# ever eaten a slug? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 26, 2011, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351 "2011-07-26T02:47:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![double\_p](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/71e660/32.png) [@double\_p](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/double_p)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351/1 "2011-07-26T02:47:00Z")
so the thought around the table tonight, is, have you ever eaten a slug? I’ve googled slug recipes, but have not found any reference to someone actually eating a slug. can I get some help here? (not that I’m actually going to try it myself, but maybe challenge some younger folks with a dare) ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351/2 "2011-07-26T02:55:26Z")
I’ve eaten and enjoyed a couple different kinds of snails - which by definition have shells, but I think are otherwise the same basic sort of critter. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351/3 "2011-07-26T02:59:33Z")
Since this is asking about personal experiences, it’s better suited to IMHO than GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351/4 "2011-07-26T09:11:18Z")
I’ve had escargot, and they’re basically the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351/5 "2011-07-26T11:23:58Z")
[Yum.](http://feralfood.blogspot.com/2009/12/for-sarah-and-anybody-else-who-is.html) I’ve had snails several times, including a Paris restaurant. Didn’t particularly enjoy, except the garlic butter was tasty. I imagine slugs taste much the same…not much taste, sort of rubbery texture. I ate an earthworm on a dare when I was 8 years old. It was gritty. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351/6 "2011-07-26T11:30:49Z")
Moving thread from IMHO to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![Surok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@Surok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surok)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351/7 "2011-07-26T11:54:50Z")
**Mangetoute** reported on eating foraged snails back sometime in 2007/8, I think. And given his interest in wild foods, he may have tried slugs as well. Might be worth dropping him a PM - don’t know if he does vanity searches. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351/8 "2011-07-26T12:07:39Z")
My mother once ate a live slug served with a squeeze of lemon in Italy. I don’t think I would dare it, although I love oysters. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351/9 "2011-07-26T12:26:25Z")
After a long day of hiking, we arrived back at our campsite after dark and made spaghetti with broccoli in the sauce. It the morning light we saw that the broccoli had quite a few slugs living in it so we undoubtedly had eaten several. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351/10 "2011-07-26T13:26:03Z")
There’s a recipe contest at the famous Banana Slug Festival. [According to this NY Times article](http://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/22/us/russian-river-journal-courage-is-an-ingredient-at-banana-slug-festival.html), German immigrants “gutted them like fish and fried them in batter”. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351/11 "2011-07-26T13:33:00Z")
I’ve occasionally wondered if it wouldn’t be more cost effective for a restauranteur to recycle escargot shells by stuffing them with cooked slugs. Would anyone be able to tell the difference? …and shouldn’t this be in Cafe Society? ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351/12 "2011-07-26T14:47:56Z")
> [@double\_p](#): > > … (not that I’m actually going to try it myself, but maybe challenge some younger folks with a dare) just be sure not to eat it raw.. :eek: [http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/health/HealthRepublish\_969551.htm](http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/health/HealthRepublish_969551.htm) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351/13 "2011-07-26T14:48:45Z")
Somebody watched _Eureka_ last night. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351/14 "2011-07-26T15:12:17Z")
Does it talk? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351/15 "2011-07-26T17:19:12Z")
I’ve had escargot, too, in a Canadian restaurant. Nowhere near as tough and rubbery as octopus. I understand that slugs frequently get caught up by the picking machines used to harvest Concord Grapes for the grape juice, jam, and jelly market. It you’ve eaten any of those, you’ve probably had at least a minute portion of slug. ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351/16 "2011-07-26T18:52:28Z")
> [@double\_p](#): > > so the thought around the table tonight, is, have you ever eaten a slug? I’ve googled slug recipes, but have not found any reference to someone actually eating a slug. can I get some help here? > (not that I’m actually going to try it myself, but maybe challenge some younger folks with a dare) I have, but my divorce became final, thank God… ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351/17 "2011-07-26T18:59:25Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I’ve occasionally wondered if it wouldn’t be more cost effective for a restauranteur to recycle escargot shells by stuffing them with cooked slugs. Would anyone be able to tell the difference? Most slugs have a vestigial internal shell. I have no idea whether this would be substantial enough to be an unpleasantly crunchy surprise. And I doubt that even the cheapest chef could be bothered to butcher a slug. ---
**Author:** ![Iggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351/18 "2011-07-26T19:06:14Z")
I ate a medium sized slug during a party off of someone’s patio for $20. Live, raw, no garnish. Somewhat chewy and very slimy. No real flavor to speak of, though I only chewed a couple of times before I swallowed. The oddest side affect was a slight numbness/tingling in my mouth for a while afterwards. Or maybe that was the beer before and after? 🙂 I didn’t get meningitis. This was in Oregon. ---
**Author:** ![double\_p](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/71e660/32.png) [@double\_p](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/double_p)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-eaten-a-slug/590351/19 "2011-07-27T03:27:09Z")
thanks for the replies. this gives me enough to go on, meaning I’m not going to be eating a slug anytime soon.