Why Calf Fries Are in Short Supply at Texas Steakhouses

Here in Texas, especially in Amarillo, we live in cattle country, and around here, it's all about beef. When it comes to beef, we tend to use most of the cow for food and other things. But mostly food, nearly everything on a cow ends up on a plate.

There is a delicacy out there in the world that you might not know about.  It has several titles for this particular food. While most know them as calf fries, it is also known as Rocky Mountain Oysters, Cowboy Caviar, etc.

What Are Calf Fries?

Now what are they, you might ask? Well, it's best if we don't tell you until you've tried them because they are actually delicious, but since you're already here and curious.

They are bull testicles.

Yeah, you read that right, cow balls.

People cut these off a bull, clean them, cut them, batter them, and throw them in a fryer, and what comes out is a little piece of deliciousness.

You might have a weak stomach, and that just completely grossed you out, or you know just how good they are and are now craving a basket.

However, our friends at The Big Texan, yes, that Big Texan home of the 72oz steak, have calf fries on their menu. The crew at the Big Texan shared a video talking about its calf fries.

The video talks about the shortage of bull testicles and how it's been difficult to get these in the restaurant.

This is the biggest shortage of bull testicles in 66 years.

In the video, you can see these Big Texan fellas just bouncing these raw bull bits in their hands.

How Many Testicles Does The Big Texan Use?

The Big Texan goes through 80,000 pounds of bull testicles each year, and Big Texan Owner Bobby Lee says it's one of the most popular menu items on the Big Texan.

Bobby Lee goes on to plead,

We need calf fries, we need to have bull balls please...we need balls

Is This a Joke or a Real Shortage?

According to the USDA, there isn't a shortage of bull testicles per se, but there is a shortage of cattle in general. If you don't have the cattle, then you don't have the testicles.

Will Calf Fries Disappear from Texas Menus?

There you have it, we might be in a crisis due to the shortage of bull you-know-whats. For those who are adventurous enough to try these, you may be out of luck, or you just might have to pay more to pop one of these in your mouth.