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squirrel meat?


chefteddy

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Let me be the first to say:

Um . . . Central Park? Someone there will surely have a gun.

Just kidding - I saw fresh squirrels for sale near Saranac, NY about four years ago. Can't remember anymore details than that. Good luck!

Edited by Peter the eater (log)

Peter Gamble aka "Peter the eater"

I just made a cornish game hen with chestnut stuffing. . .

Would you believe a pigeon stuffed with spam? . . .

Would you believe a rat filled with cough drops?

Moe Sizlack

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Let me be the first to say:

Um . . . Central Park? Someone there will surely have a gun.

Peter you beat me to it! The only difference was that I was going to recommend a slingshot since I know NYC has a ban on the discharge of firearms!!

ChefTeddy, don't be overly enthused about trying squirrel meat. It's really nothing to get overly excited about, there are lots of other exotic meats that are much better. Have you tried rattlesnake? It's one of the ones that I find quite good and it's not heard of that often. Of course I don't know where you can get that either. As far as availability you can always try Possum since they're born dead on the side of the road.

Edited by MSRadell (log)

I've learned that artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.

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Let me be the first to say:

Um . . . Central Park? Someone there will surely have a gun.

Peter you beat me to it! The only difference was that I was going to recommend a slingshot since I know NYC has a ban on the discharge of firearms!!

ChefTeddy, don't be overly enthused about trying squirrel meat. It's really nothing to get overly excited about, there are lots of other exotic meats that are much better. Have you tried rattlesnake? It's one of the ones that I find quite good and it's not heard of that often. Of course I don't know where you can get that either. As far as availability you can always try Possum since they're born dead on the side of the road.

Thank you MSRadell! I have tried rattlesnake, but I didn't think that much of it. I am from the UK and my friends tell me how good squirrels are at this time of year - full of rich nutty flavour, so I'm keen to find some of the bloody things. I have a gereat old English recipe I want to use too. I'll keep looking!

Cheers

Edited by chefteddy (log)
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Sorry, I have no idea where you would buy it. I have never seen it in stores. We always killed our own (and yes, it is currently squirrel season). I would have gladly paid a premium for cleaned squirrel meat as I hated skinning them. Almost any price would be worth it to avaid that tough task. It was never my favorite game meat.

Preach not to others what they should eat, but eat as becomes you and be silent. Epicetus

Amanda Newton

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I have tried rattlesnake, but I didn't think that  much of it. I am from the UK and my friends tell me how good squirrels are at this time of year - full of rich nutty flavour, so I'm keen to find some of the bloody things. I have a gereat old English recipe I want to use too. I'll keep looking!

I have never had squirrel but would be keen to try it. I have developed a real liking for rabbit, I image there would be similarities since both are mid-sized rodents. I think resourceful people across North America catch and eat their own squirrels. I'll bet rural acorn-fed beats urban dumpster-fed.

BTW I had rattlesnake only once and loved it, over an open fire with Navajo fry bread in the Painted Desert no less. I'll never forget that meal.

Peter Gamble aka "Peter the eater"

I just made a cornish game hen with chestnut stuffing. . .

Would you believe a pigeon stuffed with spam? . . .

Would you believe a rat filled with cough drops?

Moe Sizlack

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I don't know about New York, but good news if you're willing to get on the PATH train with your pellet gun ...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071030/od_af...at_071030183620

"NEW YORK (AFP) - Squirrel eaters in the US state of New Jersey have been told that the bushy-tailed rodents are likely safe to eat, after earlier being advised the unlikely delicacies could contain toxic metals.

The Environmental Protection Agency said earlier this year it had discovered high levels of lead in a squirrel taken from near a waste dump in the Ringwood area and advised people to eat the rodents no more than twice a week.

Officials have now said the test results were an error."

Notes from the underbelly

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hah! paulraphael, you beat me to it!

my daughter just sent me the same news story!

But Teddy, if you want to take a ride out to Hunterdon County, there are a zillion squirrels here--you can shoot your own--my husband used to have to shoot them for his father--he was first generation German American and he used to cook it Hassenpfeffer (sp?) style--which makes swense considering the rabbit/squirrel similarities.

I'd be curious to try it--not done sweet and sour, but maybe a wine braise with olives and lots of garlic?

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You guys are getting me all misty-eyed over the loss of the old eGullet forum, "Adventures in Eating" or whatever it was called. This clearly belongs there!

20 years or so ago I came across a squirrel recipe in Yankee Magazine. I made an Xmas card out of it and sent it to all my culinary pals. :raz:

"I took the habit of asking Pierre to bring me whatever looks good today and he would bring out the most wonderful things," - bleudauvergne

foodblogs: Dining Downeast I - Dining Downeast II

Portland Food Map.com

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I don't know about New York, but good news if you're willing to get on the PATH train with your pellet gun ...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071030/od_af...at_071030183620

"NEW YORK (AFP) - Squirrel eaters in the US state of New Jersey have been told that the bushy-tailed rodents are likely safe to eat, after earlier being advised the unlikely delicacies could contain toxic metals.

