"Meatball" Sliders with Deer Testicles

Rick and I shot a couple white-tailed deer last week, and the first cut I chose to eat off my button buck were the testicles. @Cosmogenova on Instagram posted a recipe for venison oyster po-boys recently, and it inspired me. I've had bull fries before and enjoyed them. So why not try deer testicles?

This recipe isn't for everyone, but if you enjoy Rocky Mountain oysters already, I recommend giving deer oysters a try. The texture and taste is close. With the outer membrane removed, it has the look of finely minced chicken breast. I also think that it tastes a lot like chicken, too, except the texture is light, soft and airy. Aside from being testicles, there's nothing offensive about them. 

The ones that came off my button buck were small, as expected. Ha-ha. Cosmo made a sandwich out of his, but I couldn't do that with these. They were the size of small acorns– too small to even call a light snack on their own. So, sandwich idea turned into sliders. It was a tasty bite!

Makes: 2 sliders
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 deer testicles
- 2 to 4 tablespoons of Italian-style seasoned breadcrumbs
- 2 to 4 tablespoons of marinara sauce
- Shredded mozzarella cheese, to taste
- 2 King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, cut in half
- 2 teaspoons of olive oil 
- Red pepper flakes, to taste

1. With a sharp knife, cut through the tough outer membrane of each testicle. Carefully peel away the soft interior.

2. I don't know what it's like on older deer, but these were extremely delicate, and a tad tricky to peel away from their membranes. I used my knife to gently scrape them out. 

Place them between two sheets of plastic wrap and gently flatten them. 

3. Spread out half the breadcrumbs onto a plate, lay the testicles on top and pour the rest of the breadcrumbs on top to coat. 

4. Heat olive oil in a pan. When it begins to shimmer, fry the coated deer testicles in the pan until golden on both sides. 

5. Line a small baking sheet with foil. Assemble the bottom halves of each roll with a fried testicle, mozzarella cheese, marinara sauce and red pepper flakes. 

Leave the tops of the rolls off, crust-side facing up. Broil until cheese melts and bread gets toasty. 

Enjoy! Don't burn your tongue.