The Final Countdown

With just a few days left in the season, the pressure's intensifying. Can the swampers "tag out" in time?

Check it out tonight 10/24/2010 10/9c

Pierre Part gets put on the map thanks to Troy

Troy Landry of Pierre Part, Louisiana gains celebrity status in south Louisiana.

Landry is one of several stars on The History Channel's new series. "Swamp People" is a documentary television series that follows Cajuns living in the swamps of the Atchafalaya River Basin. The series premiered August 22.

Landry said the people from The History Channel first went to Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries looking for information on alligator hunting.

"When they finished getting their information, they asked the guys if they knew anyone who they could go out in a boat with and take pictures of the swamp," Landry said.

One of Landry's friends works for Wildlife and Fisheries and gave the representatives his information.

"He called me right after they left his office and said 'man, t-buddy I hope you not mad at me, but I gave some people your name and phone number,'" Landry said. "I wanted to help out my buddy, so I figured I would do this favor for him."

Landry said he had no idea that The History Channel was planning on making a TV series.

"The more I talked to them, the more I realized that they wanted to make a show out of this and pay me for it," Landry said. "I said well shit, I had to catch the alligators anyhow, so why not let them help me to pay for it?"

Since its premiere, "Swamp People" has been the talk of not only south Louisiana, but also the whole nation. The show has set the ratings record for The History Channel.

"I really never thought the show would be as popular as it is," Landry said. "I figured the little kids would like it, but even the old people like it. The kids, the momma, the daddy, the maw maw and the paw paw all like the show. Everyone I talk to loves it. It shocked me. I didn't think a lot of people would like it this much."

Landry says that things have definitely changed since the beginning of the show.

"I used to be able to go to the grocery store and back in five minutes," Landry said. "Now it takes me an hour and a half. Everybody I meet wants to talk about the show and how much they like it. I really enjoy it, though."

Landry's favorite part about the show is the attention that he gets from the children.

"They actually love the show," Landry said. "When I meet them somewhere, the first thing they say is 'Is that the alligator man? Are you the man on TV?' Sometimes I kid with them and say 'Oh no, that's my brother!' but they know better."

The first season of "Swamp People" focused solely on alligator hunting. Landry said that The History Channel plans on mixing things up with other subjects such as crawfishing in the next seasons.

Landry often says in the show that he "lives off of the land." He is currently building a new house for his family that contains no drywall. The interior of the house is made entirely of salvaged wood that he collected from the swamp himself.

Landry says that he plans to be a part of the show for as long as he can. "I hope they like me being on the show, so as long as they want me there, I guess I'll be on it."

Find Your Inner Cajun - Alligator Recipes

So if you are curious and want to try your hand at cooking some of this wide range of alligator meat I will provide you with a few recipes to do just that.
Happy Cooking!

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After 20 years of protection, the alligator has made a remarkable comeback and alligator meat is available again. Most people only use the tail, but the other meat is good, too. The best tail meat will come from a 4 - 5 foot gator. A 3-footer wouldn't be big enough to feed the camp, 6-10 footers tend to put up a bit of a fight, and over 10 foot he's probably tough and you'll want to grind the meat up.

Many prepare alligator sub sandwiches made with tender fried alligator tail
meat on a bed of lettuce with sliced tomatoes.

Good Marinade For Alligator Tail:
In a large bowl or pot (big enough to soak a good portion of meat in) mix together:
1 beer
1-2 cups of milk
Louisiana Hot Sauce - To Taste

Put the nuggets in the liquid and set in the refrigerator or ice chest to soak for at least 1/4 hour.

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Stewed Alligator In Creole Sauce
2 tb Olive oil
1 c Chopped onions
1/2 c Chopped celery
1/2 c Chopped bell peppers
2 tb Minced garlic
3 c Peeled; seeded, chopped tomatoes (preferably ripe plum tomatoes)
1/4 c Chopped fresh basil
2 tb Chopped fresh oregano
2 ts Chopped fresh thyme
Salt; to taste
Cayenne pepper; to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper; to taste
2 ts Worcestershire sauce
3 c Chicken stock
1 1/2 c Chopped green onions
1 lb Alligator; cut into 1" pieces
8 tb Butter; at room temperature
1 Crusty loaf of French bread
2 tb Finely-chopped parsley

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, saute the onions, celery, and peppers for 1 minute. Add the garlic and continue sauteing for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, oregano, and thyme. Season with salt, cayenne and black pepper. Add the Worcestershire sauce and chicken stock. Bring the liquid up to a boil. Add the green onions and alligator, cover. Simmer the mixture for 12 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and swirl in the butter. Spoon the stew in a shallow bowl. Garnish with parsley. Serve with the crusty bread. This recipe yields 4 appetizer servings.

