Squirrel Recipes Needed

[Rcates]

Our squirrel season runs through February and with most of our other seasons closing soon I've been reminiscing. Its been more than 10 years since I've intentionally went squirrel hunting. Hopefully I will get a chance to go look for some soon, but I am looking for some recipes in the mean time. Please share your recipes.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

I'm just a flour and fry kind od a guy. But I always try to soak in salt water and boil them before. Fox squirrels especially take a while to soften up. For a classic recipe there's always brunswick stew. Just don't let people from NC or GA know that it originated in VA. They have a tough time dealinh with the facts.

 

[NoWiser]

I made Hank Shaw's Squirrel Stew with Paprika and Greens and the squirrel was absolutely delicious. I couldn't get enough of it. I wasn't a fan of the greens, though. They added a bitter taste. It could be that I got some that had gone bad.

I hadn't eaten squirrel in over a decade but it made me want to go out and shoot a bunch of them. Unfortunately, I haven't had time since. If I can't get out before season closes, it will be a top priority next year when it opens again.

 

[Gunner46]

Brunswick stew, fried chicken, greens, & hush puppies.....welcome to the grace of Southern Living !

And it WAS a NC original.

NW, try some Texas Pete on the greens, turnip greens are my preference.

 

[dcopas78]

I like them similar to Speedgoat except I use a crock pot and slow cook them until tinder, roll in flour and fry. I like some good squirrel gravy too. My mom makes this all the time with milk/flour gravy. It is great on a cold morning before you hit the hunting woods. She slow cooks until it falls off the bone, shreds it and mixes it in with the gravy.

 

[WestT]

I still hope to knock a few down yet this season as well. I like to boil them so I can shread and make bbq. I'll then keep the stock and freeze it in 1 cup servings for use in various recipes for the rest of the winter.

 

[Southwind]

Rub with regular yellow mustard, flour season to taste and fry. When about ready pour in a can of chicken and rice and let simmer.

 

[Rcates]

Thanks guys keep em coming! Will probably do a fried recipe and a stew.

 

[Poke 'Em]

Squirrel pot pie.
Squirrel tacos.
Squirrel use your imagination, there are a hundred ways to cook them that aren't just fried squirrel.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

I am a Flour with pepper fryer myself! I thought you would get a kick out of this, we have had a contest years ago and it just lets everyone get together after Deer season. So, let's have another! Win a Dinky Statue of a Squirrel. John

 

[VAspeedgoat]

This thread made me remember reading this a while back. It is from Field and Stream about a South Carolina hunter named Mac English. This is his recipe and its wonderful. If you make it like the recipe think new england clam chowder. I made it with double cheese and potatoes and it was more like cheesy potatoe soup. Also the recipe says par boil but the next batch I will likely boil till tender. My wife didn't like the chewyness. Then again she called it cheesy rodent stew. Whatever you call it, it was great.

http://blog.crismanphoto.com/mac-english-squirrel-hunting-in-south-carolina/

 

[JLS]

I used a Martha Steward coq au vine recipe for some chukars and Huns recently. It was fantastic! I would bet squirrel would be very good in it too. I browned them in the Dutch oven, then braised them for an hour at 325.

 

[Foxtrot1]

How could this be bad?

http://www.fieldandstream.com/artic...aised-squirrel-bacon-mushrooms-and-pinot-noir

 

[Rcates]

VAspeedgoat: If you are going to flour and fry do you get better results with par-boiling than you would soaking in buttermilk? If so how long do you boil?

 

[VAspeedgoat]

I've never done a buttermilk soak but I've heard it works great. I would allow more time to soak than domestic meats like chicken obviously. If I'm boiling, it may only be 20-30 minutes for a young gray squirrel, but it may take 2 hours or more for a fox squirrel in the middle of winter. The squirrels I did in that recipe for squirrel chowder were grays and boiled for 30 minutes and were chewy like an eraser. Had to work to debone and cut into small pieces so they would soften up a bit in the broth.

My rule of thumb would be 20 minutes for a gray up to an hour. At least an hour for a fox, likely more like two plus. Plus the stock can be used for gravy and soups.

 

[Cmb903]

Fried squirrel and gravy is hard to beat but squirrel mulligan or squirrel sauce piquante is a close second. Also Steve Rinella has a recipe for squirrel/rabbit pot pies that looks pretty good.

 

[sbhooper]

We always just pressure cooked the meat until it fell off of the bones and then used them in whatever dish we wanted. They make great enchiladas done that way and it was a standard in elk camp for a few years!