# So what exactly \*is\* a 'prairie oyster'?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 22, 2000, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-prairie-oyster/42229 "2000-11-22T02:58:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-prairie-oyster/42229/1 "2000-11-22T02:58:12Z")
At the pub yesterday evening, a bunch of us got into a discussion about words for cattle. Although the question of a general term for a single cattle-type animal didn’t come up\* (see page 100 of _Return of the Straight Dope_; the search engine can’t find it), we were left with another question: what exactly _is_ a ‘prairie oyster’? The first guess was ‘a lump of cow-droppings’, but that didn’t seem right. Another guess was ‘the testicles removed from a newly-castrated, uh, steer’. (I think). Yet another guess was ‘a cow’s vagina’, but that was a little out there. So… what’s the Straight Dope? \*We had no problem with the names of cattle in Esperanto… generic name of the animal: _bovo_. calf: _bovido_. According to [Merriam-Webster Online](http://www.webster.com/), “the young of the domestic cow”. cow: _bovino_. “The mature female of cattle, genus _Bos_”. Also, “a domestic bovine animal regardless of sex or age”. bull: _virbovo_. “a male bovine, especially an adult uncastrated male”. steer: _eksvirbovo_. “a young male animal castrated before sexual maurity. Compare _stag_, a male animal castrated after maturity”, also, a man “who attends a dance or party without a companion”. Sigh. heifer: _juna virbovo_. “a young cow; especially one that has not had a calf” ---
**Author:** ![Gregor\_Samsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@Gregor\_Samsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gregor_Samsa)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-prairie-oyster/42229/2 "2000-11-22T02:59:56Z")
On the Canadian prairies at least it’s the testicles of a bull. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-prairie-oyster/42229/3 "2000-11-22T03:05:30Z")
I knew Pipeliner would get that one! ---
**Author:** ![Gregor\_Samsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@Gregor\_Samsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gregor_Samsa)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-prairie-oyster/42229/4 "2000-11-22T03:08:59Z")
What’s really strange is that that was the second time today I’ve answered that question. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-prairie-oyster/42229/5 "2000-11-22T03:14:55Z")
I would just qualify Pipeliner’s definition by adding the word “detached.” ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-prairie-oyster/42229/6 "2000-11-22T04:12:57Z")
mmm…deep-fried bull’s balls… :eek: ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-prairie-oyster/42229/7 "2000-11-22T05:00:58Z")
Also known as [Rocky Mountain Oysters](http://www.meyercom.com/public/what_the/mountainos.htm), although that is often sheep testicles. ---
**Author:** ![Ura-Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/51bf81/32.png) [@Ura-Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ura-Maru)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-prairie-oyster/42229/8 "2000-11-22T10:04:42Z")
This may have been intended as a joke, but one episode of _Cowboy Bebop_ had a drink called a prairie oyster, to be used as a hangover cure. 1 egg yolk splash of tabasco sauce three shakes of pepper A shot or either Gin or just water (couldn’t tell, editing) – “You broke my egg!” ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-prairie-oyster/42229/9 "2000-11-22T10:54:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Pipeliner \* > \*\*On the Canadian prairies at least it’s the testicles of a bull. \*\* In the midwest, bull testicles are referef to as ‘beef fries’. Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![Commander\_Fortune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Commander\_Fortune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Commander_Fortune)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-prairie-oyster/42229/10 "2000-11-22T11:37:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ura-Maru \* > \*\*This may have been intended as a joke, but one episode of _Cowboy Bebop_ had a drink called a prairie oyster, to be used as a hangover cure. > > 1 egg yolk > splash of tabasco sauce > three shakes of pepper > A shot or either Gin or just water (couldn’t tell, editing) > \*\* Sally Bowles made this drink in _Cabaret_ as a hangover remedy. Only she used worcestershire sauce in place of tobasco. ---
**Author:** ![Carina42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Carina42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carina42)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-prairie-oyster/42229/11 "2000-11-22T12:57:25Z")
Deep fired testicles taste like a cross between liver and kidneys. aackk. I didn’t much care for them. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-prairie-oyster/42229/12 "2000-11-22T14:37:43Z")
Slight hijack, but this gives me the opportunity to share a joke I like: Guy goes to Mexico and while there visits a restaurant. He sees “prairie oysters” on the menu and asks about them. The waiter confirms that they are, indeed, testicles. “However, senor, people who try them here really like them. I recommend them. There’s a bullfighting ring next door, so ours are always fresh.” The guy figures “what the hell” and orders them. He’s surprised by their size when the dish arrives, and is amazed to discover he likes the taste – they’re juicy and tender. He goes back the next day to eat prairie oysters again. This time, though, he hates them – they’re small, and tough, and gristley. He calls the waiter over to complain. The waiter shrugs. “But, senor, the bull does not always lose.” ---
**Author:** ![Fyodor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/958977/32.png) [@Fyodor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fyodor)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-prairie-oyster/42229/13 "2000-11-22T15:22:19Z")
There’s a restaurant/bar here that specializes in “cowboy cuisine” (and also has the biggest best beer selection in town). Every year they have a “testicle festival” and serve up prairie oysters. They have t-shirts and advertising that say things like “I had a ball at…” or “go nuts at…” One of the festival menu items is “mixed nuts” which is beef testicles chopped up and fried with walnuts. ---
**Author:** ![Gregor\_Samsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@Gregor\_Samsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gregor_Samsa)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-prairie-oyster/42229/14 "2000-11-22T15:44:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jti \* > \*\*I would just qualify Pipeliner’s definition by adding the word “detached.” \*\* That’s a good point, **jti**. I wouldn’t recommend trying to eat a bull’s testicles while they’re still attached. ---
**Author:** ![jeel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71e660/32.png) [@jeel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeel)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-prairie-oyster/42229/15 "2000-11-22T15:52:48Z")
While WE are branding and castrating, we just throw the balls right on the fire used to heat the branding irons and eat them grilled with a bit of salt right there…no batter, no other seasoning…we’ve always called them Rocky Mountain Oysters. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-prairie-oyster/42229/16 "2000-11-22T15:55:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Pipeliner \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by jti \* > > \*\*I would just qualify Pipeliner’s definition by adding the word “detached.” \*\* > > That’s a good point, **jti**. I wouldn’t recommend trying to eat a bull’s testicles while they’re still attached. \*\* Agreed. But if you _did_, and succeeded, no one would ever pick a fight with you again. ---
**Author:** ![retsin2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@retsin2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/retsin2000)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-prairie-oyster/42229/17 "2000-11-22T16:02:03Z")
You can also get pork fries in the midwest. I ordered them one time not sure of what they were. As soon as I ate one I knew exactly what they were having had Rocky Mountain Oysters before. I didn’t really like them but I ate them all anyway. Then just for fun when the waitress came by to see if we wanted desert I asked her, “So what are pig fries anyway?” She stammered and was very reluctant to tell me. After a few awkward seconds I let her know what that I knew what they were. She was relieved that she didn’t have to explain. Good fun. ---
**Author:** ![jesuslynch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e99b99/32.png) [@jesuslynch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jesuslynch)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-exactly-is-a-prairie-oyster/42229/18 "2000-11-22T16:06:54Z")
[This](http://www.testyfesty.com) site just might give you a little more information.