Blackened alligator is a specialty hailing from Louisiana that is made with pan-seared pieces of seasoned alligator meat as the star ingredient. The dish is typically prepared by rubbing bite-sized pieces of alligator meat with a blend of spices and seasonings before the meat is seared or blackened in a smoking hot cast-iron skillet with a small amount of oil.

Typical spices include paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, chili powder, minced onion powder, minced garlic powder, ground thyme, ground oregano, kosher salt, and Cajun seasoning. Blackened alligator bites are usually enjoyed with white rémoulade, a type of sour mayonnaise-based sauce.

Paul Prudhomme, a renowned Louisiana chef, was the one who popularized the cooking technique of blackening that gives the protein a distinctive crust by first seasoning it with a mix of spices and seasonings, and then searing it in a very hot cast-iron skillet.

This way the meat doesn’t dry out on the interior and at the same time develops a flavorful brown crust on its surface.