Boa meat" sounds like an expedite meal in the jungle.
 :campfire: :coffee: :archer2: :campfire:

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: Terry Green on July 23, 2024, 06:10:20 PM

Yeah Wud, sounds like M60's got some stories to tell!!!!  :readit: :readit: :readit:

Title: Re: Laredo Comes to North GA
Post by: lopey15 on August 04, 2024, 08:31:30 AM

Terry…I’ve eaten them all my life. I remember as a little kid watching my grandmother cut them off the plant and then cut all the thorns off. The key to eating cactus is you only eat the new growth paddles. As the cactus ages the skin gets too tough and no matter how long you cook them they stay very tough. We have always eaten “Nopales” sliced up and sautéed with scrambled eggs definitely my favorite way to eat them. We also eat them sautéed with onion, tomatoes, bacon, and jalapeños. We love them!