how to bake a rattlesnake

I know. I know. I said I was signing off and I am after this, but today was spent packing and getting ready to go on our trip and....

Well. Sometimes your day goes differently than planned.

This was one of those days.

Long story short, our next door neighbor, Kristin, found a rattlesnake hanging out of her house between the siding and the foundation right next to her front door.  It became necessary to kill him in order to prevent him from disappearing into her house. As soon as it became clear that the snake was going to die, Max claimed the rattles. He then decided that he also wanted to skin the snake, and make something from the skin.

OK.

He ran inside, googled 'how to skin a snake', watched a quick video, and was back in a flash with a knife, a piece of wood, and a plan. Please note the innards down on the board. They come into play in a moment.

He chopped off the rattles and pulled the skin off. (The head was gone already.)

He tacked it to a table on the deck and salted it. Lewis, in the meantime, had fully gutted Senor Snake with help from Della and a friend. They found it's little heart, which was still beating, incidentally, and  fully investigated all his parts. '

We should eat it, Mom.' said Lewis.

I have actually been working on a post about how to raise good eaters. I have tried to instill in them the notion that nothing is off limits when it comes to good food. So what was I to do?

Cook a snake, that's what.

It's my turn on Google now, right?

Let me tell you. The snake recipes are limited. No, I'm not making snake chili. That sounds gross. Bake him on low for a long time? I'm not embracing him THAT much. And enough already with the venom information, give me something I can work with, OK?

I found nothing that was appealing. So I made up my own recipe. Let me share my quick and easy sauteed snake recipe. Saute cleaned snake in a bit of butter and olive oil. Add garlic, salt and pepper and lemon juice and sprinkle with fresh chives when meat looks done. That's all. A simple weeknight meal.

They came running when it was done.

Della dressed for the occasion.

There were lots of bones.

They ate every last bite.

Karmically, I think we did right by this snake. I don't ever like the idea of killing an animal needlessly, but there are certainly times when it is necessary. Some cultures believe that the snake is descended from lightening. I like that idea. Max tacked the rattle over his door to ward off bad mojo. I imagine the skin will soon follow. I am NOT making a necklace from his bones as one website suggested. But that does remind me of something that I should share..............

NOW, I'm signing off for real! See you back here in two weeks!