What do Frogs Legs Taste Like?

I lived in France for a few years where frog legs are a common delicacy, but frog legs taste differently depending on how they are prepared, cooked, and for how long. Frog legs have a fairly neutral base flavour and the end product flavour profile is highly influenced by what is used in the preparation.

As a general rule, frog legs have the texture of chicken and taste like white fish. Frog legs generally take on the flavour of the spices and sauces that are used in their preparation and tend to taste more like chicken when grilled or boiled, but more like fish when deep fried, or sautéed.

How frog legs are cooked is generally tied to the culture and location where they are being prepared, but frog legs are most commonly grilled, boiled, deep-fried, or sautéed.

1. Grilled Frog Legs Taste Like BBQ Spices

Frog legs can be served grilled on a BBQ. Since they are very lean and contain very little fat, they are generally prepared with some oil to avoid sticking to the grill and are often smothered in delicious BBQ spices for more flavor. 

Frog legs generally take on the flavours of the spices that are used to prepare them on the BBQ. Grilled frog legs tend to dry out more compared to boiled frog legs and have a more dominant flavour of chicken than fish.

Frog legs are rarely served grilled in Europe, but are commonly prepared on the BBQ in the Southern United States. Frog legs are often served and prepared spicy with a Creole Dipping Sauce in the South.

2. Deep-Fry Frog Legs Taste Like Fish

Frog legs are often battered and deep-fried in Louisiana, Alabama, and Georgia. The frog legs may be soaked in milk to remove any impurities, to whiten them and swell the legs. 

Frog legs generally take on the flavours of the spices and batter that are used to prepare them when deep fried. Deep fried frog legs tend to hold in moisture while having a crispy exterior and therefore have a more dominant flavour of fish retaining a texture of chicken.

Frog legs are often dipped into a rich  Cajun or Creole seasibed buttermilk batter and deep-fried in oil in the Southern States.

3. Sautée or Stir-Fry Frog Legs Taste Like Spices

In Europe, frog legs are often prepared stir-fried or sautéed in butter and spices. In Froace, frog legs are generally washed, dried, powdered with flour and Provençal herbs, sautéed in butter and swirled in garlic and lemon juice just before serving. 

Frog legs à la Provinçale taste like fish, herbs, and butter but have a crispy outside texture of grilled batter and skinless chicken. Frog legs prepared in Asia may also be stir-fried or sautéed and will taste like the spices used in the preparation.

They can be served as an entrée or as a main dish depending on the sizes and quantities available.

4. Boiled Frog Legs Taste More Like Fish

Frog legs can be boiled and eaten plain with some salt. When prepared boiled, frog legs have a very neutral taste and a texture closer to fish. When prepared in a stew, frog legs take on the flavor profile of the elements in the stew.

Frog legs may be caramelized with onions and garlic before having the bones removed when made into a stew. Then you can place them in a stew with a rich tomato sauce, chopped potatoes, diced red peppers, and fresh herbs (CTNF).

More About Consuming Frog Legs

Before you get excited to eat frog legs and run to the grocery store, be sure to check out our guides below on how to be an informed consumer of frog legs:

• Where Can You Buy Frog Legs?
• 5 Types of Frogs You Can Eat And What to Chose
• Frogging, Frog Hunting & Gigging: Everything There is to Know
• Can You Eat Frogs?
• Can You Eat Toads?

Common Questions About Frog Legs & Flavour

Can you eat frogs? You can only eat frogs legs since the rest of the frog is not made of meat and Is generally not edible and you can only eat certain types of frogs including Bullfrogs and Edible Frogs. Most frogs are too small to be eaten, or are poisonous and not fit for consumption.

Do frog legs taste gamey? Frog legs do not taste gamey like most hunted meat including duck, wild rabbit, or bison. Frog legs have a more neutral flavour with the texture of chicken and the flavour of white fish. Frog legs generally take on the flavour profile of the spices used to prepare them.

Can you get sick from eating frog legs? As a general rule, you will not get sick from eating frog legs if they are an edible species, are fresh, well preserved, and fully cooked. However, eating the wrong species, spoiled legs, or not handling or cooking them correctly could result in sickness or death.

Are frog legs normal to eat? Frog legs have been consumed for thousands of years in hundreds of cultures worldwide. Frog legs are rich in protein, omega-3 acids, vitamin A and potassium and can make a good meal, but it’s important to be a responsible consumer when choosing which types of legs to consume.

Are frog legs chewy? Frog legs can be chewy around the bone when they are slightly undercooked. It is best to fully cook frog legs to avoid chewy frog legs.

How do you tell if frog legs are done? You can make sure your frog legs are fully cooked by testing a few legs before serving them: the meat should fall right off the bone. Frog legs are ready when none of the meat sticks to the bones no matter how they are prepared.

Do frog legs jump when you cook them? Frog legs do not jump when you cook them. Frog legs may twitch if some salt is sprinkled directly on them since the vast majority of frogs cannot live in saltwater and their muscles naturally contract based on a bio-chemical reaction.

What types of frogs can you eat? Out of 7,200 known species, generally there are only a few types of frogs that are consumed including Bullfrogs, Leopard Frogs, Javan Giant Frogs, Edible Frogs, and Anatolian Water Frogs. Generally only the legs are eaten. You can eat frog legs in France, Turkey, Indonesia, and the South of the USA.