What Does Alligator Jerky Taste Like?

Mild, lean and a little sweet. Gator tail is white meat, so the jerky lands closer to a firm chicken or lean pork than to anything from the water. Smoked with brown and maple sugar, there is no fishy or swampy note at all.

Texture

Gator tail is a dense muscle, so sliced thick it has a firm, slightly springy chew that softens as you go. It is not stringy the way cheap beef jerky can be, and it is not flaky like fish.

Flavor

The meat itself is neutral, which is why the cure does the talking. In the Trophy Series bag that means smoke first, then a mild brown-sugar and maple sweetness. Heat is low. People who expect something wild are usually surprised by how clean it tastes.

Who it is for

First-timers. It is the exotic most people reach for at the fair because the name is a dare and the taste is not. It is also the one to put in a box for someone who says they have tried everything.

What it is not

Not fishy or muddy, despite where gators live.
Not gamey. There is no iron or liver note.
Not hot. We list it as medium, a 3 on our meter.

The bag

<a href="/products/gator">Gator Jerky</a> — 3 oz bag, $25, heat 3/5 (Medium)