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Grilled Cajun Style Gator Tail 4 To 6 Lbs Gator Tail Lemon wedges Seasoning Mix: 12 T Paprika 6 T Garlic powder 3 T Salt 3 T White pepper 3 T Oregano, crushed 3 T Black pepper 2 1/2 T Thyme 1 T Cayenne pepper To make seasoning mix, combine paprika, garlic powder, salt, white pepper, oregano, black pepper, thyme and cayenne pepper in jar with tight fitting lid. Shake well to combine. Mixture may be stored for up to 3 months. When ready to cook, cut gator tail meat into 1/2" cubes. Roll each cube in 1 tablespoon of the mixture. Cook over high heat on an outdoor barbecue grill or under the oven broiler for 4 to 6 minutes, or until gator tail meat is white and firm to the touch. Serve warm with lemon wedges. The seasoning mixture will coat up to 24 (4 oz.) servings of gator tail.

 

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Alligator Pizza 1 Italian bread shell (boboli) 7 1/2 oz Prepared pizza sauce 1/2 ts Creole seasoning 1 c Alligator meat; chop 1/4 c Bell pepper; chop 3 tb Onion; chop 1 tb Green onion; chop 2 c Cheddar/Jack cheese; shred 1 tb Garlic and herb seasoning Preheat oven to 450~. Place bread shell on ungreased cookie sheet. Spread sauce evenly over bread shell. In a small bowl, pour Creole seasoning over alligator meat and mix well. In a medium skillet, saute seasoned alligator meat, bell pepper, onion and green onions until veggies are tender. Spoon meat mixture over pizza sauce, top with cheese and garlic and herb seasoning. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until crust is crisp and cheese begins to brown.

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Alligator Chili 1 lb Alligator meat, diced 2 tb Vegetable oil 1 lg Onion, diced 1 lg Bell pepper, diced 1 cl Garlic, minced 16 oz Can pinto beans 10 oz Can tomatoes & chilies, blended 6 oz Can tomato paste Salt & pepper to taste 1 ts Cumin 1 Diced jalapeno pepper 1 c Dark red wine In a Dutch oven - boil diced meat in water seasoned with salt and pepper for 20 minutes. Then drain and set aside. In the same dutch oven, add oil, onion, bell pepper and garlic and saute until onions are tender. Add pinto beans, tomatoes, stomato paste, salt, pepper, cumin and jalapeno. Cook on medium-low heat 40 minutes - then add the alligator meat. Cook on low heat for 3 hours. Add the wine during the last 30 minutes of cooking time. Makes about 6 servings.

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Cajun Gator with Green Peppercorn Sauce Alligator; (or any meat or seafood) Cajun Seasoning: 1 tb Black pepper 1 tb White pepper 1 tb Cayenne pepper 1 tb Granulated garlic 1 tb Salt 1/2 tb Thyme 1/2 tb Rosemary 1/2 tb Crushed red pepper 1 tb Flour Butter or oil; (for frying) Brandy Green peppercorns Heavy cream Season gator (to your taste). Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium heat. Turn heat to high, place gator in skillet and saute until moisture comes to the top of the gator. Turn gator over and continue to saute for another minute. Add brandy and flambe. Add peppercorns and heavy cream, continue to cook until cream thickens.

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Swamp People has Taken Over History Channel

With the August 2010 premiere of Swamp People, the History Channel moved a little further away from its core programming and onto newer findings. Following the success of the channel's other original reality shows like Pawn Stars and American Pickers, Swamp People represents an even greater departure for the history-themed network.
The programming shift has been very successful. Pawn Stars has been wildly successful in the ratings, American Pickers has spawned a British copycat, and the series premier of Swamp People shot the History Channel to the number one spot in cable ratings for the time slot. This is mostly due because History Channel has decided to go out of the box and push the envelope in this series following hunters who kill, skin, and eat not only alligators, they also kill snakes and bull frogs to eat for dinner. Watching these cajuns is like stepping back in time. From watching them kill, skin, and eat their kill. Its a way of life for them and how they make their living while also keeping the overwhelming alligator population down.

