lawnfather

..... Thanks for sharing

WV Hunter

I don't eat it often (about once a yr), but the key from what I've seen is par boiling long enough. If not, it will be tougher and chewy. Good recipes above, will have to try some!

paveglass

Lots of good suggestions here. I use a pressure cooker to make them more tender and to remove meat from the bones for any of the recipes and uses listed above. I do the same thing with pheasants, turkey legs, venison shanks and any other meat that is tough to prepare. 8-10 minutes in a pressure cooker solves a lot of problems.

If they are young (you can tell by their genitals) I like them in Italian Bread Crumbs and fried.

Tufrthnails

I love em. Last year at the farm I got a half dozen and skinned, cleaned, and clipped hands and heads. Then washed really good. Soaked 2 days in brine. Then made a cheez-it batter and deep fried in Peanut oil whole. served with dirty rice and gravy. Oh yeah baby my mouth is watering right now!

redmag

Tufrthnails, That sounds delicious. They were a favorite meal for us growing up her in WV. We'd freeze for winter and with 4 hunters we had enough. My mom basically boiled them, dipped them in flour with salt and pepper and fried them. Don't ever forget the gravy over fried bread. Worth fighting for.

Oldtimr

Fried squirrel, I use the same recipe for rabbits.

Clean and cut the squirrel into six pieces, the four legs and the back cut in half with the rib cage removed. In a pot put salt,5 or 6 pepper corns a carrot or two cut in half and two or so stalks of celery cut in half. Bring the pot to a boil and back down to simmer. Cook the squirrels until a cooking fork passes easily through one of the thighs. While you are simmering skim the foam and cruddy stuff off the top with a slotted spoon or small strainer. While the squirrels are simmering put some flour in a bowl along with some salt and ground pepper and mix well, put some bacon fat in a skillet along with about an equal part of butter and bring the heat up enough to melt the fat and butter. When the squirrel meat is tender and a fork will easily pass through a thigh take pieces out of the water and pat dry with paper towels, then dredge the pieces in the flour, shake off the excess, bring the bacon fat and butter up to medium high and put the meat into the skillet and fry on one side until browned but not blackened, flip over and do the other side. The meat will be crispy on the outside and white and moist under the breading. Rabbit is even better than the squirrel. Of course you must save bacon fat so you have enough to fry with, I just pour it in a jar and keep in the fridge. Simple and delicious.

Mr. Slim

jake, when i was a kid my brother would bring a limit of them home every weekend. we would skin them as mum said they looked too much like rats and wouldnt touch them. she would soak them in salt water for a day or two then boil them until the meat fell off the bone. the meat would be shredded and and any BB's removed. she made the best pot pies. also home made bread to go with it. YUM YUM!!!

bhwk

Boil till meat easily pulls off the bone , taste similar to dark meat turkey, use in recipes sub in chicken soup, pot pie, etc.

Mr. Slim

jake, you beat me to it as far as the pot pie. my mother used to make pot pies out of squirrels when my brother would bring them home. also after skinning and washing them off, she would soak them in salt water over night. then cooking them until the meat fell off the bone and then made into pot pie. that was some good eating.

t.shaffer

hi mr.slim this is tom s formerly from avonmore how have you been? are getting ready for bear or deer season ? i'm about ready for ohio gun season on nov 26 just been busy @ work not much bow hunting this year but have taken a couple of deer from a deer damage farm. yeah i'm like you can remember mom fixin squirrel fried or cooked . i think my brother jim enjoyed squirrel hunting the best.