The beetles pictured above were cooked/dehydrated for several hours in a 200+F solar cooker with no flavorings of any kind added. They tasted exactly like unpopped popcorn kernels! Although the legs and hard wing parts were also brittle, I find they taste better with those parts removed and it's easy when they are this crunchy-dry...
Although it's sort of hard to remove the hard wing parts without also removing the head with them. Don't worry, they didn't go to waste haha!
So now I have had these beetles cooked three ways. Boiled with seasoning, dehydrated without seasoning and today I found the clear winner. Marinated in soy with Cavenders Greek Seasoning in the fridge for a few hours and then microwaved with a small bit of butter in thirty second increments, stirring in between cook times until crunchy. I love the seared part of a good steak along the edges where the fat is. That to me is the ultimate in steak flavor and a great steak needs no sauce! Well, I have to honestly say these beetles cooked as described have that very same exact flavor and I also had some crickets to go with them but prefer the beetles!
People who have never eaten insects absolutely do not know what they are missing! Finger lickin good I say! I'm thinking wow, why did I wait so long to get brave enough? I'm also thinking now that it might not be so good an idea if alot of people discover how good these really are haha! :)
Yes! I've gotta get you my marinade recipe. I had a first-timer exclaim, as she ate Japanese beetles, "Wow! These would make GREAT croutons to top a salad!"
ReplyDeleteBring on the recipes! I'll make an article about it if you like or is it a secret recipe? :)
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