Maine is over run with grey squirrels. I goy my deer with my .54 so I thought I might shoot a few. We have a lot of southern brothers and sisters here that have a great squirrel recipe. I can cook lobster!
Thanks
Nit Wit
Thanks
Nit Wit
A Brother In The NE Needs A Squirrel Recipe
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Major Dorman
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Young skwerls can be cut into six pieces and fried like chicken. The older ones can be parboiled and then fried. Skwerl can be substituted for chicken in any recipe. The age or tenderness of a skwerl can be judged by folding its ear. The cartilage gets tougher the older the animal.
appalichian hunter
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After you fry them use the drippings to make a pan gravy, this along with some fried tatters and onions and a cats head biscuit makes a fine meal. A old WVA. friend of mine now passed on would keep all the heads roast them and eat the little buggers brains never tried it but is considered a real treat by the old mountain folks. Also pressure cook and remove the meat place in a double pie crust with gravy and root veggies like carrots, potatoes, onions celery, some peas bake like a apple pie excellent. or par boil till tender and place on the B.B.Q. with your favorite sauce. or par boil dip in egg and milk mixture and bit of fine flour or cornmeal and deep fry add a bit of butter and Texas Pete hot sauce instant mountain tree rat chicken wings. Hope this will get you started. MONTANI SEMPRE LIBRE
Brokennock
Cannon
Steam them pick the meat off like for soup, put them in a pie crust with peeled pearl onions, green peas, par boiled carrot and potatoes pieces, and your choice of other veggies (you be the judge of what needs some precooking), I like cut up parsnip added too, add some chicken or turkey gravy, put the lid crust on and bake til crust is golden brown and irresistible.
Thanks, I'm drooling already!
Nit Wit
Nit Wit
Wat others have said is good advice. But they all forgot one important step. First, ya gotta skin them. I can't skin a squirrel to save my life. Meat pulls right off whenever I try to peel the skin back. In camps I always found an excuse to do other chores while someone else skinned them. I'm completely ashamed of myself.
I agree, they are the toughest lil critters to skin I have tried. Never ripped the meat though. Recall dad made a slit in the back and we both grabbed a side and tugged. We always cut the feet/head off before skinning.
Recipes as per above. I also once used the steam/boiled meat to make squirrel Enchiladas, I liked it?
Recipes as per above. I also once used the steam/boiled meat to make squirrel Enchiladas, I liked it?
Skinning a squirrel is easy, IF you do it immediately after the Kill. I place the squirrel on it's belly, lift the tail, and cut along the base of the tail and thru the bone. Turn the squirrel over, step on the tail as close to the body as possible, and pull up slowly on the hind legs until you get to the neck. The remaining skin on the rear legs is grasped and pulled off. Takes about 1 minute.
I grew up eating squirrels, and I hunt them dilligently every year, but my wife won't eat or cook them. I take the cleaned squirrels, boil them in salted water until the meat is easy to pull off, and put the meat is Spagetti sauce. She never knows the difference.
I grew up eating squirrels, and I hunt them dilligently every year, but my wife won't eat or cook them. I take the cleaned squirrels, boil them in salted water until the meat is easy to pull off, and put the meat is Spagetti sauce. She never knows the difference.
Cut up in to pieces and roll in corn meal, and brown. Then cover in chicken broth and boil for an hour. Remove and pick the meat from the bones shredding it as you go. Save some broth and drippings. Sauté onions green and chili peppers together then toss in the meat. Season with cumin and oragno and chili powder and enough of the broth to keep it moist. Lightly fry some corn tortillas and spoon the meat in to the tortillas. Roll them sprinkle with Mexican cheese. Pour over with green or red enchilada sauce and more cheese. Pop in the oven and bake at 350 degrees till cheese well melted. Ummm
This is how I cook them mostly. I like squirrel and dumplings also though.
