Garlic Butter Fried Frog Legs are deep-fried to golden perfection and smothered in a flavorful sauce for the ultimate appetizer or main dish. Delicious on their own or with steamed rice!
Garlic Butter Frog Legs
I’ve had this Garlic Butter Frog Legs recipe on the blog going on 10 years now (originally published in 2013!), but I never got around to taking appetizing photos of it. There are just things like pig’s head or “seated chicken” that are difficult to make pretty in pictures.
Fortunately, my good blogger friend, Sanna, was able to take them for me. It takes mad photography skills to make amphibians look tasty, but she did it! So, I’m republishing this post and pushing it to the front of the blog to get the attention it deserves. Because, you know, everyone needs a good frog leg recipe.
Ingredient notes
Most of the ingredients you need are simple kitchen staples such as butter, garlic, flour, eggs, and seasonings. What you’ll probably run around town to source would be the frog legs.
Growing up in the Philippines, I remember my lola cleaning the frogs. Watching her skin and dismember each one with a sharp knife and soaking them in cold water was, quite frankly, unsettling and rather traumatic for the young me.
Luckily, in the U.S., ready-to-cook frozen legs are available in the freezer aisle of most Asian supermarkets. You get to experience this unique delicacy without the horror.
Eating frogs is an acquired taste, and if the idea is just too difficult to stomach, you can swap them with your favorite chicken parts or head-on shrimp. After all, they’re said to taste like a cross between shrimp and chicken.
Cooking Tips
- Soak the legs in milk for about 1 hour before cooking to remove any impurities, and whiten and tenderize the meat. For food safety, keep refrigerated.
- Cook the garlic in warm butter, and NOT hot, to draw out the maximum flavor before it browns.
How to serve and store
- These crispy garlic butter fried frog legs make a tasty appetizer with your favorite drinks or main dish with your choice of sides.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. They’re delicious, hot or cold!
Garlic Butter Fried Frog Legs
Crispy fried frog legs are a culinary adventure you need to try at least once! Golden, crunchy, and tasty with a garlicky, buttery sauce, they just might surprise you!
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Ingredients
- 1 pound (about 4 pieces) frog legs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- canola oil
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup cornstarch
For The Garlic Butter Sauce
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 head garlic, peeled and minced
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Rinse frog legs and place in bowl of milk. Soak for about 1 hour in the refrigerator. Drain and pat dry.
- In a wide pan, heat about 2-inch of oil over medium heat.
- In a bowl, combine sugar, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Toss frog legs in mixture to fully coat.
- Dip frog legs in beaten egg then toss in cornstarch until completely coated, shaking off excess.
- Fry frog legs, turning once or twice, for about 4 to 6 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
- To serve, arrange on a serving platter and pour garlic butter sauce over.
For Garlic Butter Sauce
- In a sauce pan over low heat, heat butter.
- When the butter is warm and begins to melt, add garlic and cook until lightly browned and fragrant.
- Add cayenne powder and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Turn off heat and stir in green onions.
Notes
Soaking the legs in milk is optional but it helps to remove any impurities and whiten and tenderize the meat.
Cook the garlic in warm butter, and NOT hot, to draw out the maximum flavor before it browns.
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
