How to Cook and EAT Giant Grubs

Intro: How to Cook and EAT Giant Grubs

Step by step instructions for going about primitively cooking and eating Giant Grubs (Longhorn Beetle Larvae)

Disclaimer: Creatures were harmed and consumed in this instructible. I will say that they struck the first blow by killing my entire forest full of 100+ year old grandfather Elms and Hackberry. Dates carved into the trees were from the late 1800's on to present time with trees measuring up to 3ft in diameter... They are all dead now, blue sky anddead trees laying everywhere full of grubs. I've a bit of a bias against these creatures nowadays.

STEP 1: Finding Grubs to Consume

STEP 2: What You'll Need

This is obviously my own take on the process of entomophagy (bug eating) and I fully expect to be judged for using Cholula sauce to enhance this savory treat. That being said, I've cooked this grub using a campfire, green sharpened spit and Cholula sauce as propriety in such endeavors must be maintained.

STEP 3: Spit Through Grub

On to the cooking business. The sharpened spit must be twisted and pushed lengthwise through the grub. The spit is used so that the grub can be suspended over the fire to cook without risk of burning oneself.

Note: Be sure to use a green/live branch to cook your grub. Using dead wood for a spit will likely result in it catching fire, burning in half, and the inevitable loss of your meal.

STEP 4: Spice and Flame

You can cook with or without seasoning, I prefer the former. Marinade with Cholula and begin to cook over the fire. Due to the size of this meal, cooking time is well under 10 minutes. Rotate the spit to make sure that cooking is uniform. I cooked the grub until it was crisp on the outside with the inner meat remaining moist.

Note: Cooking "wild game" of any sort is advisable. Cooking kills parasites/bacteria as well as aids in the breakdown of food which allows for more efficient digestion.

STEP 5: Eat Up!

Pull your grub off or eat it on the stick! It's more than a mouthful, and I take the head/beak off (too hard) before consuming. Enjoy the smoky flavorful grub, it was actually pretty tasty when I managed to forget what it is for a bit... It'll take a while to finish, while chewing you'll probably want to take a few moments to consider the decisions you've made in life that have led you to this moment. At least I don't live in a van down by the river I suppose...

Note: I would equate this creature to the flavor of bacon... I know, I'd be skeptical too. Reminded me of a Jalapeno Popper with the hint of Cholula. 10/10 would eat again.

STEP 6: Watch This Video to See How It's Done

Not a step, but if a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video ought to be worth at least a thousand
pictures.

Click on the video above to see how it's done. Check out my YouTube Channel to see more Videos like this one:

HorseBackBob

https://www.youtube.com/user/horsebackbob

Comments

[starkid]

Dude, I cringed the entire time I read your instructable and I think I vomited in my mouth a little... They look absolutely disgusting and I would never eat them BUT I really like this post, I really like your fire for the outdoors (pun intended), keep it up dude and ill keep my fingers crossed for you and your career in survival!!!

[MrRedBeard]

You sir are my hero. btw the swimming after a diamondback rattle snake video on your youtube video is friggin wild! I will get around to attempting this in the near future.

[HorseBackBob]

Haha, appreciated. It is starting to warm up here finally... and you can expect me to take my videos to the next level this year. Looking at doing this full time and really following a career in everything outdoorsmanish/survival. Thanks for watching!

[ToolboxGuy]

Should you need to expose yourself to more venomous snakes, try Rattlesnake Gulch, in upstate New York. They used to have an annual capture and eating event, until they were put on the Threatened and Endangered lists.

Every few years, the roads flood there, and you can see the snakes cross the road from time to time. Timber rattlesnakes and copperhead (no rattles, but also quite dangerous) are the primary residents.

And, yes, there are swamps in the world which freeze over in winter. Just visit in the summer and you'll have all of the mosquitos and black flies and hot, muggy weather to confirm you are indeed in a swamp.

[HorseBackBob]

Also, I had a few critters get away from me that night before taking that swim. When he went for it, I shrugged and gave chase. In hindsight, jumping int an unknown river in the middle of the night fully clothed after a venomous snake... ehh, not kidding myself, I'll probably do it again.

[AnnH31]

Are these grubs huhu grubs? (By the way, I totally understand you feelings against these grubs. Great vids!!)

[AmyS301]

Gonna pack some Cholula in my bugout bag. That's a good idea.

[AmyS301]

Did you purge it first?

[Gadget93]

Mad respect. Eating grubs are not my thing but this is so awesome you made an instructable for it. I hope it helps someone.

[CrawfishYAY]

You look & sound like you're from Texas. Where are you from? Also, I wish we could make it normal in our culture to eat bugs. I've tried eating grasshoppers before. Boiled them in water. Only would eat the leg meat & rib meat. The rib meat tasted good, but I only got as much meat as a sunflower seed.

[nliwilson]

They make more interesting pets than food truth be told, unless your life depends on them.

[HorseBackBob]

They have decimated my forest... so I shall eat them in turn. Missing my trees.

[nliwilson]

Ha! Free food and land management in one? That seems fair enough to me. :D

[HorseBackBob]

I'm stacking and burning the trees anyhow... seems a shame to leave all that cooked meat to waste. : )

[Lenorabyrd]

How heartbreaking, to have lost all those trees! Since you mentioned stacking and burning all this wood, it made me wonder if you're aware of the HUGE market for wormy wood? Especially hardwood, if you have any on hand.... Reclaimed or old-looking wood is quite the rage among woodworkers, and the end products are usually found at premium prices!

So--if you have any lumber yards, etc, in your area, It may be worth looking into--& that would be the ultimate revenge on those grubby critters, actually making them "pay"!

[HorseBackBob]

That is an excellent idea! I hadn't thought about it because the Hackberries have died and come down first... not a good wood, but the elm have started to fall this year and I've already made a few benches with the chainsaw for the kids to fish on by the river. I'll have to look into it, and post pictures of what is left of the forest here in a month or so.

[CrawfishYAY]

Have you done that, yet?

[turtle keeper]

euaghhhhh ......But nice instructables and great job. How do they taste???

[buck2217]

EEEEWWWWWWWWWWW nope nope nope :-)

[KimberlyL1]

This is pretty awesome (and the comments entertaining). My oldest would *love* this. It wouldn't take very much coaxing to get him to try it, and he has mentioned the idea of raising "food bugs" as a hobby or business.