What's your favorite squirrel recipe?

[BKhunter]

Squirrel season is approaching what's everyone's favorite was to cook them? Trying to find new recipes for this year.

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[PREDATE]

Haven't had them in years, but I always just coated them "drummys" with seasoned flour and fried. Yum

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[turkeyfeathers]

Shake n bake or throw them in with a can of cream of mushroom soup    Hmm, maybe I'll try and smoke one on the smoker this year. 

[PREDATE]

Hmm, maybe I'll try and smoke one on the smoker this year.

Aah squirrel jerky! Good idea

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[EspressoBuzz]

When i was very young and had just started hunting squirrel. I came home with 4 squirrels and gave them to my mom. Being from the old world (italy) she could think of only one way to make them and that was "al sugo". This recipe is a rabbit recipe which I have eaten often both with wild rabbit and farm raised rabbit. The only difference is the cooking times as squirrel will cook faster.

 

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 pounds squirrel, cleaned, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
3 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice, or 1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes, drained and crushed
1 tsp tomato paste
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 1/4 cups dry white wine
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

Directions

In a large cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil until just smoking. Add the squirrel and brown well on all sides. Season the meat with salt and pepper, remove from the casserole and set aside.

To the same casserole, add the garlic and reduce heat to medium. Cook garlic 1 to 2 minutes, until it is softened but not browned. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, rosemary and wine and simmer 5 minutes.

Return the squirrel to the casserole, cover loosely and cook over low heat for 1 hour, until meat is very tender. Add the basil leaves, remove from heat and serve immediately.

 

The resulting sauce goes well with pasta and is usually served as the "primo piatte" first plate.

 

Bon Appétit!

Edited August 23, 2014 by EspressoBuzz

[bowslinger]

squirrel gravy and biscuits or buttered noodles also squirrel sausage

 

[BBDEric]

Love me some fried squirrel

[philoshop]

I've had good luck with venison stew recipes in the crockpot. Keep the quarters on top of the mix so you can sort out the bones before serving if you want.

My favorite is probably the basic spaghetti sauce. Lightly brown the squirrels just like you would any other meat for sauce, then simmer for the day. My Grandma Carpino, rest her soul, taught me that.

[Dinsdale]

They cook up pretty good as Buffalo style chicken wings.....deep fry the legs and toss in hot sauce and butter.

[Lawdwaz]

They cook up pretty good as Buffalo style chicken wings.....deep fry the legs and toss in hot sauce and butter.

 

Dude...............................ya gotta get back here soon.

 

 

 

You've been away too long!!

[Dinsdale]

Lawdwaz, on 23 Aug 2014 - 9:00 PM, said:

Dude...............................ya gotta get back here soon.

 

 

 

You've been away too long!!

 

LOL.......need me a Ted's hot dog one of these days.

 

Work keeps getting in the way of a trip it seems.....

 

Stuff is closing in on shipment from Namibia already and I need the cash for some taxidermy and tanning.....and to pay for next yeara trip. 

[papabear]

My favert is pot pies 

[Elmo]

I brine them in salt water for 24 hours. This soften them up. I then boil them for about an hour and then peel all the meat off the bones. Then I add the meat to any recipe as a substitute or shredded chicken.

[Paula]

Good idea with the brine Elmo. I believe you were leery to even try them, they are worth it.

 I will be trying the pot pie idea

Edited August 24, 2014 by Paula

[ants]

I haven't hunted them in years, but I use to like them simmered in spaghetti sauce and served over pasta. 

[Elmo]

Not leery.  Just found skinning them annoying sometimes.  Tough little critters for not enough meat.

[Pygmy]

There is a very easy way to skin them...it's easier to SHOW it than to describe it. There are several videos on youtube. It does take a little practice, but it's well worth learning.

I skin and disjoint the squirrels. I discard the rib cage and end up with 5 pieces, 4 legs and the back. If I shot them with a shotgun, I soak he squirrels in salt water overnight. This helps draw the blood out of the shot wounds.

Put some flour, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning in a bag.

Shake pieces in flour mixture to coat.

Brown floured pieces in a skillet in butter. I add a little vegetable oil to stretch the butter.

When brown, transfer squirrel to a baking dish. I use discardable aluminum steam line pans. Slice up an onion or two over the squirrel.

Add liquid to a depth of 1/2 inch or so.

..I've used water, beer, wine and chicken broth. I prefer the chicken broth because it makes a better gravy.

Cover the dish and place in slow ( 300 degree) oven until the squirrel is VERY tender. When the meat is tender ( usually after about 2 hours) remove the cover and turn the heat up to 375 to reduce and thicken the liquid and brown the meat on top.

Use pan drippings for gravy over taters, rice or noodles.

This recipe also works well for rabbit.

[PREDATE]

Pygmy- you basically just described a fricassee. Yum! Chicken fricassee has always been one if my faves. I'm gonna try it with some tree rats!

I usually let my taste inspire me to create new dishes. Here's one I just devised in my head.

I'll call it Simple Pan-Seared Squirrel with Steamed Asparagus Tips and Bearnaise sauce. I would serve with grilled ciabatta bread and brush on some rosemary infused olive oil. Damn I'm makin myself hungry

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[chiefbkt]

Squirrel chili.  Just take your favorite chili recipe and use squirrel meat.  I usually try to cook it for 8-10 hours. 

[philoshop]

Basically, if you screw up a recipe with squirrel meat, you probably would have screwed it up with anything else. And they're fun to hunt. 8 days 'til the opener!

[Pygmy]

 

Basically, if you screw up a recipe with squirrel meat, you probably would have screwed it up with anything else. And they're fun to hunt. 8 days 'til the opener!

Ba-da BING !!

During early season it's tough enough to get a clean shot with a shotgun..

My favorite squirrel gun is a 1936 vintage M 12 Winchester in 16 gauge.

I use 1 oz. game loads of #6 shot.

My second favorite is a Belgian Browning A-5 in 20 gauge, which was made in 1953... Game loads of 7/8 oz. of #6 shot..

When the leaves clear out in later season I use a NEF bull barreled single shot in .17 Mach II with a 4X scope OR my 1971 vintage Ruger 10/22 with peep rear and front fiber optic bead..

[Lawdwaz]

Isn't there a youtube video on skinning squirrel?  I could use some help; you guys are talking me into a weekend of hunting them!

[Paula]

Here is the best way i think. If its wet you wont get so much hair.

[Lawdwaz]

No surprise, Paula comes through with the link.  Thanks!

[Paula]

here is what i would like to try once.