Long a staple of traditional Louisiana Creole cuisine, alligator meat is lean, firm, pinkish in color, low in fat and cholesterol, and high in protein and iron. The tenderloin, a muscle that runs next to the tailbone and spinal column of the gator, is the most tender of the alligator cuts.
Alligator tenderloin somewhat resembles veal and tastes like a cross between frog legs and turtle meat. It adapts to many types of seasonings and the flaky, white meat can substitute for veal, seafood, or chicken in many recipes.