{{Short description|Fried bull testicles}} {{About||the egg-based drink used as a hangover cure also known as "prairie oyster"|Prairie oyster|any ground cut of meat rolled into the shape of a ball|Meatball}} {{Infobox food | name = Rocky Mountain oysters | image = Rocky mountain oysters.jpg | image_size = 250px | caption = Rocky Mountain oysters, served with lemon and cocktail sauce. | alternate_name = Prairie oysters, calf fries, cowboy oysters, swinging steak | region = Western North America and South America | creator = | course = Hors d'oeuvre | type = | served = Hot | main_ingredient = Beef testicles, flour, pepper, salt | variations = | calories = 182 | serving_size = 1 cup | other = }}
'''Rocky Mountain oysters''', '''mountain oysters''',<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/aug/12/an-a-to-z-of-offal#18 | title = An A to Z of offal | first = Anissa | last = Helou | date = 12 August 2011 | work = The Guardian | publisher = Guardian News & Media Limited}}</ref> or '''prairie balls''', also known as '''prairie oysters''' in Canada ({{langx|fr|animelles}}), is a dish made of bull testicles. The organs are often deep-fried after being skinned, coated in flour, pepper and salt, and sometimes pounded flat. The dish is most often served as an appetizer.<ref>{{cite web | title=Rocky Mountain Oysters - the Old Mill. Cedar City, Utah | date=16 September 2004 | url=http://www.deependdining.com/2004/09/rocky-mountain-oysters-old-mill-cedar.html }}</ref>
==Description== The dish is served in parts of Canada, where cattle ranching is prevalent and castration of young male animals is common. "Prairie oysters" is the preferred name in Canada where they are served in a demi-glace.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1479766/testicle_festival_in_calgary_alberta/|title =Festival in Calgary Alberta|last=metacafe.com|website=Metacafe}}</ref> In Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle, they are often called calf fries. In Spain, Argentina and many parts of Mexico, they are referred to as ''criadillas'', and they are colloquially referred to as ''huevos de toro'' (literally, "bull's eggs"; besides its literal meaning, ''huevos'' is a Spanish slang term for testicles) in Central and South America.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eltiempo.com/participacion/blogs/default/un_articulo.php?id_blog=3403551&id_recurso=3424740|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120731003504/http://www.eltiempo.com/participacion/blogs/default/un_articulo.php?id_blog=3403551&id_recurso=3424740|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-07-31|title=Pensando En Los Huevos Del Toro - Eltiempo.Com<!-- Bot generated title -->}}</ref> A few other terms, such as "cowboy caviar", "Montana tendergroins", "dusted nuts", "swinging beef", or simply "mountain oysters" may be used.<ref name="whatscookingamerica.net">{{cite web|url=http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/RockyMtnOyster.htm|title=Rocky Mountain Oysters Recipe and History|first=Linda|last=Stradley|date=20 May 2015}}</ref>
The dish, purportedly cowboy fare,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://faculty.chass.ncsu.edu/slatta/essays/grub.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709105719/http://faculty.chass.ncsu.edu/slatta/essays/grub.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 9, 2012|title=Cowboy Grub, by Richard W. Slatta, proprietor of the Lazy S Ranch: Where cowboys roam the Old West<!-- Bot generated title -->}}</ref> is most commonly found served at festivals, amongst ranching families, or at certain specialty eating establishments and bars.<ref name="whatscookingamerica.net"/> They are, however, also readily available at some public venues (e.g., at Coors Field during Colorado Rockies baseball games).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Whitley |first1=Morgan |title=Coors Field has some of the best stadium food in the country |url=https://kdvr.com/news/local/coors-field-has-some-of-the-best-stadium-food-in-the-country/ |website=KDVR |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230905041838/https://kdvr.com/news/local/coors-field-has-some-of-the-best-stadium-food-in-the-country/ |access-date=30 November 2023|archive-date=2023-09-05 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Iadonisi |first1=Jackie |title=3 Things You Need To Eat At Coors Field |url=https://www.delish.com/food-news/a41599927/what-to-eat-at-coors-field/ |website=Delish |date=12 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221017031254/https://www.delish.com/food-news/a41599927/what-to-eat-at-coors-field/ |access-date=30 November 2023|archive-date=2022-10-17 }}</ref> Eagle, Idaho, claims to have the "World's Largest Rocky Mountain Oyster Feed" during its Eagle Fun Days (now held the second weekend in July).