Frog Legs Garlic Hopalong Cassidy is one of the most extraordinary native Louisiana recipes, garnered from the early years in the deep south of Louisiana. Frog Legs Garlic Hopalong Cassidy brings the old days of Cajun cooking right into your home.
Let’s take a walk off the beaten path of the usual Cajun recipes you see on the web, such as the gumbos, jambalaya, dirty rice, and all the other Cajun recipes, and try a good old fashioned authentic recipe from the Southern area of Lousiana.
Frog Legs Garlic Hopalong Cassidy is one of those Cajun family dishes considered more of a pheasant recipe regarded as a fancier delicacy when served in restaurants. Poorman’s food has become the rage, and there’s a good reason. It’s delicious and something different to try.
Frog legs are considered a delicacy in many countries, including ours. You are either going to fall in love with them or hate them. There is no in-between. They are very similar in taste to a slightly stronger chicken leg. The meat is white and has no fishy smell when fresh.
Suggested equipment for Frog Legs Garlic Hopalong Cassidy
- Sharp kitchen knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Wooden spoon
- Large bowl
- Small bowl
- 6-Quart Dutch oven
Grocery List for Frog Legs Garlic Hopalong Cassidy
Frog legs– This recipe for Frog Legs Garlic Hopalong Cassidy makes eight servings. You will need about 4 pounds of fresh frog legs. The best place to find them is at one of your local fish markets. Ask questions to ensure you are getting a quality product.
Buttermilk- In a bowl, soak the frog legs in buttermilk to cover for at least 4-8 hours. This will help draw out any impurities and tenderize the frog legs. Do not skip this part of the recipe.
Cajun seasoning– This will also be added to the buttermilk soak to enhance the flavor of your frog legs. If you do not have Cajun seasoning, you can easily make a mixture of salt, crushed red pepper (cayenne pepper), and black pepper. I will include the specific directions for the mix on the recipe card.
Vegetable oil – Do not use olive or any other oils—just plain Jane vegetable oil for this recipe. Please see the specific directions on the recipe card.
All-Purpose Flour– The all-purpose flour will be used in making the roux for this Frog Legs Garlic Hopalong Cassidy.
Yellow Onions– You will want to use large yellow onions for this recipe. Do not substitute with white, red, or sweet onions.
Green Bell Papers – Look for fresh, unbruised, locally grown green bell peppers, or at least from the USA. If unsure, ask the produce manager questions about where they are grown.
Red Bell Peppers- The red bell peppers are optional but do a great job adding another layer of flavor. Look for fresh, unbruised, sizeable green bell peppers locally grown or from the USA. If unsure, ask the produce manager questions about where they are grown.
Chicken stock or low sodium chicken broth – I use homemade chicken stock in my Frog Legs Garlic Hopalong Cassidy recipe when I have it. I have no issues using Chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth from the market to save time in a pinch.
Garlic – The more fresh garlic, the better! I usually use 6-8 cloves of fresh garlic in my recipe. Do not sub with garlic powder or jarred minced garlic.
Green Onions– You will need at least one large bunch of green onions, aka spring onions.
Fresh Flat-leaf Parsley – You will need at least one bunch of Fresh Flat-leaf Parsley.
Rice – I like to use long-grain rice, but you can use other types of rice. Do Not sub with instant rice.
“We had no electricity, no gas. Food was probably our greatest entertainment – the most fun thing that we could do was food.”
Frog Legs Garlic Hopalong Cassidy
Equipment
- Sharp kitchen knife
- Cutting Board
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring spoons
- Plate
- Wooden Spoon
- Large Bowl
- Small bowl
- 6-Quart Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 4 pounds frog legs legs divided
- 4 cups Buttermilk + more if needed to cover
- 4 tablespoons Cajun seasoning divided
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce or to taste
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups yellow onions chopped
- 1½ cups green peppers chopped
- 3/4 cup red pepper chopped
- 7 cups chicken stock
- 6 cloves garlic fresh/minced
- 1 cup parsley fresh/chopped
- 1 cup green onions whites and greens
- 4 cups Cooked rice long-grain preferred
Instructions
- Prep the frog legs by rinsing them under cold water and separating the legs. Cover the frog legs with buttermilk, 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning, and Hot sauce. Be sure the frog legs are completely submerged in the buttermilk. Place in the refrigerator for at least 4-8 hours to soak in the mixture, with a tight-fitting cover or lid.
- Drain the frog legs in a colander. Do not rinse them. It will take about 10 minutes to drain them completely.
- Gather all the equipment and ingredients for the recipe before beginning so that the cooking process is smooth. Prepare and chop ingredients at this time and set them to the side.
- Prepare the flour by placing it on a plate or pie pan. Add one tablespoon Cajun seasoning mix and combine. Dredge the frog legs in the flour mixture and shake off the excess. (Reserve excess flour from dredge) Meanwhile, in a six-quart Dutch oven or large cast-iron kettle, add enough oil until it is about ¼ inch deep over high heat—careful to keep it from burning.
- Cook frog legs in a single uncrowded layer just until lightly browned on each side. This process should only take 1-2 minutes on each side. Do not overcook, or the meat will become tough and chewy. Lower the heat if they are cooking too fast. Transfer cooked frog legs in a large bowl and finished cooking the other portions until they are all complete.
- Pour the remaining oil in a heat-resistant measuring cup, keeping as many pan bits as possible. If need be, add fresh oil to the cup to measure up to 1-cup of oil in total and return to the Dutch oven. Measure out the leftover flour and add to it if need be to become 1/2 cup. Add the flour to the oil at this time and cook until the mixture has become a golden brown, 2-3 minutes stirring constantly. Do not overcook. Immediately add the yellow onions-cook about 2 minutes. Add two tablespoons of Cajun seasoning and the green peppers and red peppers. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- Gradually add the chicken stock, occasionally stirring until the mixture is well blended. Add the frog legs and garlic. Return to a fast simmer. Cover the Dutch oven, reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stire the mixture often.
- At this time, add the sliced green onions and chopped parsley, stirring well simmer about 15 minutes more. Remove from heat and let sit covered for about 10 minutes.
- Serve over cooked rice- about ½ cup cooked rice, ¾ cup sauce, and a healthy portion of frog legs for each serving--about 2-4 depending on size
Notes
Although themccallumsshamrockpatch.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and how ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Under no circumstances will themccallumsshamrockpatch.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting from your reliance on nutritional information.
Nutrition
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Honestly, I have never eaten a frog leg until I tried your recipe for Frog Legs Garlic Hopalong Cassidy. Your dish tasted wonderful, and the use of color and spices made it rich and tasty!
Thanks for sharing! ❤
Thank you, Nicolletta! I appreciate you sharing!
I had never tried frog meat before THIS RECIPE. It Something new to me but so appetizing. The recipe was so flavorful and delicious. Pinned to save.
Thank you, Kushi! Have a great day
I was surprised I was able to find frog legs at the store but I did and gave this a try! It was so easy, tasty and my family was so happy to have something different. Thanks for the great recipe! I’ll definitely make it again.
Thank you. Erin!
This Frog Legs Garlic Hopalong Cassidy dish was so deliciously good. I wish I could eat it again today!
Thank you, Maggie! I’m glad you enjoyed them.
This is a recipe was great and I was glad I tried it,! Growing up, I used to eat fried frogs or cooked in a special broth; however, this one was more delicious!
That’s so awesome to hear, Linda! Thank you.