10 Of The Most Unusual Ingredients Used On Chopped

One of the biggest draws of watching an episode of "Chopped" on the Food Network is to see what devious combination of ingredients gets pulled out of those baskets. Viewers are on the edge of their seats, guessing who will be eliminated, and aspiring chefs watch, wondering what it's like to compete on "Chopped." The challenge of each dish is often determined by the unusual mix of ingredients presented to competitors, or by a single ingredient that takes everyone by surprise. Will the challenge feature ostrich eggs for a dessert course, huitlacoche for an appetizer, or sea cucumber for an entrée? "Chopped" is a high-stakes game of culinary survival with the basket as the wildcard tool contestants need to use to survive.

There are a lot of rules "Chopped" contestants have to follow, but the most important is to use every item in the mystery basket provided. Variations of the show theme have often been the catalyst for truly unusual basket ingredients. Many on our list are well known in some cultures and are often considered delicacies. Because some of these ingredients are becoming more widespread, the producers of "Chopped" will utilize them in ways that can throw the chefs for a loop. Often, it's not just how strange an ingredient is, but also how they want contestants to use it.

Silkworm pupae (the second stage of life for the silkworm caterpillar) may seem like an ingredient from another world, but it actually has very down-to-earth origins. They are often considered a comfort food in South Korea, where they are known as beondegi. Beondegi are often sold by street vendors, either boiled or steamed. They generally have a briny or nutty flavor.

For Season 50, Episode 3 of "Chopped," silkworm pupae were included in the basket for the appetizer course with ostrich burger, nettles, and oyster mushrooms. Chef Larissa, the winner of the episode, used a silkworm pupa juice to make a smoky, briny broth for her dish.

In Season 61, Episode 5, the show had a slightly unusual format in which the contestants bid on a special hidden ingredient they would have to use for each course. Chef Dave was given balut, a fertilized duck egg that is a beloved food in the Philippines. The egg is allowed to develop for up to two weeks and then boiled and served hot. Most chefs would have been thrown off by this disturbing but actually flavorful ingredient. But Dave took advantage of the balut's rich yolk, pairing it with upland cress, mayo, horseradish, and other ingredients to create a tart (fancy egg salad). The chef won the episode because he was confident enough, even with an unusual ingredient, to trust it.

Geoduck (pronounced "gooey duck") holds the distinction of being the largest burrowing clam in the world and is native to the waters off the West Coast of the U.S. The clam is well known for its almost offensive-looking siphon, which can reach up to 3 feet in length. It is truly an intimidating-looking ingredient. Appearing on "Chopped" in Season 44, Episode 15, as an ingredient in the "Champ's Challenge" appetizer course, the chefs used the geoduck in their own regional specialties. Chef Laura created a geoduck tostada, Chef Joshua created a geoduck Milanese, Chef Eli created a geoduck and sausage clam cake, and Chef Erin created a Mediterranean geoduck crudo.

Huitlacoche, also known as corn smut, refers to the bluish-black galls that appear on corn when it is infected with a phytopathogenic fungus. It was valued and eaten by the Aztecs and is now considered a delicacy in Mexico. While its appearance may seem unappetizing to some, its flavor is said to be similar to mushrooms with a slight nuttiness. Huitlacoche has experienced an effort to rebrand it as the Mexican truffle to make it a less intimidating ingredient. During Season 46, Episode 9 of "Chopped," huitlacoche was a surprise ingredient in the appetizer basket. The judges noted that the huitlacoche's bold flavor overwhelmed the other ingredients in the round.

For Season 49, Episode 10 of "Chopped," the contestants were given culinary-grade black ants as part of their appetizer basket of ingredients for the future foods-themed episode. Insects are often used in the culinary arts as a unique way to incorporate protein that makes for a more sustainable dish. Upon realizing black ants were the ingredient to be used, one chef asked the host, Ted Allen, why he disliked them so much. But culinary-grade black ants are noted for their crunchy texture and citrusy flavor, which can be a lovely addition to any dish if you can get past the fact that you're eating bugs.

Offal, or organ meats, is widely utilized in many fine dining restaurants, as it is often considered a delicacy. But goat brains are certainly one of the less common organ meats. The contestants on Season 52, Episode 10, were competing for the chance to sous-chef for one of the judges, and the goat brains were a test to see how they would handle creating an appetizer out of the unusual ingredient. Often loved for their buttery, rich texture, goat brains are most often sautéed or fried to get the most flavor. Notably, all the chefs handled incorporating the ingredient well by the fact that they breaded and either sautéed or fried the goat brain.

Durian is almost always on lists of unusual ingredients, and for good reason. The fruit itself looks like an egg belonging to some kind of strange dinosaur from the Jurassic period, but its real power lies in its scent. While the ripe Southeast Asian fruit has been likened to having a rotting meat smell, the flesh is considered by many to taste like a delicious custard. Durian made its appearance in Season 49, Episode 15. The theme of this episode was the finale of "Alton's Maniacal Baskets," in which Alton Brown allowed his fans to choose strange ingredients for the contestants. As part of the dessert course of this episode, one of the two finalists chose to use it as the base for a custard, and the other for an ice cream.

Despite the name, this unusual ingredient has absolutely nothing to do with seafood. Rocky Mountain oysters are considered a delicacy in the Western U.S. and Western Canada. This unique food is the testicles of a castrated bull. Many describe Rocky Mountain oysters as similar to calamari. During Season 55, Episode 8 of "Chopped," Rocky Mountain oysters were part of the appetizer course of the competition. A majority of the chefs (who work on ranches) in this episode were familiar with the Western delicacy and created some genuinely inventive dishes that the judges enjoyed. Chef Tana incorporated some Mediterranean spice into a Rocky Mountain Oyster kibbeh, Chef Xavi made a pan-seared Rocky Mountain oyster, and Chef Elena made a corn-crusted Rocky Mountain oyster served over haricots verts. Chef Evan, who was eliminated, fell short due to uneven cooking of the fire-roasted Rocky Mountain oysters in his dish.

Ostrich may not seem like an unusual ingredient; after all, it's just an egg — until you realize how many hen's eggs are equivalent to one ostrich egg. It's 20; the answer is 20! The strangeness of this ingredient comes mostly from its size and exactly how a chef is supposed to utilize one, not to mention how anyone is supposed to crack it open. Ostrich eggs taste very similar to hen's eggs, so using them in a dish won't create any unwanted flavors. The interesting ingredient was included in the dessert basket for Season 57, Episode 2 of the Julia Child's Kitchen-themed episode. Both of the finalists had to make a dessert inspired by Julia Child's famous chocolate mousse. One chose to make a mousse-filled crepe, and the other made choux pastry with a mousse filling.

You can eat sea cucumbers, and they were part of another episode of "Chopped" where contestants bid on a main ingredient at the beginning of each course. This time, the featured unique ingredient was in the appetizer round. Sea cucumbers are invertebrate creatures that are considered a delicacy in China. In Season 61, Episode 4, chef Gabriella ended up with the often tough, leathery-skinned ingredient. She incorporated it into her dish by quick-pickling it and adding it to her summer roll. Often, people liken the flavor of sea cucumbers to the taste of the ocean or seaweed. The chef was smart to prepare the unusual ingredient the way she did, as that is a traditional method is to either pickle or ferment.