Exotic Meats You Need To Try Before You Die

Alligators are reptiles that are better known for being giant lizards with terrifying teeth. They're actually more closely related to dinosaurs than most animals on the Earth today. In fact, scientists believe that the American alligator species is more than 150 million years old! These reptiles can grow up to 15 feet long and weigh up to 1,000 pounds.

There are two species of alligators: the Chinese alligator and the American alligator. The former resides in Eastern China while the latter lives in the Southeastern United States, specifically in Florida and Louisiana and some parts of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, South and North Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.

People who live in the Southeastern United States have been enjoying gator for years. Some people hunt alligators for sport during a short legal hunting season while others buy their meat from alligator farms. If you want to try this meat, it's pretty easy to find in states like Florida and Louisiana. The taste is similar to dark meat chicken with a bit of fishiness. Barbecued ribs are particularly popular, but most parts of the animal can be cooked in various ways: stewed, braised, fried, or grilled. The nutritional facts aren't bad either: alligator is packed with protein and relatively low in fat and calories.

These large flightless birds have been a staple in South Africa, their homeland, for hundreds of years. Recently, it's gained momentum in the United States as a more sustainable alternative to cattle and pig farms. "Ostrich emits virtually no methane, which is the most destructive greenhouse gas, and cows' burping and farting emit that," Alex McCoy, an ostrich farmer near Boise, Idaho, told Modern Farmer. "By incorporating ostrich into your diet, you're doing way more to fight the cause of global warming than driving your car less, flying less, or taking shorter showers."

Ostrich is extremely lean meat that tastes similar to beef. Like beef, it can be ground, made into sausage, or cut into steaks. Virtually any beef recipe can be substituted with ostrich meat. It's easiest to find frozen from a farm that ships their meat around the country or internationally. Because the meat is so lean and not widely available in the United States, it tends to be a bit pricey.

Wild boar, or wild hogs, are a far cry from domesticated pigs we love to see on farms. These hybrid animals are often considered dangerous pests across North America. Wild boar are hearty, strong, and fast. They also love to destroy basically everything in their path and pass diseases along to other animals and humans.

Meat from wild boar was considered a delicacy for a long time because hunting them was a favorite pastime of royalty in Europe and Asia. Although wild boar hunting isn't as common today, their meat is still coveted because these animals live a truly free-range lifestyle. It's also difficult to access because of the strict rules in place to avoid the spread of disease. According to Smithsonian Magazine, "To be sold commercially as meat, wild hogs must be taken alive to one of nearly 100 statewide buying stations ... [They] are then taken to a buying station and from there to a processing plant overseen by U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors." Most wild boars caught in the United States end up in Europe or Asia, so supply stays limited here.

Wild boar tastes similar to pork but has a sweeter, leaner flavor. It also has less fat, calories, and cholesterol than most pork raised in America. If you want to try this hog, seek out a restaurant that specializes in wild game.

If you ever visit Australia, you may be surprised to see kangaroo meat offered alongside other cuts of meat in the deli. Kangaroo jerky in grocery stores, fresh kangaroo steaks in delis, and kangaroo burgers on restaurant menus are all common. Kangaroos in Australia are pretty similar to deer in the United States — you can find them everywhere.

But although this meat can be found all over the country, many Australians have a hard time swallowing it — literally. These marsupials used to make up a large part of the locals' diets but have become less popular in recent years. In addition to these marsupials being Australia's national symbol, popular media has portrayed them as too cute to eat.

That all being said, this exotic meat is gaining popularity again and is worth a try the next time you're down under. It's lean meat that is high in protein, but it tastes better than most gamey cuts. When cooked properly, it is quite flavorful and tender. It's also incredibly nutritious and better for the environment since all kangaroos are caught in the wild.

A visit to France isn't complete without bread, cheese, and snails. Escargot (which is the French word for snail) is a delicacy for the French and you can find it on many menus around the country. And before you conjure up images of a slimy creature covered in mucus, you should know that escargot is not as crazy as it sounds. It has to taste good for the French to love it, after all.

In France, snails are traditionally served as an appetizer basted in garlic butter and parsley. They'll often be plated in a special dish that looks similar to a mini muffin pan, with each snail and shell getting its own spot in a cavity. When a snail is served to you in the shell, you will be given a tiny fork and a pair of oddly shaped tongs. The tongs allow you to grip onto the shell while you use the small fork to pull the snail meat from the shell.

Snails have a pretty mild flavor and a texture that is similar to mussels. If your escargot is cooked in garlic and butter, it will probably taste like garlic and butter. It's definitely a dish you don't want to miss on your next trip to France.

Walking through a street market in Southeast Asia, you'll see a variety of roasted meats and tantalizing dishes in food stalls. Barbecued squid, beef kabobs, and ... tarantulas? In many parts of Asia, fried tarantulas are sold in street markets as a way to generate income when tourists pose for pictures while trying these hairy arachnids. However, tarantulas are considered a delicacy in Cambodia. In the 1970s, many Cambodians avoided starvation by learning to eat these spiders. Since then, tarantulas have been eaten as special treats by the locals.

Tarantulas are often deep-fried and coated in seasoning before being picked apart. The body is reportedly the best while the legs aren't as tasty. According to Culinary Lore, the best way to enjoy these arachnids is to start with the legs and eat them like you would enjoy crab legs. Detach them from the body of the spider and pull the meat out from those sections. There isn't much, but what you can get is apparently very tasty. After enjoying the legs, you can eat the head and the front portion of the body. Avoid the abdomen, as it is full of the spider's organs, eggs, and feces (yuck!). Although their bites contain venom, these spiders rarely cause fatalities in humans and are safe to eat. They are pretty easy to catch in the wild if you're brave enough to grab one from the ground or a tree branch.

Different from buffalo or bison, yaks are a bovine species native to the Tibetan Plateau. They look similar to domesticated cows in the United States but have longer, shaggier hair that allows them to survive the harsh winters of the Himalayas. They have been used as work animals and food for thousands of years by the locals who live in the mountains.

Yak meat is leaner than beef and the fight for this healthier protein alternative brought yaks to the states over 15 years ago. The animals themselves seem to be more environmentally friendly than cows as well. ”They only eat about a third of what a cow eats and can forage for food without damaging the environment,” Tom Worrell, who owns a yak farm in New Mexico, said. ”They have small hooves and are nimble, so they can move over rough mountainous terrain. They don't need much attention. Unlike cows, you don't have to get up in the middle of the night and calve them. They are pretty disease-resistant, so they don't need any hormones or antibiotics. And unlike bison, they are docile and easy to maintain.”

Although yak meat is lower in fat than beef, it has a richer flavor that makes up for the leanness. It can be cooked just like beef and added to virtually any dish. Or, to eat it traditionally, find a local Himalayan restaurant that serves momos (dumplings) with yak meat.