Florida lizard wings as a tasty dish might not be the first thing that comes to mind for the normal person, but for this slingshot shooter, it was at the top of my bucket list. If you think that’s strange, you should see the rest of my bucket list! This here, is my take on Florida lizard wings. This is the Catapult cookout. Words and pictures by the legendary Zachary Fowler
Last winter, my wife and I drove down to Florida to spend a week filming a catch and cook series for my YouTube channel Fowler’s Makery and Mischief. After six days in the Florida Keys focused on fishing, it was time to start the long drive back to Maine, but I had one last catch and cook on my mind. You see in Maine, it’s illegal to hunt game with a slingshot. So, I can only slingshot hunt when I travel out-of-state.
After slaying a pile of Yellowtail Snapper and diving for Spiny Lobsters, it was time to hit that final goal. The non-native Green Iguanas are all over lower Florida and are considered an invasive species. They burrow into hillsides, causing erosion and proliferate at an alarming rate. For these reasons, they can be humanely killed year-round, without a permit or hunting license. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a single one in the Keys, so we started calling around and it turns out there are a good number of guide companies that do guided air rifle hunts on the canals. The first few places we called weren’t too keen on taking out a slingshot hunter and turned me down. But on the third call, we managed to convince the guide to look me up on YouTube and once they realized I had already successfully hunted rattlesnakes, opossums, squirrels, pigeons and more with my trusty slingshot, they made plans to take me out the next day. After arriving in Florida and meeting Captain Bud Randal with HuntingIguanas.com, I rigged up my trusty Sparrow slingshot with some 12 inch bands and one of my laminated Chimera pouches, which I’d load with 7/16 steel.
It was about 10AM when we headed out on Bud’s boat and began snaking our way through the Fort Lauderdale canal system. The banks were littered with holes and we didn’t have to go more than 100 yards before we spotted our first iguana. This one sat on top of the bank, but the way it positioned itself did not leave me with the cleanest shot, since a miss would likely mean hitting the homes behind him. Bud let me off on the shore and I stalked the reptile to about 28 feet away, being sure not to look directly at the iguana sunning itself. I drew back and took aim, fully stretching my modified butterfly draw of 5.33 feet (or 1.625 meters). I released as I flicked my frame forward and the shot flew true to my intended target. It was a perfect head shot and the iguana tumbled down the bank to the edge of the river! We bagged that one and moved on. Over the next two hours, we traversed the canals and I managed to get seven iguanas of varying sizes. I missed a time or two and a couple of lizards took two shots to take down, but not a single one I sighted managed to get away.
Most shots were within twenty feet, but I clocked two at just over 30 foot away (or approximately 10 meters). Bud was pretty impressed with the slingshot, and said that the shot-to-takedown ratio was never that good with the air rifle hunts.
I packed them on ice and headed back to Maine with my bounty.
I processed the iguanas, which would have been pretty easy, if I hadn’t wanted to keep the skins. I did the three biggest ones first, flaying the skins off and salting the hides, so they could be tanned for a future project. The rest I just butchered for their meat, removing the legs and first five inches of tail meat, composting the remains. There isn’t all that much meat on the rest of them, so unless your really trying to survive, this is the best method. I did notice a slight snake-like smell to the dead iguana carcasses, but once the meat was free of the skin, it just smelled and looked like chicken, minus a few extra joints.
Here’s where it starts to sound complicated, but I promise, it’s really not that bad. It should be noted, even if your not interested in iguana, this would be just as epic on store-bought chicken wings or fish. Or for those wild folks out there, try it on some squirrel or frog legs.
Knowing the lizard meat might be tough, I set out to brine it overnight. First, I mixed up the brine, which is good for a three to six hour brining, but if you want to go overnight, cut the salt and sugar in half, but keep your total brine time under twelve hours. After brining, rinse the wings and set them on a drying rack.
Then I wanted to batter and fry the iguana “wings”. I wanted to pair it with a really good dipping sauce, so I fired up the pellet smoker and put some peppers in.
So, coat each ‘wing’ in beaten egg, then the breading mix, and set aside.
Next, make up your dipping sauce by smoking your choice of peppers. Make sure you smoke them at a low temperature. Skin the peppers, blend with the rest of the ingredients and put your fresh dip in the fridge to chill.
Fry your ‘wings’. Do not crowd the frying pan with too many wings at a time. I personally like to fry in peanut oil.
