Squirrel stew recipes

[swampyankee]

Does anyone have a good squirrel stew recipe that they would be willing to share? The season is right around the corner. ;)

[swampyankee]

Thank you, please forgive my manners

[MadTripper]

I'm a big fan of brunswick stew. My recipe doesn't call for squirrel however the original version did. This link should steer you in the right direction.

http://southernfood.about.com/library/weekly/aa980111.htm


Tripper

[swampyankee]

Thanks for the link, may all your future trips be pleasant ones.

[MadTripper]

Haha, thats acutally a reference to my last name but thanks!

[Rancher]

Over the years our family has eaten hundreds of squirrels. Our favorite way to cook them is:
Cut up the squirrells, about one for each person at the table. Brown the meat in a pot with a little lard for frying as the meat browns. when the meat is about cooked, add some cream and flour and make gravy in the pot, leaving the meat and gravy together. Next add vegetables, carrots, diced potatoes, peas, beans, a little schredded cabbage, cellery, etc., (what ever you have). Put the pot in a hot oven and cook for a few minutes to cook the vegetables, but do not over cook. Make up enough bisquit dough for the meal and just before the pot is fully cooked, stir the pot and then layer the top with bisquits. Make enough bisquits to bake additional ones on a pan in the oven as the bisquits on the pot bake. When baked, serve the Squirrel pot pie with hot bisquits smothered with butter and honey or molassas.

[swampyankee]

Thank you Rancher, that sure sounds like a winner. Season starts up again here Saturday hopefully be having it Sunday.

[bookwormom]

My mother in law raves about squirrel and dumplings. I guess you make it the same way as chicken and dumplings.

[annabella1]

I like my squirrel fried like fried chicken, don't care much for stew.

[jjspirko]

Oh boy now this is a topic I love! I can't wait until I move up to my place in Arkansas and can have this a lot more often. This is my own way to make squirrel stew and was an adaptation from my grandmaw's regular stew. I did my best from memory and with some adaptation I came out with a heck of a good stew.

She died when I was 9 and I did not start hunting till 13, there were squirrels everywhere and we had tons in the freezer. Mostly we roasted them in browing bags and that was good but I always wanted stew, none of the adults cared to bother so I just got out the stuff and this is what I came up with. You can also do this with rabbit or hybrid your stew with half of each.

Note you are not gonna see a lot of cups or this or teaspoons of that like most male self taught game cooks I just cook by eye and taste.

First I really recommend soaking your squirrels in salt water over night. It helps tenderize them and if you used a shot gun really takes away the blood shot too.

Next I can't be bothered to bone squirrel meat. What I do is quarter them, when stewed long the meat practically falls of the bone anyway. I "quarter them" cut off the front legs and shoulders as units, then the same with the back legs and then cut the back bone just behind the ribs. You could do away with the ribs but I leave them on for flavor if nothing else.

I then roll the pieces in flour. I use about 8 squirrels per pot but if I am making stew I am making a BIG pot. 4 would make a more typical pot of stew for many folks.

Then take your stew pot and add some oil, a chopped onion, some chopped garlic and 6-8 strips of bacon cut in large pieces. (the bacon was my addition to add "fat" we used pork in deer sausage so this seemed to make sense).

Saute down the onions and garlic a bit then add the squirrel and brown it well. Once that is done add about half water and half beef stock or broth to the pot and begin to simmer the squirrel. I add a bottle of beer now too. Add your seasonings here I use some organo, black pepper, salt and two bay leaves. You can use what you like and expirment. Simmer this way for about say 1.5-2 hours depending on how old the squirrels are. Old ones can be really tough. By simmer I mean keep a lid on with some space to let off some steam and use just enough heat that you barely get some boil. Keep an eye on things add water if you need to and don't let it burn.

Now add carrots and celery, I like big pieces about large enough to fill a spoon. Simmer about an hour more. Then add cubed potatoes about the same size as the carrots and celery and simmer about 30-45 minutes more. Again add water if you get low.

Now at the end mix up some flour and water in a glass, mix it real good so you don't have any lumps and then stir it into your stew to thicken it.

I don't have any measurements again I just do it all to eye and to taste but heck if I could do it back at 13 anyone can. I have had a ton of compliments on my stews (squirrel, beef, lamb or other wise) and this is basically what I do for all of them.

I have done some substitues that are really nice too. Like I roast my deer bones in water to make stock and use that instead of beef stock, much richer and nicer. I also have made this stew with deer meat and it is amazing though you can add your carrots and celery right away and don't have to cook the meat as long.

Hope you like it,

[YounGrey]

Squirrel Dumplings -
http://homesteadingrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/09/squirrel-dumplings.html

Brunswick Stew -
http://homesteadingrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/08/brunswick-stew.html

Squirrel Mulligan -
http://homesteadingrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/05/squirrel-mulligan.html