Grilled Cactus

[Biloxidman]

Amazing, simply amazing!

 

[16Adams]

Such a neat cook
Awesome

 

[cowgirl]

Thank you everybody! Hope you give em a try sometime. :grin:

The whole post is obviously amazing, but I laughed so hard at this sentence. If I read it anywhere at all, my first thought would be "that belongs on the Cowgirl blog"

Hope you are doing well, glad to see another of your creative cooks!

lol Made me laugh. Thanks Justin!
I'm doing fine. Hope you and family are keeping safe and healthy!

Wow, just wow! What does cactus taste like?

Chris

Thanks Chris! Bruce described it well... they are a bit like a green bean. They can have the slime factor like okra but it is easily cooked off.

With a little research I discovered that some varieties of opuntia (prickly pear -- nopal) are hardy down to -30f. Now I am going to have to plant some. I had a few large specimens when I lived in SoCal, but never considered it to be a climate hardy plant. Wrong again. Never thought to stuff it, only ever added to soups/stews/casseroles. You're a rock star Jeanie.

To answer Chris - what does it taste like: hard to answer, maybe a little bit like a green bean. You can find it jarred, in strips, in the Mexican section of your grocery store, or better, a Mexican market. It will be called 'Nopales'.

Thanks Bruce! Great that you cook with them too!They are pretty cold hearty. I use the fruit for jelly and wine. :grin:

I'll admit, I've never said "Oh darn, a nopales just flattened my tire." They are usually referred to as blankity blank cactus around here. :laugh::grin:

Thanks again friends!

 

[kevinstaggs]

Jeanie,
That looks fantastic - as your cooks always do. How's the prep and cook time? I ask because this is now on my list of things to try. I'm 100% sure mine won't be as beautiful as your's but, heh, you gotta start somewhere...

 

[Smoke Dawg]

Another amazing cook neighbor!

Never had that but sound pretty darn good.

We have prickly pear around here.

 

[cowgirl]

Jeanie,
That looks fantastic - as your cooks always do. How's the prep and cook time? I ask because this is now on my list of things to try. I'm 100% sure mine won't be as beautiful as your's but, heh, you gotta start somewhere...

Thanks Kevin! The bigger the cactus pads, the quicker it goes as far as preparing and stuffing. Make sure you get them cleaned really well. lol
The stuffing is cooked, accept for the shrimp. They take maybe 20 minutes to grill. I like to make sure the cheese melts and the shrimp are cooked. I rub the stuffed pads with olive oil and season with cracked black pepper and coarse salt before grilling. Good luck with them! Thanks again! :grin:

Another amazing cook neighbor!

Never had that but sound pretty darn good.

We have prickly pear around here.

Thanks Neighbor! Good to see ya. Hope you're keeping safe! :grin:

 

[Big George's BBQ]

For you no such thing as too many Pics An outstanding meal Would love to dry that grilled Cactus

 

[cowgirl]

For you no such thing as too many Pics An outstanding meal Would love to dry that grilled Cactus

Thanks so much George! :grin:

 

[4ever3]

It all looks fantastic Jeanie and I see the schrade made a guest appearance :clap:

 

[bschoen]

Thanks Kevin! The bigger the cactus pads, the quicker it goes as far as preparing and stuffing. Make sure you get them cleaned really well. lol<snip>

Ok Jeanie, let's have an adult conversation about 'size matters'. I know, I deserve to be eviscerated questioning anyone with the where with all to stuff a nopal. I'll take one for the team.

The pads in your OP were from a store (farmers market?), a good one as those looked great. Yet as you know, but some here may not, you want young, first year growth pads if you harvest your own. Older pads will be tough, and I suspect stringy. So if you go cactus gathering in the wild, go for the brightest green, this years growth pads you can get. Given that, bigger is indeed better, or at least, easier and more 'stuffable'.

Damn, I need to get me some. Curses...

Btw: the jarred ones in the store, rinsed, are good in salads.

 

[cowgirl]

It all looks fantastic Jeanie and I see the schrade made a guest appearance :clap:

lol Thanks Jeremy! I love my schrades. :grin:
Hope you all are doing well!

 

[cowgirl]

Ok Jeanie, let's have an adult conversation about 'size matters'. I know, I deserve to be eviscerated questioning anyone with the where with all to stuff a nopal. I'll take one for the team.

The pads in your OP were from a store (farmers market?), a good one as those looked great. Yet as you know, but some here may not, you want young, first year growth pads if you harvest your own. Older pads will be tough, and I suspect stringy. So if you go cactus gathering in the wild, go for the brightest green, this years growth pads you can get. Given that, bigger is indeed better, or at least, easier and more 'stuffable'.

Damn, I need to get me some. Curses...

Btw: the jarred ones in the store, rinsed, are good in salads.

lol The large cactus do get a bit tough. I'm talking about single serving size. like this... https://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/2019/11/cactus-stuffed-hog-tied-grilled.html
Instead of two per person. :grin:
They are easier to stuff!

These came from the local grocery store. I get them on my land when they are young and tender too. The store carries cactus cleaned cubed and bagged. Really handy!
Thanks Bruce! You need to grow them again. :grin:

 

[SMOKE FREAK]

In my (twisted) mind cooking a cactus is right up there with skinning a porcupine........................Prolly not gonna do it.

 

[cowgirl]

In my (twisted) mind cooking a cactus is right up there with skinning a porcupine........................Prolly not gonna do it.

:laugh: Not NEARLY as bad. lol Thanks Craig. :grin:

 

[bschoen]

In my (twisted) mind cooking a cactus is right up there with skinning a porcupine........................Prolly not gonna do it.

Some things are just weird. When skinning a trigger fish, go from tail to gills. Go figure...

 

[cowgirl]

Some things are just weird. When skinning a trigger fish, go from tail to gills. Go figure...

Had to google trigger fish. lol
Thanks for the info Bruce! :grin:

 

[SMOKE FREAK]

Yeah that's a weird lookin fish.
Don't catch those in Kansas...

 

[cowgirl]

Yeah that's a weird lookin fish.
Don't catch those in Kansas...

Or Oklahoma.. :grin:

 

[gtr]

Just beautiful, Jeanie! Looks definitely worth the effort. I didn't have nopales until a couple years back. A market near where I was working had 'em with carnitas & I ate my weight in that stuff many times.
Great stuff!

 

[cowgirl]

Just beautiful, Jeanie! Looks definitely worth the effort. I didn't have nopales until a couple years back. A market near where I was working had 'em with carnitas & I ate my weight in that stuff many times.
Great stuff!

Thanks Greg! :grin: I bet those nopales and carnitas were amazing! I'd eat there every day, given the chance. lol
Hope you all are staying safe!