Squirrels!

[matereater]

Great looking meal !!

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by matereater

Great looking meal !!

Yes it is.

I find it strange that the camp is divided with eating squirrels.

The critter used to be eaten by everyone.

I wonder if it is the cleaning process or the idea of eating one that turns people off.

Worth

[ContainerTed]

That "White House Cook Book" that was posted a while back had recipes for squirrels and lots of other small game.

I think it's the fact that squirrels have come to live in our neighborhoods and folks think they are "cute" and have had this new experience of watching them do their thing. This is something new to most folks. And many of the folks on the "other side" of this subject may not have experienced the need to hunt in order to eat.

Nowadays, most of us can afford to eat without hunting. But I still have my memories of those wild game meals back in my youth. And I need the entire experience to really feel like a short return to ole' times.

In the end, it's certainly "to each his own". I respect others opinions even when I disagree.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

That "White House Cook Book" that was posted a while back had recipes for squirrels and lots of other small game.

I think it's the fact that squirrels have come to live in our neighborhoods and folks think they are "cute" and have had this new experience of watching them do their thing. This is something new to most folks. And many of the folks on the "other side" of this subject may not have experienced the need to hunt in order to eat.

Nowadays, most of us can afford to eat without hunting. But I still have my memories of those wild game meals back in my youth. And I need the entire experience to really feel like a short return to ole' times.

In the end, it's certainly "to each his own". I respect others opinions even when I disagree.

That's one of the reasons why I posted it so people could see what was eaten back then.
I was insulted in the highest manner for eating squirrel, liver, sweet breads and so on by a guy many years ago.
His exact words were, "I wasn't raised poor we didn't have to eat guts, catfish and rodents".

Worth

[ContainerTed]

To think of all that person missed, Worth. I have always remembered the good feeling that all our ancestors got when they came to the campfires knowing that someone in the group had hunted, someone had done some gathering of berries and such, and they glanced around the fire at their tribe members and knew the closeness and mutual respect of the unity they had.

They knew how to only take what they needed and leave the rest for "next time".

I'll bet that guy you talked about buys twice as much food as he needs and then throws away what he decides is not fit. I'll bet he likes raw kalamari.

[Hellmanns]

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

Hellmanns wrote:

"then dredge in seasoned flour and fry slowly with a lid, turning ONLY once when my nose tells me to."

================================================== =====================

Yes, I knew it. Knew it. Knew it. Sir, you have gained my profound respect. It is obvious that you are properly trained in the unique art of good southern cooking.

Thanks Ted, I've fried a chicken or three..

[SharonRossy]

Personally, cute or not, squirrel is not on my menu. However, I grew up in a middle eastern family and eating cows tongue, raw lamb liver, brains, and other things I won't mention, was a regular thing. My dad was a butcher, so we had all kinds of options. I wouldn't touch any of it, but that was my preference.
Now back to squirrel relocation, frankly I'd rather relocate them permanently, if you know what I mean. Found another ripe tomato sitting on my fence half eaten.
Sharon

[ContainerTed]

Sharon, I keep finding my apples sitting on limbs up in the maple trees. BTW, that's where the squirrels live until I can .... uhh .... "evict" them.

When I was young, the family would have hog killings, or it might be a beef or both. My uncles and aunts did their own slaughtering. Some of the memories are of things I still can't eat today.

[bboomer]

Awesome banquet!!

[SharonRossy]

Maybe we can come up with an eviction plan with a no-return ever policy! I've thought about cutting the trees down so they can't make their nests but then I won't have any privacy. I'm sure next year I'll have volunteers growing all over the place. Why oh why are they protected? They have the nerve to eat my tomates and sit on the fence and look me straight in the eye!

[ScottinAtlanta]

In Georgia, you need a hunting permit to shoot a squirrel, but no one has bothered to get one for 20 years. They are now considered pests, with open season.

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

And you are very correct, Worth. The best squirrel comes when you boil it like chicken for chicken & dumplings. When the meat is JUST done, bring it out and dry it off. Then coat it with flour and spices (including some pepper heat). Bake until coating is golden brown.

Or, strip the boiled meat off the bones and make "Squirrel Salad" like one makes Chicken Salad. How about "squirrel, rabbit, and groundhog fried rice with scrambled quail or wild duck eggs stirred in"?

But, I do agree that most all wild game is better if you let it fully cool out before beginning the cooking phase.

Anyhow, it's important that the garden raiding rodents be dispatched with extreme prejudice and a ready skillet.

That's how I do my squirrel too. It does taste like chicken afterwards. I've had things to eat I thought I never would. With me if it is something different or unusual, just don't tell me til a few hours after I've eaten to give my stomach time to settle.

If anybody told me I would eat cow's brain and scrambled eggs in my life , I would have said they were crazy. It was actually pretty good. Anything too gamey and I just smoother it in gravy. Gravy works wonders.

[ContainerTed]

For those who are queezy about vesison, try this. Cut the meat into strips (sort of like chicken fries). Put chopped onion and bell peppers into a skillet and saute using some good EVOO. Just as the onions clarify, add a coule tablespoons of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum. Coat the meat strips with a batter (I use my favorite beer batter) that has a small amout of garlic in it (your taste). Move the veggies to the outer part of the skillet and add the meat to the center. Slow fry until meat is golden brown. Serve with a small baked potato.

For me, the meat comes out tasting a bit like the best beef liver you've ever tasted, but it has a lighter, nire delicate flavor.

The slow cooking of the meat in the liquid of the pan keeps it moist and tender.

[efisakov]

At work I asked once if anyone knew a place where I can purchase fresh goose. People gave me a look. I got really mad, I told them few stories about how great mother hen is with her chicks and "you eat chicken". I think they probably could not look at meat for a few days. Hypocrites.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by efisakov

At work I asked once if anyone knew a place where I can purchase fresh goose. People gave me a look. I got really mad, I told them few stories about how great mother hen is with her chicks and "you eat chicken". I think they probably could not look at meat for a few days. Hypocrites.

Don't even get me started.
Walt Disney humanizing animals in cartoons has done more to discourage eating things everyone used to eat than any other person.
And the trend continues to this day.
Makes you wonder if they dont have stock in the chicken and pig industry.
I saw a young goose in the store the other day they wanted something like $30 for it.
I wonder how many people would sit down and eat at KFC if they had a big screen TV up showing a video of a chicken processing plant running all the time in the dinning area.
Maybe pictures of a mother hen and her baby chicks on a farm hanging up too.
The kids could watch the Chicken Run movie.
At McDonalds and the rest of the fast food burger joints they could show slaughter house videos in the Play Land area and have pictures of baby calves frolicking in a field of flowers and grass.
Happy Meal indeed.
You kids want to go get a happy meal?
No Mama please dont make us eat a happy meal.
See you got me started.

Worth