A guide on where and how to purchase Rocky Mountain oysters, from local butchers and online exotic meat retailers to Western-themed restaurants.
Despite their name, Rocky Mountain oysters cannot be procured from the deep or purchased from a seafaring vessel. They may come from the Rocky Mountains, but they certainly aren't oysters!
Rocky Mountain oysters are a particular kind of North American offal: prime-cut bull or buffalo testicles. They are widely celebrated and often served breaded and deep-fried.
If you live in the Wild West, you might be able to buy fresh Rocky Mountain oysters from your local butcher. Call ahead and ask if they are in stock. If not, you might be able to have them special-ordered. True to their name, Rocky Mountain oysters are most easily found in ranching communities near the Rocky Mountains. U.S. states in this area include Montana—famous for its annual Testicle Festival celebrating the titular meat—and Wyoming.
Even if your butcher doesn't have any fresh stock, they might be able to sell you packs of frozen, vacuum-packed Rocky Mountain oysters. This depends on the butcher and the region. Due to the longevity of vacuum seals, Rocky Mountain oysters can be stored in this manner for quite a while.
You can still buy Rocky Mountain oysters even if you aren't a cowpoke. Many online retailers offer a selection of Rocky Mountain oysters to order. Exotic Meats USA, a Nevada-based company, offers one-pound packs of buffalo-style Rocky Mountain oysters. Fairbury Steaks can ship you up to ten pounds of the delicacy straight from Nebraska!
These two companies aren't the only places to buy Rocky Mountain oysters online; there are a staggering number of exotic meat retailers to be found with a simple Google search. To save on shipping, try buying from a local source first. Search for "Rocky Mountain oysters" along with your state or province. With luck, you'll get a hit. Bull castration is a fairly common practice, so it is possible that a nearby farm is trying to market the byproduct.
If there are no local shops, you will have to order from elsewhere. Luckily, Rocky Mountain oysters are fairly inexpensive. The most significant expense you will deal with is shipping: the Rocky Mountain oysters have to be kept on ice and shipped rapidly in order to arrive at your home unspoiled.
This advice assumes that you want to prepare your own Rocky Mountain oysters. But what if you find cooking to be a chore? As Rocky Mountain oysters have entered the public awareness, they have come to be known as a novelty food (they are sometimes called "Cowboy Caviar"). Because of this, Western-themed restaurants often serve Rocky Mountain oysters as an appetizer. You may be lucky enough to find such a restaurant nearby.
Rocky Mountain oysters are by no means fine dining. They are rustic and unapologetic. They epitomize machismo, and that is why they are so beloved: they remain a symbol of the North American wild.
How to Buy Rocky Mountain Oysters
A guide on where and how to purchase Rocky Mountain oysters, from local butchers and online exotic meat retailers to Western-themed restaurants.
Despite their name, Rocky Mountain oysters cannot be procured from the deep or purchased from a seafaring vessel. They may come from the Rocky Mountains, but they certainly aren't oysters!
Rocky Mountain oysters are a particular kind of North American offal: prime-cut bull or buffalo testicles. They are widely celebrated and often served breaded and deep-fried.
If you live in the Wild West, you might be able to buy fresh Rocky Mountain oysters from your local butcher. Call ahead and ask if they are in stock. If not, you might be able to have them special-ordered. True to their name, Rocky Mountain oysters are most easily found in ranching communities near the Rocky Mountains. U.S. states in this area include Montana—famous for its annual Testicle Festival celebrating the titular meat—and Wyoming.
Even if your butcher doesn't have any fresh stock, they might be able to sell you packs of frozen, vacuum-packed Rocky Mountain oysters. This depends on the butcher and the region. Due to the longevity of vacuum seals, Rocky Mountain oysters can be stored in this manner for quite a while.
You can still buy Rocky Mountain oysters even if you aren't a cowpoke. Many online retailers offer a selection of Rocky Mountain oysters to order. Exotic Meats USA, a Nevada-based company, offers one-pound packs of buffalo-style Rocky Mountain oysters. Fairbury Steaks can ship you up to ten pounds of the delicacy straight from Nebraska!
These two companies aren't the only places to buy Rocky Mountain oysters online; there are a staggering number of exotic meat retailers to be found with a simple Google search. To save on shipping, try buying from a local source first. Search for "Rocky Mountain oysters" along with your state or province. With luck, you'll get a hit. Bull castration is a fairly common practice, so it is possible that a nearby farm is trying to market the byproduct.
If there are no local shops, you will have to order from elsewhere. Luckily, Rocky Mountain oysters are fairly inexpensive. The most significant expense you will deal with is shipping: the Rocky Mountain oysters have to be kept on ice and shipped rapidly in order to arrive at your home unspoiled.
This advice assumes that you want to prepare your own Rocky Mountain oysters. But what if you find cooking to be a chore? As Rocky Mountain oysters have entered the public awareness, they have come to be known as a novelty food (they are sometimes called "Cowboy Caviar"). Because of this, Western-themed restaurants often serve Rocky Mountain oysters as an appetizer. You may be lucky enough to find such a restaurant nearby.
Rocky Mountain oysters are by no means fine dining. They are rustic and unapologetic. They epitomize machismo, and that is why they are so beloved: they remain a symbol of the North American wild.
How to Buy Rocky Mountain Oysters
By Howtodotips
A guide on where and how to purchase Rocky Mountain oysters, from local butchers and online exotic meat retailers to Western-themed restaurants.