Frog Legs Recipe

Trim and brine

Rinse the frog legs and pat dry. Place them in a shallow dish and combine buttermilk, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Submerge the frog legs in the buttermilk mixture, cover, and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes. This tenderizes and removes any mild gaminess.

Prepare breading

While the frog legs marinate, in a shallow bowl or pie plate whisk together the flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, 0.75 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper until evenly combined.

Dredge

Remove legs from the buttermilk, letting excess drip off. One at a time, dredge each leg thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing so the coating adheres. Shake off excess and place on a wire rack while you heat the oil. For an extra-crispy crust, dip the dredged legs back briefly into the buttermilk and then into the flour mixture a second time.

Heat oil

Pour 2 cups vegetable oil into a heavy skillet or Dutch oven to a depth of about 1 inch. Heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 350°F (175°C) or until a small pinch of flour sizzles gently on contact.

Fry frog legs

Working in batches (do not crowd), carefully add the breaded frog legs to the hot oil. Fry 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches about 145°F (63°C). Total fry time is typically 6–8 minutes depending on size. Adjust heat as needed to maintain 325–350°F and prevent burning.

Drain and finish

Using tongs, transfer fried frog legs to a paper towel–lined tray or wire rack. Immediately melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat, add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant (do not brown), stir in lemon juice and chopped parsley. Spoon the garlic butter over the hot frog legs to finish.

Arrange frog legs on a serving platter with lemon wedges and optional dipping sauce. Serve hot. Estimated accompaniments: simple green salad, fries or crusty bread to soak up garlic butter.