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cityofeagle.com/|title=Welcome to Eagle}}</ref> Clinton, Montana; Deerfield, Michigan; Huntley, Illinois; Sesser, Illinois; Olean, Missouri; Severance, Colorado; and Tiro, Ohio also hold testicle festivals.<ref name=what>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/10/20/498569984/rocky-mountain-oysters-are-what-we-try-a-dish-of-cowboy-lore|title=Rocky Mountain Oysters Are What?! We Try A Dish Of Cowboy Lore|last=Runyon|first=Luke|work=The Salt|publisher=NPR|date=October 20, 2016|access-date=September 2, 2017}}</ref> Virginia City, Nevada holds a Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry in conjunction with St. Patrick's Day each year.<ref>{{cite news | last =Galloway | first =Robert | title =Judging testicles in Virginia City | agency = | work =Tahoe Daily Tribune | location = | pages = | language = | publisher = | date =March 21, 2024 | quote = | url =https://www.tahoedailytribune.com/news/judging-testicles-in-virginia-city/ | accessdate =February 24, 2025 }}</ref> Rocky Mountain oysters are sometimes served as a prank to those unaware of the origin of these "oysters". They are considered to be an aphrodisiac by many people.<ref name=what/>
The primary goal of testicle removal is not culinary. Castration in veterinary practice and animal husbandry is common and serves a variety of purposes, including the control of breeding, the growth of skeletal muscle suitable for beef, and temperament alteration.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/animal/news/janfeb96/jf963art.html|title=Castration: Not Cutting Will Cut Profits|website=www.cals.ncsu.edu}}</ref>
==Similar dishes== Testicles from other animals are also eaten. The most common is lamb fries (not to be confused with lamb's fry which is lamb liver) made with testicles from castrated sheep. Pig testicles are used to make "pig fries".{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}}
Another dish found on occasion is turkey fries made from turkey testes. These are sometimes known as "short fries" as well.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Madrigal |first=Alexis C. |date=2013-11-26 |title=The One Turkey Delicacy You Probably Won't Eat This Year: 'Short Fries' |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/11/the-one-turkey-delicacy-you-probably-wont-eat-this-year-short-fries/281836/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20251209221831/https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/11/the-one-turkey-delicacy-you-probably-wont-eat-this-year-short-fries/281836/ |archive-date=December 9, 2025 |access-date=2025-12-09 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}</ref>
==See also== {{portal|Food}} * Lamb fry * List of beef dishes * List of deep fried foods * List of hors d'oeuvre * Soup Number Five * Testicles as food
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/rockymtoysters.html Earles, Jim. "Rocky Mountain Oysters: Expanding on the List of Organ Meats," The Weston A. Price Foundation.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070102213717/http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/rockymtoysters.html |date=2007-01-02 }} * [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/18/us/18oyster.html?_r=1 Brown, Patricia Leigh. "Delicacy of the Wild West Lives on for Those So Bold," ''The New York Times'', Wednesday, March 18, 2009.] * [https://sworld.co.uk/02/343/photoalbum/home.html Secret World - Montana: Rocky Mountain oysters ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250125135034/https://sworld.co.uk/02/343/photoalbum/home.html |date=2025-01-25 }} * [http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=789806&songID=6875294 Lakey, Dwight, Songwriter. "Rocky Mountain Oysters," Songwriter Dwight Lakey's (ASCAP) song about Rocky Mountain oysters, © 2007 Brown Barn Publishing & Dwight Lakey, Danville, VT, & Julesburg, CO; All Rights Reserved.]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rocky Mountain Oysters}} Category:Cuisine of the Western United States Category:Hors d'oeuvres Category:Cowboy culture Category:Texan cuisine Category:Cuisine of Oklahoma Category:Mexican cuisine Category:Central American cuisine Category:South American cuisine Category:Deep fried foods Category:Beef dishes Category:Cuisine of the Southwestern United States Category:Cuisine of Western Canada Category:American beef dishes Category:Testicle dishes Category:Deep fried foods of the United States