The Environmental Protection Agency said earlier this year it had discovered high levels of lead in a squirrel taken from near a waste dump in the Ringwood area and advised people to eat the rodents no more than twice a week.

Officials have now said the test results were an error."

Hey my nieghbors will shoot anything :rolleyes:

Actually I found a bag labeled " fresh Pheasant" hanging on my door today

There is definately meat in there....I guess I should freeze it till the weekend

tracey

The great thing about barbeque is that when you get hungry 3 hours later....you can lick your fingers

Maxine

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eG is truly amazing. I think of squirrels as enemies and have put a great deal of time into figuring out how to thwart their interest in my bird feeders and my bird nesting boxes. At one point I was so beside myself I thought of getting a small gun or a bazooka to end their happy lives, but I never once considered eating them. No more would I eat a rat or a cockroach. I even found it disgusting that tourists wanted to stand in the middle of San Marco with 30 pigeons crawling on their heads and arms, which isn't really related much to my point.

It was my understanding--gleaned from a hysterical and awe-inspiring article in the New Yorker many years ago--that among those who do hunt and eat squirrel, the best part is the brain. I know that a lot of consideration is given to the best way to bang the squirrel's head against a rock. I wish I had that article now, since I can't quite remember whether the idea there was to deliver the final blow without over-scrambling the brain or to crack open the head enough to suck it out on the spot. Bon appetit!

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I have a friend here in upstate NY whose father makes squirrel stew- basically a Brunswick stew. I believe you cannot purchase any meat that has been hunted- I once inquired about this-maybe USDA regulations or something-which of course doesn't pertain to something you have hunted or were given- unless, of course, it was domesticated and raised for food. Don't know if there are any commercial squirrel farms out there- but it could be an opportunity for a whole new growth industry...

Mark A. Bauman

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I love squirrel--very sweet, rich, dark meat.

No, you cannot legally purchase squirrel in the US. Wild game is actually the property of the state, and not to be sold.

If you buy rabbit, quail, elk--they are all domestically raised. I don't believe you could raise squirrels--they don't take well to captivity, not even when hand raised from a hairless newborn. Ask my cousin Mark--I believe he still bears the scars.

I could have had one for dinner the other night, with the help of the dogs.

I was sitting calmly and quietly on my porch. mesmerized by the view off the back porch.

balesandtreeNov112007165.jpg

(Inserted purely to make you city folks jealous. No food connection whatsoever.

No, I take that back--the hay eventually turns into beef. Or horseflesh, which I hear is tasty, too.)

Anyhow, I was about to doze off in the rocking chair when my 2 Aussies boiled up from around the back of the house, snarling and barking and rolling around in a big hairy ball. They flew up onto the porch and stopped a foot or so away from me.

I thought they were having a little disagreement, and they were. But not with each other--nope, the two of them were double-teaming a very pissed off squirrel.

Poor little squirrel was half dead--the back half. The front half was very much alive, and promptly sunk some very long teeth (capable of cutting thru black walnuts, or your phone line) right into the middle of Trouble's front paw.

Troub whirled in circles, yiking and spattering blood. Mink whirled in bigger circles, trying to kill the squirrel. Every potted plant and chair on the porch tumbled--including the rocker I was sitting on, because I bailed for the lawn. I did not want that squirrel in my lap. :shock:

Anyhow, Mink eventually killed the thing the rest of the way, and ran off to bury him. For the next 4 days, one dog would discover the squirrel and bury it, and the other would dig it up and put it somewhere else.

Oh--there is another food connection. :laugh::laugh:

On the fourth day, I traded Troub a piece of pizza for the stinky corpse, and threw it in the trash.

sparrowgrass
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I have had squirrel, and you ain't missing much. We used to shoot them and my grandmother would cook them. I'd have to be REAL hungry to eat any more squirrel. As stated above, they are essentially vermin. Rats with curly tails.

The only way I really know it to be cooked is in a stew like preparation. I don't think anyone grows squirrel for sale. They are nasty creatures. If you really want some get a hunting license, or make friends with someone who does have one.

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Poor little squirrel was half dead--the back half. The front half was very much alive, and promptly sunk some very long teeth (capable of cutting thru black walnuts, or your phone line) right into the middle of Trouble's front paw.

Shoulda braised the little sucker and fed 'em to the pups. Or maybe spatchcocked and grilled? ...and fed to the pups.

"I took the habit of asking Pierre to bring me whatever looks good today and he would bring out the most wonderful things," - bleudauvergne

foodblogs: Dining Downeast I - Dining Downeast II

Portland Food Map.com

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I live in Canada and used to hunt quite a bit when I was a teenager. I turned to hunting squirrels 1. because I read how they enjoy 'em in the south and 2. whenever I was empty handed in the grouse/hare/cotton tail/fowl department. (I also turned to frog, wren, and brown bird at times...)

