I was actually really interested to try them. I'd never even seen them, let alone eaten one. So after lunch was over and everyone was rested, it was time to prep the "fries", as the cowboys say. We had two 5 gallon buckets full of balls and water. They were drug over to the outside picnic table and everyone got to work. One person reached in and grabbed handful, dropping them into the center of the table. There were two designated waste buckets and one for the prepped "fries". We got lessons and got to work.
They key to a good fry is making sure the outer membrane is removed, the fatty bits are pulled off- best accomplished with your base hands and nails, and the ends cut off before you splay them open, butterfly style, and toss them into the waiting bucket of water. Sharp knives are the key to getting the membrane cut open. Then you squeeze the testicle out, pry off the fatty parts and connective tissues, cut off the waste, and voila! You've got yourself a ready to be fried up oyster.
We had hundreds to prep, but with 8-10 people working, we were done remarkably quick. We loaded up the bucket, took turns brining it inside when it was full, and they were rinsed and frozen. The next morning however, they were breakfast!
The key to a "calf fry" is to do just that, fry them. And lets be honest, most fried things are delicious. They're a nice bite size and tasted a lot like a sausage, lightly battered and fried up in oil. I'm not sure I'd go seeking them out, but if presented with them again, I just might partake again.
I'd give them an arbitrary 3/5 stars and a "would try again" rating. I'll probably need to come up with a more creative rating system if I decide to venture into the food critic game...
And in case you were wondering "Just how do they get them out of the calf", here's an up close look at it!
And some pictures, so you really get the whole effect.
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