The United States is renowned for its unique and diverse foods, offering a variety of strange dishes, including things like scrapple and fried Coca-Cola. American cuisine boasts some of the weirdest foods that could surprise even the most adventurous eaters. Whether they’re traditional dishes or modern inventions, these unusual foods highlight the creativity and regional influences of American food culture. Here are 18 of the strangest dishes you can find in the U.S.
Rocky Mountain Oysters
Rocky Mountain oysters are not what they sound like; in fact, they’re not even oysters! Far from seafood, rocky mountain oysters are actually bull or sheep testicles that have been deep-fried. This gross-sounding dish is shockingly a delicacy in some parts of the U.S., and it’s a popular choice at many regional fairs and festivals. It’s not surprising that people often serve this weird food with cocktail sauce or ketchup for added flavor.
Chitlins
Another strange dish made from unappetizing parts of an animal is chitlins. Chitlins, a traditional dish in Southern cuisine, consists of pig intestines that are cleaned, boiled, and often fried. Despite how disgusting this food sounds and looks, many Americans enjoy this dish, especially during the holidays. This tummy-turning food is usually covered with much-needed seasoning, like vinegar, onions, and various spices to enhance its flavor.
Fried Coca-Cola
CNN reports that “fried Coca-Cola debuted at the 2006 Texas State Fair and is now served at fairs across America.” This popular fair treat is made by deep frying balls of Coca-Cola flavored batter and drizzling them with Coke syrup. Fried Coca-Cola is also often topped with whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, and cherries (yum!). This unusual food actually sounds pretty tasty, so maybe give it a go next time the fair comes to town!
Rattlesnake Meat
Eaten mainly in the Southwestern U.S., rattlesnake meat is often compared to fish in texture but not in taste and is sometimes also called desert whitefish because of this comparison. Rattlesnake meat is generally breaded and deep-fried and is said to taste somewhat like chicken. Despite how scary this unconventional dish sounds, it’s not only safe to eat but is considered a novelty and is regularly found as a staple at food festivals.
Scotch Eggs
Originating in the UK, scotch eggs have become widely popular in the U.S., particularly in gastropubs and fairs. Unlike some other strange dishes that can be found in the U.S., this food actually sounds pretty appetizing. Scotch eggs are made from hard-boiled eggs that are wrapped in sausage meat, covered in breadcrumbs, and then deep-fried or baked. These delightful, tasty balls are also typically served with mustard or aioli to dip them in.
Fried Snickers
Snickers are one of the most popular candy bars in America, so of course they had to get turned into a deep-fried snack! This weird food is made by dipping a Snickers bar in batter and deep frying it. The frying process causes the chocolate and caramel to melt inside the batter, making it even more delicious. This incredibly unhealthy treat can be found at most state fairs, normally covered with powdered sugar or chocolate sauce.
Peanut Butter and Pickle Sandwich
Many of us turn to sandwiches for a convenient and tasty lunch, but peanut butter and pickle sandwiches are probably not for everyone! However, this questionable combination of creamy peanut butter and tangy pickles on bread is a favorite for certain people. The contrast between the sweet and savory flavors makes this sandwich an unusual creation, but this is actually the key to its appeal for some people.
Lutefisk
A traditional Scandinavian dish, which is popular among Scandinavian-American communities in the Midwest, is lutefisk. Lutefisk literally translates to lye fish and is dried whitefish that’s brined in lye and then typically steamed until it’s flaky. The end product is a gelatinous blob of fish with a strong odor that’s definitely an acquired taste! This odd food is often served with boiled potatoes, peas, and bacon to become a strangely hearty meal.
Alligator Meat
According to National Geographic, “State and federal protections, habitat preservation efforts, and reduced demand for alligator products have improved the species’ wild population to more than one million and growing today.” However, some people still enjoy a bite of alligator meat. This strange choice of protein is particularly popular in the South, and it’s typically served as fried bites, sausages, or stews. The texture of this lean, white meat is often compared to chicken or fish.
Poutine
Poutine is originally a Canadian dish, but it has gained massive popularity in the Northern U.S. Not quite as strange as some of the other dishes in this list but still an interesting combination, poutine consists of french fries topped with cheese curds and smothered in gravy. This dish is enjoyed as a comfort food or late-night snack by many Americans. Next time you crave a warming and comforting dish, give poutine a go!
Deep-Fried Butter
Deep-fried butter might sound a bit ridiculous, but it’s a popular novelty food item at state fairs in America! Butter that’s frozen, battered, and deep-fried might not seem like the most appetizing food, but that doesn’t stop people from flocking to get this sought-after snack at their local fair. This weird food is often topped with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar, making it taste sweeter and more delicious.
Fried Alligator Tail
The alligator tail is a tender part of the alligator, which is often cut into small pieces, breaded, and deep-fried to create a strange dish. As terrifying as this food might sound to some of us, fried alligator tail is commonly served as an appetizer or snack in southern parts of the United States. Typically accompanied by dipping sauces like remoulade or ranch, this unconventional meat dish is a delicacy in states such as Louisiana and Florida.
Chicken and Waffles
Another strange food combination found in the United States is chicken and waffles. This dish is a soul food classic that originated in the Southern U.S. and is now enjoyed by many Americans all across the country. While it may seem like a weird combination at first, the sweet and salty flavors are said to complement each other and work well together to create a great-tasting dish.
Fried Twinkies
Twinkies are the epitome of American sweet treats, so it’s only logical that we would deep-fry them like we deep-fry everything else! While it makes sense in American food culture, it’s still a bit of an unusual choice for a snack. Twinkies that have been dipped in batter, deep-fried until golden, making the inside warm and gooey, and sprinkled with powdered sugar is another treat that’s typically served at fairs.
Scrapple
Scrapple is a mush of pork scraps, cornmeal, and spices that are shaped into a loaf and usually sliced and fried until it’s crispy. The Spruce explains that “German immigrants now known as the Pennsylvania Dutch brought this economical dish to the region in the 17th and 18th centuries.” Since then, this unique dish has remained popular in Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine and spread into other parts of America.
Chocolate-Covered Bacon
Chocolate and bacon are two things that you would never expect to see together, however; chocolate-covered bacon has gained popularity in recent years and is now surprisingly a sought-after treat for Americans visiting festivals and fairs! The mere thought of the combination of the sweet chocolate and the salty bacon is enough to put some people off, but others fully enjoy the juxtaposition of flavors in this peculiar dish.
Chicago-Style Deep-Dish Pizza
Pizza is a favorite food for so many people, and it can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, with different toppings, sizes, and bases. The Chicago-style deep-dish pizza must be one of the weirdest types of pizza. This iconic dish from Chicago has a thick, buttery crust and is filled with layers of cheese, toppings, and tomato sauce. It’s also baked in a really deep pan that makes it look more like a pie than a traditional pizza.
Spam Musubi
Spam Musubi is a popular dish in Hawaiian cuisine that looks like a weird variation of sushi, constructed with a slice of Spam on top of a block of rice wrapped in seaweed. It first became popular as a cheap snack for people working on plantations, but it’s since become a much-loved snack or lunch item for many Americans. This strange food is often seasoned with soy sauce or teriyaki sauce to add extra flavor.
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