More RATTLESNAKE Anyone? With seafood sauce?

One of the very nice things about the Blackfeet Reservation is that there are no rattlesnakes. However, there are lots of them to the east and south, so in case you happen to acquire one, here are some suggestions of what to do with them. I mean, obviously you’ll want to eat them, but do you have any recipes handy?

BOILED RATTLESNAKE
(Remove head before cooking to remove venom.)
Place snake in container large enough to hold the snake. Boil gently with water mixed with a generous amount of lemon juice and mixed spices. (Place spices in cheesecloth or in a tea ball.)

Simmer approximately 90 minutes. Remove meat and let it cool. Remove from the bones. Can use in any recipe using cooked meat or dip meat in a seafood sauce.

RATTLESNAKE AND BEANS
3 lbs. dry kidney or pinto beans, cooked, OR 64 oz. canned beans
30 oz. stewed tomatoes, undrained
4 oz canned diced jalapenos, more or less to taste
1 large red onion, cut in large chunks
1 dash salt
1 garlic clove, smashed
1/2 lb rattlesnake meat in bite-sized pieces, browned
Broken tortilla chips (optional)

Put cooked beans into large pot, add tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, salt, garlic, and rattlesnake meat. Simmer 10 minutes to heat thoroughly. For chili pie, put some broken tortilla chips in bottom of bowl and spoon beans over chips.

RATTLESNAKE SALAD
1 medium rattlesnake, cut up
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic
1 Tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 Tablespoons sherry
1/2 stalk celery, finely diced
4 boiled eggs, diced
1/2 onion, finely diced
1/2 cup sweet pickles, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
Combine first five ingredients and boil until tender. Chop meat finely and mix well with remaining ingredients. Serve on sandwiches or over quartered tomatoes and lettuce.