Wild game meals?

[jjirons69]

Saw this on CNN and it made me think of my childhood. Both sides of my family were from pretty rural areas and did a lot of fishing and hunting (nothing else to do). I ate my share of squirrel, venison, duck, and dove. Also ate dozens of birds (Robins, sparrows, etc.) killed with the BB gun. Tried quail a few times and turtle once. Never ate alligator, snake, bear, turkey, opossum, raccoon, or frog legs. I still eat plenty of fish and eat venison on occasion, but it's been many, many years since I've had any other wild game mentioned above. I guess I'm more civilized now, as the thought of a meal of squirrel no more appeals to me.

Give squirrel a whirl - CNN



I have a squirrel guy. His name is Buddy and by trade he's a sound engineer, but in his heart of hearts, he's a hunter. Buddy doesn't hunt simply for sport; he, his girlfriend and his son cook only meat and fish that they have personally dispatched.

If Buddy's willing to share meat with me, I say, 'thank you' and take what he's offering. I know his kill was clean, quick and respectful, it'll be expertly cleaned and dressed, and no way am I going to find anything of its variety or caliber in my local butcher shop or supermarket.

That doesn't mean that when he offered me a brace of squirrels, I didn't initially have pause. I got over that pretty pretty quickly - and deliciously - and you should, too. Here's why.

1. Squirrel is the chicken of the trees

To paraphrase blogger turned cookbook author Hank Shaw - if you wanted to starve to death in the wilderness, you'd have to try pretty hard. Squirrels are plentiful - overly so in some regions. Buddy initially began dispatching the squirrels because they were savaging the garden he'd so carefully planted. Their numbers were seemingly undiminished.

"Awwwwww!" you might coo. "But they're so adorable and sweet and and how could you be so very cruel as to eat the precious Disney fluffy-wuffy?"

Yup – they're all just darling until the day when you walk into your kitchen to find that one has gnawed through your window screen to make himself a snack of your tortillas. He's just there, lounging about on your table all bushy-tailed and cavalier until he spots you...and snarls...and then everything is a blur of tortillas and mange and horror.

There are plenty of squirrels in the world. You can stand to eat a few.

2. Squirrel is a locavore's delight

You probably - okay really oughtn't go strolling into Central Park or an urban alleyway in search of prey. Not only would that be highly illegal; you are what you eat, and you are what that squirrel eats and that's not going to work out well for either one of you.

If you stick with forest squirrels or those that have been subsisting on your garden largesse, you know exactly what that beastie has been snacking on. It had a pretty footloose and fancy-free life in the great outdoors - certainly better than that of a factory-farmed chicken or pig. Meat really doesn't get more local than from your own or your friend's backyard.

3. Squirrel is a classic

While it may have fallen out of modern favor, if you crack open older editions of The Joy of Cooking or your grandmother's recipe stash, you're sure to find recipes and tips for cooking with squirrel. In many parts of the country, squirrel has never gone out of vogue in the local cuisine. It's a must in traditional Kentucky burgoo, some Brunswick stews, plenty of casseroles - and apparently in Mike Huckabee's college dorm popcorn popper.

In this age of kitchen retro, heirloom seeds and canning fetishism, it just makes sense to take a page from grandma and give squirrel a whirl.

4. Squirrel is easy to cook

In the video below, I've just simmered the squirrel until the meat was tender, then served it shredded on a plate. Texas chef Tim Love gives his a nice, long braise with minimal seasonings so as to let the meat's rich flavor be the star. If he's planning to pop it on the grill, since the meat can be tough, he'll brine it with salt and chiles first to tenderize it. Any method that's suitable for rabbit should be just dandy with squirrel.

5. Squirrel just tastes great

When I popped a plate of braised squirrel on the table, guests first approached hesitantly, then began shoveling strands into their mouths. For most, it was an initiation (it's generally illegal to sell wild game, so you have to have a source like Buddy), but seemingly not to be an isolated instance of enjoyment.

The general consensus was that it tasted more earthy and sumptuous than the darkest turkey they'd ever tasted - and wouldn't it be great in a ragout, stew, or cassoulet?

One might even say they went a bit...squirrely for it - but that would just be nuts.

[SvilleKid]

Thumbs up! I usually parboil to tenderize, then bread and pan fry, then make gravy with the drippings. That's a breakfast better than sausage, IMO!

Squirrel dumplings is also a favorite for lunch or supper. And, inclusion in a wild game stem adds a decided sweetness to the stew.

[icehog3]

Crap, I thought this might tell me what my food options are at an NHL game in Minnesota.

[SvilleKid]

Originally Posted by icehog3

Crap, I thought this might tell me what my food options are at an NHL game in Minnesota.

You never know, Tom! Squirrel: The stadium/arena food of the 2010's!

[Coach Deg]

Bear is on top of my list with Elk!!!!!

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by SvilleKid

You never know, Tom! Squirrel: The stadium/arena food of the 2010's!

That would rock, Cliff! Squirrel dogs for everyone at Lambeau!!

[68TriShield]

It tastes like chicken to me.

[pektel]

Originally Posted by icehog3

Crap, I thought this might tell me what my food options are at an NHL game in Minnesota.

