I wouldn’t expect to see any snack-size gray matter in trick-or-treat bags this Halloween, even those belonging to kids raggedly dressed as the walking dead. But if their grandparents grew up here, they’ll remember a time when brains were a staple.
The regional delicacy dates back to the late 1800s, when the proximity of East St. Louis’ stockyards made cow brains—along with other parts of the animal—widely available. “Brains and lungs and other parts of the cow were not saleable,” explains award-winning chef and Bizarre Foods host Andrew Zimmern. “The workers were allowed free access to them, and brains became something that workers—those doing the worst kind of work—got used to eating.”
This being Missouri, the traditional way of preparing them was frying them in grease, lard, or oil. Of course, the stockyards eventually closed, and for the most part, palates and culinary attitudes have since evolved.
Brain sandwiches haven’t entirely disappeared here, though. The fried brain sandwich has been a standout item on the menu at Schottzie’s Bar & Grill for years. “It’s a tradition in South County,” says co-owner Mike Carlson. “We’re one of the only places left that still serves it.”
“I applaud them for keeping the tradition alive,” says Zimmern, who’s featured the Schottzie’s sandwich on his show. “This sandwich has disappeared—it’s now a novelty.”
The brains show up frozen, Carlson says, in what looks like “a big block of brains.” They’re defrosted, sliced, shaped into patties, splashed with egg wash, and dredged in Schottzie’s flour-and-spice blend before being refrozen. Deep-fried to order, the brains come with red onions, pickles, and hot mustard on toasted marble rye.
“The brains themselves don’t have a tremendous amount of taste to them,” Carlson says. “It’s our breading and spices that give the sandwich its flavor.”
Even pig brains are occasionally hard to get from distributors, he adds, so if you’re visiting Schottzie’s specifically for the heady eating adventure, it’s best to use your noggin and call ahead.
