Hey tg...I 'lifted' this off the web....
> Seriously, folks, does anyone have a decent recipe for squirrel stew? The
> one and only time I ate squirrel stew, it was awful. Two spoonsful were all
> I could get down. It was at an Indian Stomp Dance (Chickasaw tribe) in
> Ardmore, OK, where the Indians prepared a large cast iron cauldron of the
> stew for everyone to sample--along with pashofa (a corn meal gruel) and
> grape dumplings (which were outstanding). The stew was greasy, gamy and
> tough. Given the access to squirrel I have, an edible stew or even roasted
> squirrel recipes would be a way to turn the tree rats into something
> positive. And, the recipes would make a great addition to a NAFEX Road
> and/or Tree Kill Cookbook. I'll volunteer to put a book together, if you
> all will contribute recipes.
> Doreen Howard
Doreen, Here's one my Grandmother passed down in the Great Depression
which she claimed allowed us to survive the War of Northern Imperialism.
She used to complain when my Dad would "head shoot" them.(the only
acceptable way of a rifleman). She and others liked the heads better
than the rest. I can remember them sucking the brains and eyeballs out.
In black powder/round ball days they claimed to "bark squirrels" by
shooting under the bark of a tree hugging squirrel, not at the animal,
and causing the bark to pop up and kill it. Wouldn't damage any meat. I
never could get it to work with smokeless powder/ogived projectiles.
How about just using Hav-A-Hart traps? They capture this size animal
unharmed and allow you to release them where they do their thing away
from your place. *Halfbacker's homes are good sites. *Those who have
moved half-way back from Florida.
Finally, the recipe. (pronounced ree seep by Grandmaw Crawford)
Skin and dress out YOUNG gray squirrels. (Fox squirrels weren't
preferred.) Feed 'em to the hounds or pigs.
Parbroil in biling (boiling)salty water for the time it takes to sing
three verses of "Bringing In The Sheaths" (Maybe two minutes?)
Brown 2 snuff cans (half cup) flour in spider (frying pan)for
eacsquirrel. Add a dash each of salt and pepper per squirrel.
Dredge them when almost dry after cutting them in serving sizes.
Fry in almost smoking lard (I'd suggest Canola oil) 'til tender.
Remove meat, add some water, scrape bottom of spider and cook down while
stirring until thick as cold molasses.(Her's was a little too thick. I
like Mormon/Sawmill/Milk Gravy thickness, more water or milk)
Mix gravy and fried squirrels and serve with hoe cake or biscuits and
grits.
Grandpaw said it was "goodnuf to make your tongue slap your brains out"
or "only thing it needs is eatin'"
