Squirrel-and-Pumpkin Pie

Just in time for the holiday season, here's this recipe. It's a fall favorite in many parts of the country, and works for tough old squirrels as well. Cheap protein, and delicious.

Skin and dress one or more squirrels. Cut into pieces, and remove any shot-damaged meat, and soak overnight in a glass or enamel container in salted water. Boil for about two hours, until the meat can be removed from the bones. Dice, mix with the pumpkin filling, and bake as you normally would.

Fried Squirrel

Cut a young squirrel into serving-size pieces. remove any shot-damaged meat. Soak overnight in Italian dressing, or oil-and-vinegar dressing. Drain, but do not pat dry.

Coat the pieces in flour seasoned with salt and pepper, and fry in a skillet in about 1/2 inch of oil. brown quickly on both sides, then turn down the heat and cook until tender and the juices run clear.

Remove from the skillet. Make a flour-and-water gravy from the pan drippings.

Brunswick Stew

Here is a big recipe for older squirrels. It freezes well.

4 Squirrels, cleaned and disjointed
1 Large onion, diced
1 Tbsp butter
2 16-ounce packages baby lima beans
2 16-ounce packages whole kernel corn
2 16-ounce packages okra
1 14 1/2 can diced tomatoes
1 Small bottle Worcestershire sauce
Cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper

Cook the squirrels in salted water until the meat falls from the bones. Dice, straining and saving the cooking water.

Saute the onion in butter until light brown. Place the diced meat, onion, and vegetables into a large, heavy-bottomed pan. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, and some of the cooking liquid. Add cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper to taste.

Cook for about 5 hours over very low heat, stirring often to keep from sticking, and adding cooking liquid as needed.

Baked Squirrel

Here's another recipe for older squirrels:

Cut up squirrels and soak for 24 to 48 hours in equal parts water and vinegar. (As always, marinate in a glass or enamel container.) Drain and pat dry.

Coat each piece with seasoned flour, and brown on both sides in a little oil.

Place the meat in a casserole dish. Stir a little flour into the pan drippings, along with one package of dry onion soup mix. Add two cups hot water, and stir to blend. Add one 10 1/2-ounce can of cream of chicken soup, and again stir to blend.

Pour over the meat, adding more water if necessary to cover the meat. Cover tightly, and bake at 325 degrees for for at least 1 hour, or until tender. Add more water if needed.

Squirrel Stew

Here's another recipe for stew. This one will make even the toughest old squirrel tender.

Clean and cut up one or two squirrels, removing any shot-damaged meat. Place in a slow cooker with one medium onion, quartered, and two chopped stalks of celery. Cover with water, adding one teaspoon of salt for each quart of water. Simmer until the meat falls from the bones.

Pick the meat from the bones, and strain the broth into a 4-quart heavy pan. Add diced carrots and diced potatoes, and cook until tender.

Add the diced meat, and two or three cans of your favorite vegetables. thicken slightly with flour and water, or stir in a can of cream of mushroom soup.

Onward and upward,
airforce