9 Of The Grossest Foods We Eat In North Dakota
Growing up, I was extremely spoiled to have parents and grandparents that cooked. I don't mean just threw things together, and hoped for the best. They really cooked well! My mom still makes the best buns and hot dishes. My dad still makes the best meatloaf and side pork. Grandma Haugen always made the best potato klub, fried chicken and donuts! Grandma Millie brought her cheese cake to every family gathering. Just the other day I had a conversation about how good the food was when we were in school. I really was spoiled!
Now, as we get older, we get exposed to many different foods. Many are out of this world. Some, not so much. I am not a fan of mushrooms. I absolutely HATE liver!
I did a social media poll where I asked what was the grossest foods people eat in North Dakota. Get your bib on, and grab a fork to enjoy some of the grossest foods that are eaten in our fair state!
Rocky Mountain Oysters
Mountain oysters, or meat balls, also known as prairie oysters in Canada, is a dish made of bull testicles. The organs are often deep-fried after being skinned, coated in flour, pepper and salt, and sometimes pounded flat. This delicacy is most often served as an appetizer. I have had them. They are not my favorite, but after a few beers, they're not bad.
Liver & Onions
In the United States liver and onions has long been an iconic staple of many diner-style restaurants. It is served either dry, with the liver, onions and sometimes bacon simply sauteed and heaped together, or the onions can be turned into a gravy or sauce, with stock and flour added, and with the liver returned to the gravy briefly before plating. As I said earlier...NOPE. This one is all about the texture for me. I am not a fan!
Head Cheese
Head cheese is made with flesh from the head of a calf or pig (less commonly a sheep or cow), typically set in aspic, and usually eaten cold, at room temperature, or in a sandwich. Despite its name the dish is not a cheese and contains no dairy products. Hard pass for me!
Blood Sausage
A blood sausage is a sausage filled with blood that is cooked or dried and mixed with a filler until it is thick enough to solidify when cooled. Most commonly, the blood of pigs, sheep, lamb, cow, chicken, or goose is used. In Europe and the Americas, typical fillers include meat, fat, suet, bread, cornmeal, onions, barley, oatmeal chestnuts and buckwheat. Rice can also be used as a filler. Sweet variants with sugar, honey, orange peel and spices are also regional specialties. NO...Just no!
Lutefisk
Lutefisk is dried whitefish (normally cod, but ling and burbot are also used). It is made from aged stockfish (air-dried whitefish), or dried and salted cod, cured in lye. It is gelatinous in texture after being rehydrated for days prior to eating. Sorry...anything that is in a gelatinous state, other than Jello, is a firm "no thanks" from me!
Other Gross Foods
There were several other items that were mentioned in my poll that I thought you might enjoy too (if that's possible). Oysters, fruit cake, green bean casserole and sardines round out the 9 I shared with you.
LOOK: Food history from the year you were born
Gallery Credit: Joni Sweet