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!