History of Louisiana’s Cajuns in Atchafalaya Swamp

Louisiana’s Cajun people originated from French settlers in Acadia, Canada. After the onset of the French Indian war in 1755, Great Britain drove French settlers from Acadia during what is now called Le Grand Derangement, or The Great Upheaval. About 3,000 Acadians fled to Louisiana, one of the last French settlements in America at the time.
The rich natural resources of the million-acre Atchafalaya River Basin allowed the new settlers to maintain an existence similar to their former lives in Acadia. The settlers eked out a living raising livestock, hunting and fishing. Many of the 180,000 Acadian descendants, now called Cajuns, still follow this traditional lifestyle.
Format of History Channel's Swamp People Reality Show
The show follows a handful of these Cajuns as they embark on their annual alligator hunt during the month-long hunting season. For most Americans, the swamp seems to be a harsh, uninhabitable environment. The poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow called it “the forest primeval.” Bruce Mitchell, who runs the Kleibert Turtle and Alligator Farm, calls it “my piece of heaven down here.”
The show depicts the ingenuity and strength of the Cajun people. While the month-long alligator hunt can provide most of a family's annual income, swamp-dwellers must find multiple ways to make a living. None has done this more successfully than Albert "Butch" Knight, who, in addition to gator hunting, builds boats, welds, and owns his own trucking company. Others can been seen farming, fishing, shrimping, trying to attract tourists, or offering services to other hunters. For some, life is a constant scramble find steady sources of income.
The program shows the deep love the Cajuns have for their land and way of life. Patriarchs Troy Landry and Joe LaFont (Trapper Joe) have raised their children to follow in their footsteps. Joe’s stepson, Tommy Chauvin, has been his right-hand man in the swamp since Tommy was in the first grade. In some ways, Swamp People is about how traditions are maintained and passed on to the next generation.

Controversy Surrounding Swamp People ( This will apply to some of my readers as I have received numerous comments)
There is some controversy surrounding the show. Swamp People represents a programming change that could cost the History Channel its most loyal viewers. While it is clear that the Cajuns depicted have a rich cultural history and strong traditions, there’s little attempt to show the history of those connections. Primarily, the show depicts swamp-dwellers trying to kill or exploit alligators and other animals.
Viewers may also be concerned about the animal cruelty documented the show. While alligators are vicious hunters, and the population must be contained, the methods of hunting them are brutal. The alligators are often baited in unattended traps. When a gator snags the bait, it becomes hooked. The animal is then trapped, impaled live on a hook for hours, until the hunters come to shoot it. Often, it takes several shots to kill the animal.
Despite these issues, Swamp People is an intriguing show that should continue to do well on the History Channel. The program has a sense of integrity that is absent in other shows. Viewers get the sense that this reality show is real. It depicts a way of life that is uniquely American, but virtually unknown outside of the Louisiana swamps. Swamp People serves as a reminder of the great cultural diversity that defines America.
Swamp People viewers: comment on the show in the space at the end of this article.
History Channel fans may also want to read American Pickers and Chasing Mummies: The History Channel's 

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Missed an episode? Watch them online.

Not all of us have the luxury of tuning are television to the History Channel every Sunday without ever missing an episode. Thank God for the internet. If you missed and episode and really want to catch up on what you missed you can and without paying a cent. I have put together a list of all the sites to stream episodes online for free.









http://mytvxy.com/category/swamp-people/
http://www.history.com/shows/swamp-people/videos/playlists/full-episodes#swamp-people-swamp-wars
http://video.tvguide.com/Shows/Swamp+People
http://www.findinternettv.com/Videos/Show/Swamp-People.aspx
http://www.tvduck.com/Swamp-People.html
Hope this small list helps with the episodes you missed. Happy watching!

New Episode 10/17 Gator Voodoo

With just a week left in the season, the gators have mysteriously stopped biting. Is it the full moon? Swampers fight back with their own tried and true tactics, from new territories to a traditional Cajun bait called "shake and bake."

Sounds like an interesting episode this week. Same time as always 10/9c on the History Channel. Enjoy this weeks episode of Swamp People!

New episode tomorrow everyone!

Well, I know how much everyone missed the show last week and I thought that was it for the season. It appears as if the History Channel was toying with our emotions. There will be a new episode this Sunday 10/10/2010 at 10/9C on the History Channel....

This Weeks episode is titled "Swamp Wars"  this weeks episode shows the swampers race toward the end of gator season, Tommy and Joe have a poacher after their catch and vow swamp justice. Meanwhile, Junior and Willie try different ways to earn cash: catching frogs and snakes.

Sounds like a pretty interesting show this week, I am super curious what they are going to do about the poacher lurking in their gator hunting territory.....


Starting tomorrow afternoon around 1PM Central time will be a swamp people marathon all day up to the new episode that will air. So, if you missed a show here's your chance to catch up on this season's Swamp People Au revoir Swampers!

No new episodes tonight

Now we are in the month of October and sadly that means the end of the alligator hunting season and the end of the Swamp People season. But if you have missed some episodes watch the History Channel Saturday 10/09/10 at 10/9C to catch up on the episodes you missed.  I am looking forward to a new season of Swamp People, I hope History Channel keeps this show on for many many seasons to come.


UPDATE:

While watching IRT all day to day I saw commercials of Swamp People and thought I heard them say there will be new episodes sometime in October but I can't find any info on the History Channels site to back that up. Once I find some info out about if there will be or not, I will update when necessary. Here's to hoping that they will continue on with Swamp People, seems like it just started, hate to see it end so soon.