Clean your squirrels, soak them in ice water and salt overnight
You will need your Cast iron frying pan and a good lid. Quarter the squirrel. You should have two fronts, two back legs and a back. Roll in flour mixed with salt and lots of pepper. Get some oil, I like bacon grease if I have it, in the pan and get it ready. Brown on both sides on medium heat where you can see a thin crust starting. Lower the heat and cover. You will have to flip them again but the steam will get them really tender. But be careful when you flip them, you want the crust to stay on the meat. If it starts to come off when you flip, leave them cook a bit longer on that side. When done, pour most of the oil out and scrape the bottom of the pan. You should have some good pieces of "bark" stuck to the bottom. Add some flour to make a thick paste, go easy, you don't want too much. Constantly stir till it changes to a light brown. Add milk and make a gravy with salt and lots of black pepper. Your biscuits should be done by now. Split biscuit, add butter, add gravy on top. Put your fried squirrel on the side and unbuckle your belt. If done right, the meat will be juicy and almost falling off of the bones.
Clean your squirrels, soak them in ice water and salt overnight
You will need your Cast iron frying pan and a good lid. Quarter the squirrel. You should have two fronts, two back legs and a back. Roll in flour mixed with salt and lots of pepper. Get some oil, I like bacon grease if I have it, in the pan and get it ready. Brown on both sides on medium heat where you can see a thin crust starting. Lower the heat and cover. You will have to flip them again but the steam will get them really tender. But be careful when you flip them, you want the crust to stay on the meat. If it starts to come off when you flip, leave them cook a bit longer on that side. When done, pour most of the oil out and scrape the bottom of the pan. You should have some good pieces of "bark" stuck to the bottom. Add some flour to make a thick paste, go easy, you don't want too much. Constantly stir till it changes to a light brown. Add milk and make a gravy with salt and lots of black pepper. Your biscuits should be done by now. Split biscuit, add butter, add gravy on top. Put your fried squirrel on the side and unbuckle your belt. If done right, the meat will be juicy and almost falling off of the bones.
Okay... here's what I do, clean as usual and put them in the slow cooker with about a cup of water. Then meat will fall off the little bones! From there I'll season as I like for whatever and enjoy!
Brent
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hmmm,
There is really only one way I do squirrels anymore, and I do a lot of them.
Skin and quarter
marinate in
1/4 c soy sause
3/4 c olive oil
1.5 tsp garlic powder or several freshly smashed cloves
1.5 tsp ginger powder or 1/2 thumb sized ginger grated or finally minced
2 T cider vinegar
2 T honey
Grill'em.
You will never crock pot another squirrel.
There is really only one way I do squirrels anymore, and I do a lot of them.
Skin and quarter
marinate in
1/4 c soy sause
3/4 c olive oil
1.5 tsp garlic powder or several freshly smashed cloves
1.5 tsp ginger powder or 1/2 thumb sized ginger grated or finally minced
2 T cider vinegar
2 T honey
Grill'em.
You will never crock pot another squirrel.
Well, son, I never say never.
Really some of those old boars can't be chewed up in a weeks time by a big dog. Theys tough. Do need slow cooking to be fit for humans. Same when I raised rabbits. Once over a certain weight they got very tough and needed slow cooking before being used for stew. They were never good for frying at that point.
Brent
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If you grill them slow, you can deal with an "old boar" but the strange thing about squirrels is that I've had what seemed like very big old bucks (I think male squirrels are called bucks actually), that were super tender and then smaller squirrels that had to be young of the year that were tough as all get out. I can't predict them very well. Anyway, grill them slow over indirect heat if you think they might be tough.
Crockpots are fine - I shouldn't have sounded so dismissive, but truly grilled squirrels are simply my favorite wild food bar none, and I have eaten a heck of a lot of different species.
Crockpots are fine - I shouldn't have sounded so dismissive, but truly grilled squirrels are simply my favorite wild food bar none, and I have eaten a heck of a lot of different species.
Care for any Squirrel & Dumplings!
I had to hog tie & water board SWMBO too get this Old Family Secret Recipe from her . LOL
She put 4 squirrels cut into pieces in a Crock Pot.
Covered them with water & Cook on High until the meat mostly fall from the bone. (6-8 hrs)
Check water level as needed.
