As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchasesMany people consider snails poisonous since they are animals with no teeth or jaws. But that is not the case; they are similar to mussels (when cooking). Snail is served in traditional European meals or seafood restaurants as a light dinner. People are believed to have been enjoying snails as far back as the Stone Age.
So, what do snails taste like? Below is the answer to your curiosity if you have never eaten snails before. Snails are fat deficient; hence they take the flavor of the sauce they are prepared with. And if it is your first time eating snails, you may be nervous about trying them.
Let’s find out what snails are, what they taste like, their benefits, and how to prepare them at home instead of eating in French restaurants.
What is a Snail?
Escargots are common snails found in your lawn or backyard after rainfall. They form part of different cuisines in different countries, from Spain and France to Portugal and Germany. Snails are popular because of their delicate texture, rich flavor, and different tastes they bring to the table.
To understand what snails taste like, you need to prepare them well before cooking. Edible snails are low in fat and rich in proteins; hence they have no taste of their own. Snails tend to take the flavor of the sauce used during cooking. Therefore, if you are wondering what it is like to eat snails, it is important to know that they have a herb-like smell.
Snails can be eaten at any mealtime; some people like to pair escargot with bell peppers for breakfast, snails served with rice for lunch, and more.
How to Prepare Snails
If you are a hands-on person who loves home cooking, you must prepare snails before cooking to have that distinctive taste. Therefore, you need to follow simple steps, and with no time, escargot will be ready for cooking and serving.
First, you need to select fresh snails to cook. You should not cook dead snails. Rinse them in salt water to get rid of the slime. Always ensure the snail is moving before dipping it in salt water. If the snail is not moving, provoke a reaction by poking it.
It is not a preference to cook freshly-caught snails. Therefore, most people, including chefs, allow their snails to get rid of the toxins by starving them before cooking. Preparing snails that were at least harvested six days ago is best. This is due to the snail’s diet not agreeing with the human digestive system.
You can purge snails or feed them human-compatible food like grape leaves or apples to eliminate the toxic substance as you prepare escargot.
How to Cook and Serve Snails
Once the snails have been prepped for cooking, you might wonder how to cook them. There are multiple options to do this:
Boil
You can boil snails in fresh water for three to five minutes. Boiling snails is one of the easiest and fastest ways to cook them.
To do this, you should:
- Fill a large pot with water seasoned with salt and vinegar.
- Bring the water to a boil.
- Add the snails, ensuring there is still one inch of water above the snails.
- Boil for five minutes.
- Strain and rinse the snails.
However, snails shrink when they are boiled; they can become half their size and might be tougher to eat. They are still edible, though.
Bake
If boiling is not the preferred option to cook snails, you can also bake them in the oven. To do this, you need to first preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then, place a large baking pan in the oven. You can add the snails to the pan before adding butter, salt, and pepper. Finally, bake for five to ten minutes for perfectly cooked snails.
If you prefer, you can use garlic butter instead.
Fry
You can also fry snails. To do this, mix some butter, olive oil, garlic, shallots, and parsley in a skillet. Heat the skillet over medium heat and add the snails. Fry for five to seven minutes.
Finally, you can serve snails with garlic butter sauce and parsley. Mix butter, garlic cloves, shallots, and parsley together to make the garlic butter. Heat the mixture in a saucepan and pour it in a serving dish over the snails.
Serving snails with buttery sauces is thought to increase their health benefits.
So, What Do Snails Taste Like?
Different people have different experiences and tastes of snails. Some will describe snails as tasting almost like popcorn, buttery with a chewy texture. Others say the texture is the same as that of mushrooms, mussels, or chicken. However, most people say snails tend to have that earthy aftertaste when prepared without seasoning or much sauce.
Eating raw snails is not advised. If eaten raw, they can cause serious illness. Therefore, it is hard to come up with a distinctive snail taste since its recipe includes garlic, shallots, butter, breadcrumbs, vinegar, and parsley, depending on the chef. It can also depend on the snail species eaten, such as freshwater snails, garden snails, etc.
Although it is possible to eat backyard snails, be cautious if you plan to do this; this type of snail can cause illness.
Do Snails and Mussels Have the Same Taste?
Most people have this question in their mind considering the fact that both snails and mussels look similar on the plate. Both are almost prepared the same, making people expect them to taste the same.
For the record, snails do not have their taste: they take the flavor used in the sauces during the cooking stage. Depending on the order or the chef preparing the snail, different ingredients and rich sauces can be used to bring out unique tastes.
On the other hand, mussels have a distinctive taste, yet they are mild. Like other seafood, they are soft, taste like the sea, and have that tender chewiness. Mussels, like snails, are prepared using different ingredients to enhance their flavor.
What are the Health Benefits of Eating Snails?
For the most part, how snails are cooked and what they are served with will affect the calories, sugars, and fat content of the meal. When served plain, a small portion of snails (3oz) will contain 76 calories; this will equate to 14g of protein.
Eating escargot is also a good source of iron and zinc.
Final Thoughts
Once cooked, snails will turn grey and shrink; for many people, snails do not look appetizing. Most people may assume snails have a soft and slimy texture but are meaty and tender. Snails will get a rubbery texture if undercooked.
Snail meat is full of muscles hence the lack of natural flavor. However, if eaten with less seasoning, it will have a slightly earthy flavor and mild salty taste, which is the main reason snails are cooked with a variety of flavors and sauces. You should prepare your snail well before cooking to avoid them being bitter when served.
So, if you want a taste of French cuisine, then tasting snails might be a good option.
