Grilled alligator banh mi for 8: cubes of alligator tail in a soy, lime, honey and ginger marinade, grilled on metal skewers and stuffed into toasted rolls with sriracha mayo, pickled daikon and carrot, cucumber, jalapeño and cilantro. The pickles and sauce are made the night before, the meat marinates in the cooler on the drive, and the grill work is about 10 minutes.
Feeds: 8 · Hands-on: about 45 min · Total: about 3 hours (most of it marinating on the drive)
Home gear: 8 to 10 metal skewers
Pack for the lot
- Bagged alligator, at the bottom of the cooler
- Jar of pickles and jar of sriracha mayo, in the cooler
- Cucumber, jalapeños and cilantro, in the cooler
- Rolls and extra sriracha
- Metal skewers
- Instant-read thermometer
- Tongs, a small bowl of oil and a paper towel for the grate
- Charcoal and a chimney starter, or a full propane tank
- Trash bags
Lot notes
- The Florida rule: the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium guide says grills must be "Attended, on level ground, 25 feet from any building or structure, vehicles included. Douse the ash; outdoor trash cans only. No fire pits, candles or ground fires."
- Thawing: alligator is usually sold frozen. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, never on the counter.
- Raw meat: the marinade touched raw meat, so it goes in the trash, not on the skewers. Cooked meat goes on a clean plate.
- Cold stuff stays cold: the raw meat, pickles, mayo and vegetables ride at 40°F or below. Built sandwiches get eaten within 2 hours, or 1 hour when it's over 90°F. Toss anything left out past that.
- Cleanup: metal skewers wipe off and go home in the empty marinade bag.
Can you make banh mi ahead for a tailgate?
The parts, yes. The pickles and sriracha mayo keep for days in the fridge. The meat marinates on the drive and goes on the grill at the lot. Build the sandwiches right before eating so the bread stays crisp.
How do you keep alligator from getting tough on the grill?
Cut it into even pieces, keep the marinade time under 6 hours and pull the skewers as soon as they hit temperature. Alligator is lean, so a few extra minutes dries it out.
How much grilled alligator banh mi for 20 people?
Make 2½ times the recipe: 6¼ pounds of alligator, 20 rolls, about 2 cups of mayo with ⅓ cup of sriracha, 2 to 3 small daikon and 5 carrots for the pickles, 3 cucumbers, 5 jalapeños and 2 bunches of cilantro. Marinate the meat in 2 or 3 bags so it all stays coated.
Can you grill at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium?
Yes. The Florida guide allows grills that are "Attended, on level ground, 25 feet from any building or structure, vehicles included. Douse the ash; outdoor trash cans only. No fire pits, candles or ground fires." Read the full guide before you light up.
Can you use chicken instead of alligator?
Yes. Use boneless chicken thighs cut the same size, marinate them the same way and grill them to 165°F.