Cleaning a squirrel is a bit of a pain mostly because of the high work vs meat ratio; its pretty much the same amount of work as with a rabbit, but with far less meat.

My cooking skills were rudimentary at the time. Although the meat was not bad, it was not very memorable either.

I always I quartered them before cooking 'em. First attempts were roasting, but they were so lean that they tended to dry out. Next I tried various oil or mustard or BBQ sauce based rubs along with oven-roasting. This helped the moisture problem as well as infusing hints of other flavors.

My favorite, however, was first browning the pieces quickly then adding them to a flour based vegetable stew (similar to chicken stew, or chicken pot pie filling). The squirrel flavor would infuse into the broth. The meat, being somewhat braised, would become quite tender.

They are rodents, yes, but I wouldn't necessarily hold that against them (so are beavers and plenty of people eat these along with nutria, guinea pigs, and musk rats).

I wouldn't trust eating any animal from a city environment, though. I think your best bet would be to talk to many of your friends. They may have relatives who live on farms or in rural areas. These people often times have shotguns which would be pretty handy...

I'd send you some, but the logistics seem kinda difficult...

If you do get your hands on a whole carcass, beware of the claws; they're razor sharp and can shred your fingertips. Also inspect the liver - if its spotted, the animal was diseased. You should properly dispose of the entire thing (burying is recommended so other animals won't eat it) and disinfect your hands.

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Squirrels may be rodents but they are very clean, eat vegetation and generally have no vermin on them. I have been hunting and eating them for many years. Most difficult part is removing the skin. It is an art that must be learned but after that its quite doable.

The meat braises very well and if you pan fry quickly, still very good.

Like all wild game the care and cleaning after being killed are quite important to the final taste.

In Kentucky squirrel brains and scrambled eggs used to be quite popular.

AS correctly stated, most states do not allow sale of harvested wild game unless there is a commercial provision in the state laws.

Best bet is to find a good hunter and trade for food or wine!

This year with the cost of my new Browning T2 Varmint and Leupold 3x9 EFR scope, I figure each squirrel has cost me about $100!-Dick

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Forgot to mention that my friend whose dad makes squirrel stew refers to the dish as "Rocky Ragu" :raz:

I assume that is a reference to Rocky the Flying Squirrel of Bullwinkle fame?

That name might work even better if one used a raccoon (because of the Beatles song)

Peter Gamble aka "Peter the eater"

I just made a cornish game hen with chestnut stuffing. . .

Would you believe a pigeon stuffed with spam? . . .

Would you believe a rat filled with cough drops?

Moe Sizlack

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chefteddy - try asking on the upland journal site, they have a BB called upland talk and as buying squirrels is concerned we know the score, however trade not involving monetary movement may be allowed and I`m sure they will help.

As for how to "unzip" them, try a craft(Stanley Knife in the UK) knife and it is easier, in the field we do it whilst warm if possible.

I like to braise them in cider, that`s fermented apple juice in the UK, I can`t remember what the correct US term is, possibly applejack (?) However most are devoured "au Naturale" by my ferrets :laugh:

"It's true I crept the boards in my youth, but I never had it in my blood, and that's what so essential isn't it? The theatrical zeal in the veins. Alas, I have little more than vintage wine and memories." - Montague Withnail.

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Thanks Henry DV

I will check out that site you recommend. Here's hoping...

I know they'll no doubt taste like rabbit (which I love) but with some acorn-ness I imagine! Braised in cider is a good idea.

Cheers

Chefteddy

"I hope their shapes will not offend your palates."

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Let me know if you ever develop an interest in dining on ground hog. I understand the young ones are particularly tasty and the older ones do well in stews.

We have a healthy and well fed(from our garden)population of those things around here and they act as if the wagon shed was put there just to give them a comfortable and picturesque place to reside. Please feel free to invite as many of them, dead or alive, to your place as you wish.

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I have had squirrel, and you ain't missing much. We used to shoot them and my grandmother would cook them. I'd have to be REAL hungry to eat any more squirrel. As stated above, they are essentially vermin.  Rats with curly tails. 

We always use to say squirrels are rats with good PR.

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squirrel is good eatin'....

my brother and i have shot them from the ear corn feeders that you can hang on a tree....

he live in town, his hot tub was maybe 40 feet away from the feeder, we used to sit in the tub, drink beer, and shoot the squirrels w/ pellet guns, since you could discharge those in the city limits...

nice squirrels too, big fat brown ones, and VERY well fed because everybody put food out for them...

this was in northern illinois, so they were big squirrels anyway.....

only did it in the dead of winter.....the squirrels were healthier that way...

we were gonna have his wife shoot a video of it, kind of like a hunting video, and post it on the real tree board.......

never got that far.......

we would brown them quickly in a skillet, make a gravy, and eat it on bisquits....

great fun.........

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