Oklahoma's Lamb Fries Are Made With An Unconventional Cut

Oklahoma is known for many culinary contributions, including fried onion burgers, barbecue, chicken-fried steak, and Oklahoma-style chili. But the Sooner State is also known for another delicacy that comes from the most unexpected cut of lamb. That delicacy is lamb fries -– or fried lamb testicles in layman's terms. Despite the second word in its name, this Southern dish is far removed from a plate of crispy french fries.

In Oklahoma, they are usually sliced, breaded, deep-fried, and served with a side of dipping sauce and a lemon wedge. While they're considered a rite of passage in Oklahoma and have been sampled by food celebrities like Guy Fieri, locals still get a kick out of watching out-of-towners try them without knowing what they are -– an interaction perhaps best immortalized in the 1988 film "Funny Farm."

At first glance, lamb fries may look no different than a piece of fish or chicken, but they don't always taste as such. While lamb fries are packed with protein and have been described as tasting like chicken, others have described the taste as more fishy, more akin to clam strips.

The mention of lamb fries (or the idea of eating them) may raise a few eyebrows, but the tradition of eating them dates back to 19th-century settlers who used every part of an animal as a means of being resourceful. Today, they endure as a Southern specialty at places like Cattleman's Steakhouse in Stockyard City, Oklahoma, which offers them as both an appetizer and an entree for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, much the same way that Rocky Mountain oysters (fried bull testicles) remain popular in some Western states.

Oklahoma's admiration for lamb fries (and other similarly unusual foods) doesn't end with empty plates at restaurants. Northeast of Tulsa, the town of Vinita, Oklahoma, has hosted the World's Largest Calf Fry Festival & Cook-Off for nearly 50 years. The festival celebrates the area's ranching history and features an average of 2,000 pounds of Rocky Mountain oysters (aka calf fries) served. 

While there are many ways to season and prepare traditional cuts of lamb at home, trying lamb fries on a trip through Oklahoma offers a small sample of the many flavors of Southern cuisine.