The taste is fairly like chicken, but tougher! Unlike opossum and woodchuck, there wasn’t a noticeable amount of gamey flavour. And when I say it was tough, it wasn’t bad like some cuts of deer meat or the stringy toughness of a wild turkey leg. It was more like the meaty chewiness of alligator or catfish. I would even say it ranks right up there with a good rabbit. Definitely better than squirrel.
If you’re ever in Florida, now you know those green iguanas you see out there, sunning themselves by the dozen, aren’t just reptilian rats, but a secret culinary destination waiting to be explored – if you’re willing to trust this slingshot shooter!
Florida lizard wings recipe:
First, sling shoot your lizards. You need the skinned legs and tail of a few large Floridian green iguanas, cut into ‘wings’ and chunks.
Brine
Salt and sugar, one cup each, plus two tbsp each of red pepper flakes and apple cider vinegar. One tbsp black pepper, three cups of water.
Breading
One cup each of flour and corn starch. One tbsp each of onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper and salt.
Peppers & Onions
One clove garlic, one thinly sliced onion and a shallot, plus two sliced bell peppers, and some sliced spring onions.
Dipping Sauce
Three Jalapeño, four Habanero and one red bell pepper, smoked, de-seeded and skinned, cut into chunks. Two cups sour cream, one of mayonnaise. One tbsp each: cumin, paprika, chilli powder, black pepper, salt. One lime, juiced and zested and three cloves of garlic, plus one large onion.
Method
Mix and dissolve brine ingredients and bring to a boil. Then, pour three more cups of water, chilled with ice cubes, in a separate medium pot and add to the hot brine, to cool it. Place the skinned Florida lizard wings in the brine and refrigerate overnight.
Beat four eggs. Drain, rinse and dry the iguana pieces and coat in egg before rolling them in the breading mix.
Fry your breaded iguana in oil at 350F (175C) until it reaches an internal temp of at least 165F (75C).
Blend the sauce ingredients until smooth.
Add the peppers and onions to an oiled pan. Cook for two to three minutes or until they start to become translucent. Toss in your breaded iguana ‘wings’ and cook for another two to three minutes. Serve garnished with parsley, with the smoked pepper dipping sauce alongside.
HERE is Zachary’s original layout, easier to use in a kitchen.
Florida lizard wings recipe: 2 lbs of Iguana Legs and Tails
Brine
In a medium size pot:
1 Cup Salt
1 Cup Sugar
2 Tbs Red Pepper Flakes (or Kimchi Spice)
1 Tbs Black Pepper
2 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
3 Cups of Water
Mix and dissolve ingredients, put on high heat and bring to a boil.
Pour 3 cups of water, chilled with ice cubes, in separate medium pot.
Pour hot brine into cold water to cool off. Place iguana wings in two gallon sealable plastic bag and pour cooled brine into bag (or put the wings in the brine pot/container and cover.)
Seal and place wings in refrigerator, soaking in brine 4-12 hours or overnight.
Remove wings from refrigerator, pour brine and wings into strainer and rinse.
Wings are brined and ready for cooking.
Sauce
3 Smoked Jalapeño Peppers
4 Smoked Habanero
1 Smoked Red Bell Pepper
Drain, remove seeds and skin & then cut into large chunks
2 Cups Sour Cream
1 Cup Mayo
1 Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Paprika
1 Tbsp Chilli Powder
1 Tbsp Black Pepper
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Lime, Juiced and Zested
2-3 Cloves Minced Garlic
1 White Boiler Onion
Blend until smooth, garnish with parsley
Breading
Dry rub:
1 cup flour
1 cup corn starch
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp salt
Mix together…
Wet mix:
In a separate bowl add 3-4 eggs and beat until thoroughly mixed together
Dry off iguana pieces
Coat in egg wash
Roll in batter and work into the iguana
Fry iguana in oil at 350F until it reaches an internal temp of at least 165F
Glaze:
1 clove garlic
1 boiler onion thinly sliced
1 shallot thinly sliced
2 bell peppers sliced
1 cup green onion
Cook:
Add some oil to a wok/sauté pan
Add onion, shallots, green onion, and garlic
Cook for 2-3 minutes or until they start to become translucent
Add smoked peppers and cook for another 2-3 minutes
Toss cooked iguana nuggets in pan with ingredients and serve your Florida lizard wings!
