Squirrel

Blue_Runner · #1 12-01-2011, 10:30 AM

Anybody hunt/eat squirrel? I've done a little squirrel hunting over the years but never really knew how good they were nor how to cook em - until now.

Me and REH76 were at our BIL's house recently and REH shot a couple and threw one on the smoker (cat got the other one while they were cleaning). It was a little tough but very tasty meat.

I'm thinking my dad's high powered pellet gun would be the ideal choice for the job. Fast, accurate and quiet.

Over the past few years I've become quite proficient with my cast iron dutch oven cooking stews and baking things with wood coals. I've got some great ideas for Mr. Tree Rat, how to make him tender and such. Especially the 2 that ate about 30 + lbs. of my tomatoes off the vine before they could ripen this past summer. BASTARDS!!!

THEFERMANATOR · #2 12-01-2011, 01:45 PM

I used to eat alot of squirrel, but had to stop eating em to let the population come back a bit(they got pretty scarce for awhile as I REALLY like to eat squirrel). I personally like them fried in vegatable oil coated in flour. I don't fully fry them right off the bat, but cook em to about 80% done. Then use the drippings from them to make a big pan of runny brown gravy, then put the squirrel into the brown gravy and finish em off that way for about 30 minutes or so. Serve it over some white or brown rice with a few pieces of bread, and you've got some good tender eats.

tsubaki · #3 12-01-2011, 02:50 PM

Try them the same you do neck bones and rice.
Wouldn't hurt to pressure cook them seasoned with salt and pepper.
Use the same water for cooking the rice.
They really are nice if you pick the bones then add them to the rice as it's cooking.

Blue_Runner · #4 12-02-2011, 09:45 AM

I was thinking of doing pretty much exactly that Ferm.

Might try to whack a few Saturday. If I do I'll try to get some pics.

Also thought about braising until tender then finish off on the grill with a nice BBQ sauce.... can't wait to experiment. I think it is gonna be bomb-diggety in a soup or brunswick stew.

Tsub, I've never had neck bones and rice. Not that I wouldn't eat it. Just never had it put in front of me.

randlemanboater · #5 12-07-2011, 08:36 AM

When I was a kid, my buddy and I would go out and shoot em and clean em and his mom would cook em up...cant remember her cooking style but they were good enough for two teenage boys but I always found the shotgun pellets in the meat hard to chew.

Blue_Runner · #6 12-07-2011, 10:57 AM

Well, it didn't take long to figure out that the high powered pellet gun was less than accurate. Tried our best to sight it in but still not that great.

Gonna have to move on to something a little more accurate/ethical like .22 rifle if on the ground and shotgun in the treetops. I just never liked the thought of firing a rifle into the air if you know what I mean.

So for now, I'm still hungry but looking forward to a nice squirrel meal real soon. Stay tuned.

THEFERMANATOR · #7 12-07-2011, 11:28 AM

Find an old 22 pump or bolt action rifle and shoot em with 22 shorts, or the new 22 LR target rounds(basically the powder charge of a 22 short in a 22LR casing). They have decent accuracy, and they have no more power than a high powered pellet gun(around 800 FPS).

bradford · #8 12-19-2011, 04:55 PM

Post up some pics/receipes BR when you get a chance. My yard is covered up with squirrels.

Blue_Runner · #9 01-04-2012, 02:12 PM

Put 6 on the smoker 2 weeks ago. Quarterd them and marinated in italian dressing. Smoked on both sides until some color developed then wrapped in tinfoil to tenderize. Fell off the bone pretty good. Tasty too. Had a bunch of other meat on there too so we only ate 3 of the squirrels. My dog Hershey got to eat the other 3 for breakfast the next morning. She said they were even better than they looked!

Stinky_Hooker · #10 01-04-2012, 03:00 PM

Sweet!

Been awhile since I had tree rat but gonna whack a mess for the smoker in Feb. after deer seasons over.