Squirrel: The Other White Meat!

[MallRat]

THEM'S GOOD EATS!




Smokey Mountain Fried Squirrel

2 Squirrels, young, cut up
1/2 c Flour
1/2 ts Seasoned salt
1/4 ts Black pepper
4 tb Cooking oil
1/2 c Water
1 Onion, medium, chopped
3 Carrots, quartered

Mix flour, seasoned salt, and pepper, dredge meat. Heat cooking oil over medium heat in dutch oven. Fry meat until golden brown. Reduce heat, add water, onions and carrots. Cover and simmer 40 minutes.

http://www.melborponsti.com/mel-squir007.html

[htuttle]

1. In my experience, squirrels are mostly dark meat

Kinda stringy, too.

[StClone]

4. Fox Squirrel

Big fat Fox Squirrel cooked slow in a covered dish with gravy was a treat...well at least as good as any rodent could be. And, yes it is entirely dark meat.

[Elidor]

2. Roadkill is legal here in Tennessee

Provided it's not more than three hours old. So grab your rectal thermometers, boys! Let's head out to the interstate for some fresh grub!

[Aiptasia]

3. Nah

My grandpa used to kill squirrel with stones and cook em up. Apparently, he was quite a good aim.

It's a West By God Virginia trait.. I'm blessed to know that if i'm ever starving, I have a genetic rock throwing advantage over the rest of you.

Muhahaha!

[China_cat]

5. You forgot

to give the instruction to make sure you pick all the shot out of the meat. Buckshot breaks teeth.

[Carson]

9. You're not kidding!

We used to have a rabbit roast every year. A group would go hunting for a few days and we'd invite everyone to attend to enjoy the results. Huge outdoor grills would be made out of metal barrels cut in half. Most years we had over a hundred people.

Anyway, all the cleaning of the rabbits was done at my parents' house, and I can still remember my mother trying to pick out all the shot from the meat. Inevitably some would be missed and one would take a big bite only to say "ouch!" and pull out a piece of buckshot.

As for squirrel, I've eaten it several times but, unless it's cooked properly, can be tough, stringy and gamey.

At age 12, my brother proudly brought home his first kill. A squirrel. He wanted to have my mother cook it for supper. My poor mother tried to make it tasty, but said it had to be the oldest squirrel she had ever seen. My dad joked my brother hadn't actually hit it with the shot, but that the squirrel had a heart attack and fell from the tree. At the dinner table, we all tried to eat, for my brother's sake, but it was so tough no one could get it down. Since then, my taste for squirrel meat hasn't been the same. However, it's still a running family joke. :)

[Philostopher]

6. My long-dead granny,

who raised three kids through the Great Depression, used to make squirrel, once in a while. Rabbit, too. I think she actually enjoyed cooking it when she wasn't destitute and didn't have to rely on squirrels and rabbits my dad brought in just to feed the family.

And I have to admit, it really didn't taste all that bad. I wouldn't go to the trouble now, but hey -- squirrels and rabbits got my dad's side of the family through the Depression.

What's funny is, as desperate as they were at that point, they wouldn't eat the fish they caught out of the Ohio River. My grandfather ran the locks at an Ohio River dam -- he knew how dirty the river was, and how much petroleum got dumped in it, he wouldn't eat them.

[Karenca]

7. White Trash Pot Luck Party!

* To get you started, here are a few crowd-pleasing ideas:

* Frito Pie: Buy some snack-sized bags of Fritos. Place one bag on a plate and cut a slit in it vertically. Next, put a good-sized dollop of chili on top of the Fritos. Then top that with cheese and sour cream. Serve it up and you’ve got a handy, self-contained meal!

* Take a trip down the freezer aisle at the super market and look for some tasty gems, such as potato puffs and fish fingers. These are always a must. Lots of ketchup too.

* offer a fantastic selection of casseroles, including of course the infamous “jellied” salads....anything with suspended marshmallows is always a good . Don’t forget, of course, the macaroni and cheese with the sliced hot dogs on top!

* For appetizers, go with anything generic or store brand and be sure to serve it right out of the box or bag. Processed cheese “food” and dips make a great accompaniment to this. Cheese curls and the most orangey popcorn is always a good bet.

* How about those “Teeny” drinks in the mini plastic bottles... you know, the bright blue and orange punch? Delicious, AND you serve right from the bottle, therefore eliminating the need for additional glasses. Another staple is of course, the cheapest, most generic-looking beer you can buy.

* Dessert is perhaps the most fun. Check out the “kids” section of the supermarket for the good packaged desserts such as cupcakes and cookie sandwiches. Again, the more generic, the better. Don’t forget the half gallon of the three-flavored ice cream: chocolate, vanilla and strawberry!

* Go the extra mile and do some easy decorating. Leave the laundry out and the house a mess. Wear your plaids and tight jeans and play the cheesiest music you can find.

[PBX9501]

8. The brains are supposed to be tasty, no kidding

I wouldn't know..

[Aiptasia]

10. it's not food

if it isn't deep fried.