Remove meat too cool on a flat pan. Pick meat from bones after cool.
Pour / Strain remaining water into a large thick pot , place on burner( or if your from Alabama , it’s a stove eye) LOL
Bring too hard boil , then reduce heat when adding dumplins’ to the water to a slow boil .
Get out the dough board , flour the surface of the board ( table or counter top will do if you don’t have a dough board).
Add 2 cups of self rising flour to a large bowl.
Run a 1/4 cup of hot water from the tap ,add to the bowl of flour and stir .
Add more water as needed. Mix Should be just a little thinner than biscuit dough.
Knead flour into mixture to obtain proper consistency.
After consistency is mastered , dip a heaping table spoon full of the dough onto the pre floured dough board.
Sprinkle flour onto your rolling pin( smooth glass/ wine bottle) and the spoon full of dumplin’ mix / dough.
Roll flat & cut into thin strips, then add too the boiling broth / water.
Continue rolling out dumplins’ until you reach your needed amount .
Add picked squirrel meat too the pot.
Use wooden spoon to gently mix the meat into the broth and dumplns’
Cover pot ,then occasionally stir mix as need too keep from sticking too the pot.
Cook- 45 minutes until dumplins are cooked .
Salt & Pepper too taste....
There great with enough black pepper just too burn your tongue .... a little .
That’s it!
Now here my recipe ....
Go too the grocery store in the frozen food section look for frozen dumplings.
Throw em’ squirrels in a big thick pot and boil the meat off the bones.
Remove meat from pot to cool , pick off bones after cool.
Strain any remaining squirrel parts from the water, then bring to a hard boil.
Open frozen dumplings and add too the boiling broth after reducing heat to a slow boil.
Add squirrel meat stirring in slowly.
Season with salt & Pepper too taste, I Love plenty of black pepper on em’ .
Cook until dumplings are done then serve !!!
PS :,Don’t let your tongue beat your brains out! LOL
Enjoy!
Mary B’s is the brand name of the frozen dumplings we’ve used.
I had to hog tie & water board SWMBO too get this Old Family Secret Recipe from her . LOL
She put 4 squirrels cut into pieces in a Crock Pot.
Covered them with water & Cook on High until the meat mostly fall from the bone. (6-8 hrs)
Check water level as needed.
Remove meat too cool on a flat pan. Pick meat from bones after cool.
Pour / Strain remaining water into a large thick pot , place on burner( or if your from Alabama , it’s a stove eye) LOL
Bring too hard boil , then reduce heat when adding dumplins’ to the water to a slow boil .
Get out the dough board , flour the surface of the board ( table or counter top will do if you don’t have a dough board).
Add 2 cups of self rising flour to a large bowl.
Run a 1/4 cup of hot water from the tap ,add to the bowl of flour and stir .
Add more water as needed. Mix Should be just a little thinner than biscuit dough.
Knead flour into mixture to obtain proper consistency.
After consistency is mastered , dip a heaping table spoon full of the dough onto the pre floured dough board.
Sprinkle flour onto your rolling pin( smooth glass/ wine bottle) and the spoon full of dumplin’ mix / dough.
Roll flat & cut into thin strips, then add too the boiling broth / water.
Continue rolling out dumplins’ until you reach your needed amount .
Add picked squirrel meat too the pot.
Use wooden spoon to gently mix the meat into the broth and dumplns’
Cover pot ,then occasionally stir mix as need too keep from sticking too the pot.
Cook- 45 minutes until dumplins are cooked .
Salt & Pepper too taste....
There great with enough black pepper just too burn your tongue .... a little .
That’s it!
Now here my recipe ....
Go too the grocery store in the frozen food section look for frozen dumplings.
Throw em’ squirrels in a big thick pot and boil the meat off the bones.
Remove meat from pot to cool , pick off bones after cool.
Strain any remaining squirrel parts from the water, then bring to a hard boil.
Open frozen dumplings and add too the boiling broth after reducing heat to a slow boil.
Add squirrel meat stirring in slowly.
Season with salt & Pepper too taste, I Love plenty of black pepper on em’ .
