How much meat does a 12'(+/-) gator have to offer?

[WoodieSC]

Serious question. A couple of us were trying to figure out how much meat a gator really has once you strip the skin, fat and bones away.

For example, if you get a 12' gator weighing 600 lbs, how much of that actually ends up in the freezer?

Just curious...

[dukhuntr]

Depends on how/what your goin to do with it. The "tenderloin" in the tail is going to be the best meat, but if you have access to a cuber or grinder you can process more of the gator. I have never made sausage wit hthe meat, but hear of folks doing so. THe majority of the meat is really grissely(lots of sinew) that runs through it. There is very little fat on them.

[dixiedeerslaya]

There can be an ass of fat on them big ones..... One we killed the other night had more than most... It looks different than fat on other animals tho... Its that white rubbery looking strip that goes all the way down his tail on both sides... If you ever eat it you will know what im talkin bout....

We got about a 56 quart cooler full of just meat the other night off that big one... And that was just form the tail and jowls... The legs aint worth messin with unless you got a cuber or want to make sausage.

[BigBrother]

I give the leg meat to folks I dont like but feel like I have to be nice to them. (oops, I think I just outed myself)

[WoodieSC]

For the sake of discussion, let's just say the amount of meat that "normal, reasonable people" would use. By that I mean I wouldn't grind up everything left over and make sausage that only hogs would eat... or drunk rednecks...

So that gives us 'tenderloins', hams?, gatorburger?, chops?... what?

A 500 lb gator will serve up... 50 lbs of finished, packaged meat???

Assume a commercial processor does the work so he/she has all the equipment they need to do a proper job.

[Palmetto Bug]

You can have my portion. Gator is one of those meats that "you have to know how to cook". Until I run out of options, just give my share to some poor folks.

[FlockKnocker]

BB, thanks for the leg meat.

[Chuck the Duck Slayer]

BB, thanks for the leg meat.

Damn glad I wasnt the only one!!!

[BigBrother]

[looseheadsurfer]

10 foot+ edible meat =0.

Think of it like an old tough cow steak. The younger ones got the better quality meat. Not as much but better, around 8 foot.

ever notice how the loin off a 2 or 3 year old doe just tastes better that an 8 point?

Maybe it is just me though.

[Rem11-87]

According to the paper, that 1000 pound gator that women from Mass. killed only had 40 lbs of usable meat due to the amount of fat.

[PBiz]

According to the paper, that 1000 pound gator that women from Mass. killed only had 40 lbs of usable meat due to the amount of fat.

Kinda like a girl from Geronimoes

[DUCK MASTER]

It aint much! Jowls and the loins in the tail and thats it. You will need a cuber for the big gators.

[dukhuntr]

I have a cuber and still ain't goin through all that trouble! It can be eatable, but its a its of work. With all the sinue in there it would take a while and grinding would be a pain also, I'm sure it would clog the grinder head after a while.

DDS, I know what your talking about, but didn't really think that was fat, dang sure wasn't going eat it though!!

[Capt. Tom]

The first one I killed was 11 7 and got 76 lbs of cubed meat from a processor.

[f450lariat]

I killed a 11'8" 713lb gator and processor got about 165lbs of meat back to me.

[JABIII]

Woodie, it all depends on your taste.

Anything in the 12 foot range is gonna taste something like...

[Simple Man]

Cordray's did mine 2 years ago and they returned 88lbs. of meat and sausage (a LOT of sausage) on a 272# 10'2" gator.

[WoodieSC]

Woodie, it all depends on your taste.

Anything in the 12 foot range is gonna taste something like...

LOL... damn, JAB... I'll drink acid first...

[flockbuster]

I don't know how a 12 foot gator tastes, but we cooked up some tail steaks from the 11 footer we got last week and that shit was inedible. I baked steaks from the tail tenderloin and ended up feeding them to the dogs. Next time I'll use tenderizer, a meat hammer and deep fry smaller pieces. If that don't work then everything goes in the crock pot. If that don't do it, then I'll be giving a bunch of meat to people I don't like. Damn I was disappointed.