Description
If you’ve never had whole smoked gator, this recipe will walk you through all the steps to make a whole smoked gator on your pellet smoker or grill. Gator meat can be purchased via a Gator farm (Gators are federally protected and can only be harvested if a person has a “tag” for harvesting them).
Ingredients
1 4 ft alligator- fully processed with skin removed
For the Brine:
- large cooler
- 1 gallon water
- 1 1/2 cups sea salt
- 1 cup of sugar
- 4 tbsp black peppercorns
- 4 bay leaves
- rind of two oranges
For Smoking the GATOR:
- 2 oranges- sliced, for stuffing the cavity
- toothpicks or baking twine
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 stick of butter, melted
- 1 bottle OR 1/2 cup Sunshine State of Mind BBQ Rub (Use code GATOR for 10% off) OR all purpose rub, here is my go-to all purpose rub recipe
- 1 lb bacon slices
FOR MISTING:
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- Water
FOR THE GLAZE
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 tbsp bourbon
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
Instructions
Directions:
Combine the brine ingredients in a pot on the stove until all ingredients have dissolved and then remove the brine from heat.
Next, brine the gator overnight in a large cooler. Keep ice stored in separate containers so it doesn’t dilute the brine.
Remove the gator from the brine and stuff the cavity with the oranges and add the honey. Seal up the gator cavity with toothpicks or sew shut with twine.
Rub the butter over the gator- this will help the rub adhere while also keeping the gator moist.
Next, cover the gator with BBQ rub, getting in all the nooks and crazy.
Get your smoker to 250 degrees. Add the gator to the smoker and mist every thirty minutes with the juice.
Combine the orange juice, honey, bourbon and ginger to make a glaze.
After the gator has been on the smoker for about 3 hours, add the glaze.
Next, layer the gator with bacon covering all parts with bacon except for the head. Smoke the gator until the internal temperature reaches 152 degrees. Let the gator rest under foil for 10 minutes before pulling.
You can pull the meat off the gator much like you would chicken or pork. I love to make Alligator tacos with gator meat or you can eat it on its own. When cooked this way, it is a delicate white meat!
Notes
Note: This recipe was made in partnership with Green Mountain Grills. I only work with companies I use and recommend. Thank you!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Brine Time: 24 hours
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Category: Alligator
- Method: Smoke
- Cuisine: American, Floribbean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8-10 servings