Cook until dumplings are done then serve !!!
PS :,Don’t let your tongue beat your brains out! LOL
Enjoy!
Mary B’s is the brand name of the frozen dumplings we’ve used.
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Gots to use that crock pot juice!! Good stuff Smo, makes me want to grab a fork and eat it off the screen!! Take heed OP, that is how it is done
Lol. Rifleman,You should try skinning one two weeks after dislocating your shoulder, kinda’ like doing it with one arm tied behind your back.
I thought I was going too have to get the fish skinning pliers out! Lol
I thought I was going too have to get the fish skinning pliers out! Lol
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nit wit,
Squirrel-hunting here in TX is a "religion", just as high school football is.
You have received some GREAT recipes from others here for using bushytails for supper. - Try them & you will be a convert.
Our family has a well over century old recipe for stew (that probably was "created in Mississippi before TWBTS), that I will post should you find yourself with a LOT of older squirrels that are too tough to fry like chicken & want to try it..
(ANY recipe for chicken, from plain to "fancy", work fine using young squirrels.)
yours, satx
jrmflintlock
45 Cal.
Man You all have me wishin I had someplace to hunt squirrels!!
I used to hunt them In NM, not the big greys or fox but the Tassle Eared squirrels they was yummy!!! Sure do miss that. I still have plans to try hunting squirrels in every state that has them with the flintlock!! my own personal Squirrel Slam!!
I used to hunt them In NM, not the big greys or fox but the Tassle Eared squirrels they was yummy!!! Sure do miss that. I still have plans to try hunting squirrels in every state that has them with the flintlock!! my own personal Squirrel Slam!!
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jrmflintlock,
WHERE are you that has NO squirrels to hunt??
(I thought that they were EVERYWHERE in "the lower 48" & much of AK, too.)
In my case, I'm looking for a "well-worn looking" smooth-bore long-gun or a SB military musket of a sort that a "dirt-poor emigrant" to Texas-Coahuila in 1820-36 could have afforded to bring to Texas OR could have afforded to buy in Texas, for my "dirt-farmer"/Texas Revolution-era impression AND to hunt small game with.
(Over 95% of our emigrants in that era were "flat-broke", looking for a "new start", seeking free land & many of them were "escaping unfortunate circumstances"/"running from the law", when they arrived in TX. - Fwiw, the Brown Bess was by far the most common firearm in that era in TX, as the Bess was cheap to buy, sturdy & did well with both round ball & shot for everything from farm defense to hunting squirrels/rabbits & up to & including buffalo.)
Fwiw, I see NO good reason to buy a NEW reproduction musket & then "mess it up" to look as if it "- - - - had been through a few long campaigns" of the 1775-1814 period.
(Should any of our members have a "tired-looking" but safe to fire flintlock musket that is "surplus to your needs", I would be interested in talking to you.)
yours, satx
WHERE are you that has NO squirrels to hunt??
(I thought that they were EVERYWHERE in "the lower 48" & much of AK, too.)
In my case, I'm looking for a "well-worn looking" smooth-bore long-gun or a SB military musket of a sort that a "dirt-poor emigrant" to Texas-Coahuila in 1820-36 could have afforded to bring to Texas OR could have afforded to buy in Texas, for my "dirt-farmer"/Texas Revolution-era impression AND to hunt small game with.
(Over 95% of our emigrants in that era were "flat-broke", looking for a "new start", seeking free land & many of them were "escaping unfortunate circumstances"/"running from the law", when they arrived in TX. - Fwiw, the Brown Bess was by far the most common firearm in that era in TX, as the Bess was cheap to buy, sturdy & did well with both round ball & shot for everything from farm defense to hunting squirrels/rabbits & up to & including buffalo.)
Fwiw, I see NO good reason to buy a NEW reproduction musket & then "mess it up" to look as if it "- - - - had been through a few long campaigns" of the 1775-1814 period.
(Should any of our members have a "tired-looking" but safe to fire flintlock musket that is "surplus to your needs", I would be interested in talking to you.)
yours, satx
