ALLIGATOR RELLENO: We share a savory recipe for gator 
goodness Mexican style… ahead on Passport to Texas. 

This is Passport to Texas

If you’ve never eaten alligator, its flesh is firm like pork, 
with a mild flavor of chicken and fish. Chef Jeff Martinez.

04— Most of the time when you get alligator meat, it’s going to 
be the jaw or the tail.

Using ground alligator tail meat, Chef Jeff prepares a 
recipe for ancho alligator chile relleno. 

09— I’ve got a hot pan here. We’re going to add some extra 
virgin olive oil to the bottom. We’re going to add our white 
onion that’s been diced up. We’re going to let this sauté. 
[sizzle]

Next Chef adds diced garlic, tomatoes and ground gator. 

26—Alligator is a very lean meat, so the cooking time is 
minimal. So, we’re going to add a little more flavor to this dish 
by throwing in some sliced green olives. And then we’re going 
to add some of these raisins. And we’re going to finish it off 
with slivered almonds that have been toasted, and fresh 
chopped parsley. And once you put that parsley in, you don’t 
want to leave it on the stove cooking for too long, because you 
still want that brightness, that freshness from the parsley. 

He salts to taste and then stuffs the mixture into ancho 
chiles that he rehydrated in hot water and brown sugar.

09—I’m going to make sure it’s nice and full, but you want to 
leave enough room so you can take the ancho chile and wrap it 
back around the meat. And I’m going to set that into an oven 
proof baking dish.

That goes into a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. When 
done, he garnishes them with crema and parsley.

Find the recipe and instructions at passporttotexas.org.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti. 


Total sound bite time:		                 0:48.0
Maximum Script time:		                 0:37.0                     Suggested show time: 85.0 = 1:25