frogs a bit different but great to eat

Frogs legs

Most people in Ireland, if invited to try a tasty meal of frogs legs would be inclined to run a mile! It’s really a pity as this little amphibian can really make a good meal. Interestingly it may well be an idea for an enterprising farmer to even consider farming fresh frogs, as the market for this delicacy is far bigger than you might expect. I introduced frog onto my menu more as an experiment to see if they would actually sell, and indeed they did. Although the frog is most often associated with the French and their cuisine, frog meat is in fact served in a great many countries all around the world ranging from Louisiana through to China. The meat is delicate and chicken like but a little creamier in texture, lending itself to a large number of culinary uses. The frog which is preferred for the pot is not the common frog often found in Ireland but rather Rana esculenta which is a larger animal with black markings. Wild frogs are highly protected in France and due to this most are now imported into Europe from as far away as Japan.

Frogs are normally sold fully prepared and are often frozen. Its best to treat the meat as you would chicken, taking all the normal precautions in particular insuring the meat is cooked well.

A few very simple recipes include

Frogs legs fried in garlic butter and lime

5 pairs of frog’s legs per person
½ clove of garlic
Chopped plat leaf parsley
One wedge of lime
20 gram butter

Season the frogs with salt and black pepper, then toss in a pre-heated pan with 5 grams of butter, add the garlic when half cooked. When cooked (the meat will easily come away from the bone) add the remainder of the butter, the parsley and finish with a squeeze of lime juice.

Deep fried frog’s legs
Season the frog’s legs with salt and pepper, then lightly flour shaking off any excess, pass them through egg wash then toss in fine bread crumbs.
Deep fried till golden and cooked, serve with a selection of sauces and lemon wedges


A small note to any producers, I’m hoping to include as many local foods as possible in this article. So if you would like me to create and photograph a dish using your product contact me at foodandwinephotography@gmail.com