Squirrel recipes?

[Zass]

Since many people on here actually eat rabbits (and thus have better recipes for it then most places I can find online) I thought maybe many of you probably ate other, less conventional, meats as well (and thus have better recipes for those too) Self sufficiency being a rather common topic.

So since the hunter has been bringing me squirrels, I thought I'd ask about the best recipes people had for them.

I've made pot pies with the things, and squirrel strapped to a stick over the campfire, haha, back when we were teenagers. What else is there?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

We have an abundance of ground squirrels here, but barely any grey squirrels except down by the creek. The ground squirrels are covered in fleas, so although we kill them all the time, we don't eat them... and the greys are novel enough that even Hubs will brake for them on the road so as not to squish them. :roll:

Here is a recipe for fried squirrel- it was in rabbit recipes:

post147265.html#p147265

 

[MaggieJ]

It's been years - decades! - since I have eaten squirrel but I think you could use it much as you use rabbit. The meat is very fine textured and delicious, but like rabbit is best cooked with moist heat. There is a surprising amount of meat on one of those critters!

I think I'll move this to the Rabbit Recipe section. Some people may be sensitive to the idea of eating a cute animal like a squirrel.

 

[Doug51]

I like to meranad over night in soy sauce then roll in flour and fry usally I serve with biscuits and beans well now I'm affull hungry for some fresh squirrel I'll sure be glad when harvest is over so I can do some huunting

 

[DogCatMom]

Squirrels = Marauders of the garden. :angry: I'm so thankful that my next-door neighbor allows his cat to go outdoors. Large Gray Boycat likes our veggie boxes: they're warm, often dry, nice shady places for kitty naps. BoyCat also has reduced the mouse/rat population (we've found evidence) and we *think* he's reduced the squirrel population. At least, he *has* reduced, almost to the point of elimination, the "just-planted young plant dug up and in its place an empty peanut shell" syndrome.

So...anyone who wants to take out squirrels (esp. red city squirrels) is welcome to, in my book. Fluffy-Tailed Rats.

Anyway. During the '90s, I worked with a man who grew up in Louisiana. He talked a lot about making "squirrel stew" (maybe what is called Brunswick stew?) and "squirrel chili."

Hints for recipe-chasing.

 

[Schipperkesue]

Eating squirrels is so foreign to those in my area of the world. I remember traveling through Minnesota a couple years back and purchasing some American rabbits from a lovely lady with rabbits and goats. As we chatted after the purchase she mentioned eating squirrel as well. I was so surprised people actually did this! I thought it was just something I saw in the movies! It is amazing how ethnocentric one can be!

 

[Zass]

Eating squirrels is so foreign to those in my area of the world. I remember traveling through Minnesota a couple years back and purchasing some American rabbits from a lovely lady with rabbits and goats. As we chatted after the purchase she mentioned eating squirrel as well. I was so surprised people actually did this! I thought it was just something I saw in the movies! It is amazing how ethnocentric one can be!

Squirrel hunting is alive and well here, although I suspect more are shot and wasted as pest control then fried and served with gravy.

Do the big greys live where you do? Those, and the fox squirrels are favored for meat. The little reds are generally ignored.

 

[Schipperkesue]

I am always opens to trying new cuisine, and I must admit, Doug, any meat marinaded overnight in soya sauce is usually pretty tasty.

Here we have the little red ones and chipmunks which are teeny! There are also Richardson's Ground Squirrels which are commonly called gophers, even though they aren't. We also have Pocket gophers which Albertans call moles, and they aren't either! I suppose if I were hungry enough I would eat any of those.

However, I do love rabbit even though most people around here are horrified I could eat a bunny. Different cultures, different foods, eh?

 

[Lastfling]

Squirrel gravy is some of the best gravy there is in my humble opinion.
Quarter squirrel, roll in flour w/ salt - pepper. Fry in pan till brown, remove. Make gravy from pan scrappings. Return squirrel to pan (be sure enough gravy to cover), cover pan and simmer til tender. Make biscuits. You can also use rice instead. Split biscuit, put gravy over and enjoy along with the squirrel. Finger licking good!!

 

[Zass]

Fried squirrel with gravy seem to be the winner, I'll be cooking it up tonight, along with a rabbit, to make sure there is enough for everyone!
Thanks!


update - fried squirrel was indeed excellent.

Husband shot 6 of the things, without organs and heads they weighed in at 1/2 lb each, and have tiny bones, plus no fat or gristle.
So that's about 3 lbs of meat with very little bone. A lot more flesh than I expected from the things, considering I didn't have to pay anything to feed them!

 

[JDWest]

I'd try squirrel! We only get tiny morsels like these...

 

[Zass]

I'd try squirrel! We only get tiny morsels like these...

I don't refuse to toss those little reds in the pot along with the larger squirrels, but there isn't anywhere near as much to be had from em.

 

[MatSuAK]

Stuffed squirrel
Gut squirrel, leave carcass whole with bone in, place morel mushrooms(if your fortunate enough :clover: ) butter, onions or leeks, garlic, diced potatoes if you like. Slow cook on grill. Very yummy :mrgreen: