Most of the people who gig for frogs in my community – rural South Carolina, just east of Augusta, Georgia — tend to gig frogs in the late summer, especially August, when the nights are dependably hot and muggy and, in dry summers, the water has receded enough to create nice mud flats at the edges of pond banks.

I’ve never had frog legs any other way but fried. Most of the time we throw them in hot grease, behind bass and bream at a summer fish fry. But this August, I plan to mix it up. Once we collected enough legs, I'd like to try a Cajun-style recipe (mainly because I love anything paired with white rice).

Louisanacookin.com is a fantastic site for southern eats and Louisiana cooking. There, I found a recipe for Frog Leg Sauce Piquante. This sauce is typically brown, spicy and usually made with shallots, white wine and vinegar, along with various seasonings.

Of the frog leg meat, LousianaCookin.com offered this: "Some people say frog legs taste like chicken, and I suppose that’s fair. The lean white meat of the frog reminds me of the “dark” meat on a pasture-raised chicken. It is still slightly tough due to the muscle fibers yet tender enough to just bite into it."

I'd say that's just about spot on.

Frog Leg Sauce Piquante

Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil

4 pairs large frog legs

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup diced onion

¼ cup diced green bell pepper

¼ cup diced celery

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, with liquid

2 cups seafood stock

1 teaspoon hot sauce

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 fresh bay leaf

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Hot cooked rice

Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add frog legs, and lightly brown on both sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer frog legs to a platter, and set aside. From there, you'll set your sights on the sauce. Start by adding the flour to your skillet to make the roux, then the vegetables, herbs and seasoning.

For more detailed instructions and cook times for each step, go to the full recipe on Louisana Cookin'.

Next up, we’ll offer tips to gigging bullfrogs, and how gigging by kayak or paddle board is a pretty effective way to get to the banks and, thus, get to the frogs.