Venison. Sticks, steaks, burgers, roasts. I'm sitting in my garage right now and just watched 5 deer walk through the woods across the street. They looked delicious.
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[Steve]

Wild game meals...

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by pektel

Venison. Sticks, steaks, burgers, roasts. I'm sitting in my garage right now and just watched 5 deer walk through the woods across the street. They looked delicious.
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[awsmith4]

Originally Posted by SvilleKid

Thumbs up! I usually parboil to tenderize, then bread and pan fry, then make gravy with the drippings. That's a breakfast better than sausage, IMO!

Squirrel dumplings is also a favorite for lunch or supper. And, inclusion in a wild game stem adds a decided sweetness to the stew.

My grandfather used to put squirrel in the Brunswick stew he would make. I have the recipe and have made it many times substituting chicken, quail, venison etc. but it has never tasted quite the same.

[jjirons69]

A favorite of my uncles was a pileau (pronouced per' low around here) of duck breast, squirrel, and chicken with sausage and onion in a large cast iron pot. It would feed 2 dozen people, easily. You always ate it with slices of white bread and sweet tea. It was either that, or you didn't eat. That was 30 years ago. Sure do miss those times sometimes. A lot simpler back then.

Right now I have half a dozen packs of venison sausage in my freezer. It's hot and is so freakin' good. The little bit of fat comes from added pork fat and the spice is right up there. My wife thinks it's too hot. That's fine with me.

I do want to try some frog legs some day and probably will go down the alligator road, too. That's probably as far into the wilderness as I want to go. Bear...it has to be gamey. Snake...don't think I can.

[jjirons69]

Originally Posted by awsmith4

My grandfather used to put squirrel in the Brunswick stew he would make. I have the recipe and have made it many times substituting chicken, quail, venison etc. but it has never tasted quite the same.

Albert, you make it to the lake herf and we'll go squirrel hunting and grill up "tree chicken". That'll be after a day's drinking. too!

[awsmith4]

Originally Posted by jjirons69

Albert, you make it to the lake herf and we'll go squirrel hunting and grill up "tree chicken". That'll be after a day's drinking. too!

Originally Posted by jjirons69

S
I have a squirrel guy. His name is Buddy and by trade he's a sound engineer, but in his heart of hearts, he's a hunter. Buddy doesn't hunt simply for sport; he, his girlfriend and his son cook only meat and fish that they have personally dispatched.

Nowadays that's the best meat without the Food and Drug Administration seal of approval,

Hmm, I wonder what does food and drugs have in common

Having bull frog legs for dinner tonight yummy

[SvilleKid]

Originally Posted by jjirons69

I do want to try some frog legs some day and probably will go down the alligator road, too. That's probably as far into the wilderness as I want to go. Bear...it has to be gamey. Snake...don't think I can.

Been there, done all of that, except for the bear. I understand it is very greasy. Several years ago, I was an assistant cook at a wild game dinner as a fund raiser (for my church). The main cook was the main outdoor writer for the state's largest newspaper, and an acknowledged hunter and chef of all things wild (several cookbooks published). We had about a dozen or so wild edibles I'd never had before. I have to say that of them all, the Caribou was TOPS. It was OMG good! And there was three 1-pound packages unused that Mike let me have to take home. I would take Caribou over just about any wild game I've ever had!

I've had gator several times, not really impressed, always been tough. Duck.... take it or leave it. Greasy, and muddy. Never had goose, betting its about the same as wild duck. Haven't had frog legs in better than 10 years. It's a cliche, but it's true, nonetheless. They taste like chicken. Had rattlesnake at a snake round-up one time, decades ago. Don't remember that much now. Seem to remember it was ok, but bony. I'd try it again, without hesitation. Quail and dove used to be regular menu iems, but my pointer dies 15 years ago, and I never got a new one. I gradually stopped hunting quail, and haven't been on a good dove shoot in 5 years. But, I put at least a dozen squirrel in mine and my mom's freezers each year, many shot from my front porch from walnut trees (I live in a semi-rural area, and have a safe backstop to the dispatch area!).

[pektel]

Caribou is good. Elk is awesome. So is moose.

I love being a carnivore...
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[Gophernut]

Originally Posted by SvilleKid

You never know, Tom! Squirrel: The stadium/arena food of the 2010's!

Put it on a stick and it will sell very well around here!

[thebayratt]

I ate a home made BBQ sauce over Rabbit that was simmering for 10+ in the crockpot just a few days ago.
We always have a backstrap or two of a deer in the fridge and always eating fish I catch.

[jjirons69]

Bumping this one back up.

Had a recent surge of opossums and raccoons raiding my dog food. I've trapped one of each in the past week. Plus, I actually saw 5 coons at one time during the night, so I know I'll be busy for quite a while trying to limit the population. I live up against a wooded area and it looks to be full of these guys. It's against the law to transport these vermin in SC and they have to be euthanized once caught. Several people at work are like, "cook them, make a pot roast, make a stew." All I can think is how horrible that sounds. My dad said they used to eat coon hash as kids. I bet it's a gamy, greasy mess!

Anyone here ever eat possum or coon? Cliff??