VIDEO HERE (23 minutes)
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He does a couple things differently than I did when I ate a lot of squirrel in Georgia.
I've always skinned my squirrels by making a horizontal slit about halfway up the back, then inserting my index and bird fingers into the slit and pulling apart.
Squirrels are pretty hard to skin, though - nothing like a rabbit.
As far as aging goes..... I just put the squirrel into a pan after I've skinned and gutted it, cover it with milk, and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. That takes the gaminess right out of the meat and it's ready to cook and serve.
In my younger days a friend couldn't believe I could clean a squirrel in less than 30 secs. We always gutted them in the field so there were no guts. You just chop of the feet, tail, and head. Then cut the fur across it's back (enough to get a couple fingers in each side) then pull. Done. I think I actually did it under 20 secs. Before showing him how to do it he was skinning them like a coon.
ReplyDeleteYep I do it the same way Kenny
ReplyDeleteJD
That is a very good video. I too skin squirrels like you Ken and Sammy. I know it was probably slowed down for instruction, but this guy's method seems slower and more complicated. I have never "aged" squirrel meat, but I bet I try it. we always soaked ours in salty water, refrigerated, and cooked in a couple of days. I soak turkey breast in buttermilk. I saved the recipe by the way and thanks again.
Delete"... cover with milk, and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight."
ReplyDeleteWorks for dove breasts too- especially if they have been feeding on acorns.
I had squirrel for the first time about a year ago. I was shocked at how tasty it was. We soaked it in a salt brine over night before sautéing it in butter.
ReplyDeleteSquirrel = Tree Rat.
ReplyDeleteI tried cooking up 6 squirrels about a decade ago. I tried frying them. Tough and chewy as hell. So then I put them in a slo-cooker to make stew. Tough and chewy as hell. I gave up. Gave the goo to my dog and she had no complaints.
ReplyDeleteI learned the milk trick on venison. It works.
ReplyDelete--Tennessee Budd
Before we moved to Hawaii from Florida my cousin & I shot a squirrel in my God Mothers backyard. She was pissed as it was kind of her pet. She made us clean it, cook it & eat it but we did not have any idea how to do any of the above. What a mess. We stuck to hunting deer & ducks with our dads...
ReplyDeleteGreat article Ken!
My go-to squirrel cooker is 1 cup BBQ sauce, 1 cup water and a package of French Onion soup mix. Quarter the squirrels, mix all that together and put it in a crock pot on low for 6 hrs. You end up with seasoned BBQ squirrel quarters, tender as can be.
ReplyDeleteIn my neck of the woods, the squirrel dish of choice is usually squirrel, and sausage, gumbo. It's good, but watch out for the heads. Cajuns cook the heads, and table manners demand you eat the jowl meat, crack the head, and eat the brains.
ReplyDeleteSquirrel gun got the name for a reason.
ReplyDeleteThere is a small gland under the front legs that we always used to remove. My dad always insisted that was what provided the gamy flavor. Never brined or soaked in milk. Brown them in butter, add a cup of water to the pan, cover and simmer for an hour. Don't let it go dry. Make gravy with the pan drippings. Yeolm!
ReplyDeleteFWIW -- I do it the same way this guy does in the video. It really is that easy. And the milk trick works for every kind of game meat, even the gator I got down in Florida last year.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a lad my Uncle tried to do squirrels in the oven with Shake & Bake Do not try that ! tough , chewy the dogs wouldn't even eat it LOL !
ReplyDeleteWe used a .22, and didn't have to worry about bird shot. We always soaked the squirrel overnight in salt water, which seemed to work well. I'd try this recipe in a second, as it looks to be a little better than anything I've used in the past.
ReplyDeleteThink i will stick with rib eye.
ReplyDeleteFor me the tail method works 60% of the time every time. Instead I like to snip feet and tail, slit the back, then pull off the shirt and pants. After that snip the head. Gutting is the same as the video.
ReplyDeleteSoak in saltwater in the fridge changing the water once or twice over 2-3 days. Salt is cheaper than milk and pulls more of the blood from the meat.
Cooking can be done in a stew in some cheese cloth. That way once theyre slow cooked for awhile the bodies can be easily pulled from the broth to debone.