Tender squirrels

W.J. Laws

New member
Not my recipe.

My friend makes best squirrel ever.
Deep fry in either a Dutch oven or a deep skillet . Lard or peanut oil is acceptable. You need thermometer, 325 degrees is the key.. This recipe works for old or young squirrels. Young are better and have a more delicate flavor. Segregate by species though the little greys only require 6 minutes. Fox squirrels take 7-9 minutes depending on size. Breading on squirrels is whatever you like on chicken. A big tip less is more don't put so much squirrel in that the oil cools. Hope I made this clear enough. Allens formula is wonderful. If anyone recommends pressure cooker tactics, it's an injustice to a wonderful wild game food.

Also if having a big cook out. Line styrofoam coolers with tinfoil, put paper towels in bottom of cooler. Whatever you have fried it wicks the cooling oil away.

Love fish and squirrel fry parties

Sincerely Bill
 
Some folks braise them lightly before the fry part.

Great idea regarding the cooler.

I will try you recipe this weekend.

---------- Post added at 09:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:03 AM ----------

Does your friend leave the heads on before frying? An old friend of mine insisted on the fried heads.
 
You just basically remove excess water before breading. Never seen need for marinades. Also if your not already a .22 hunter , the food quality will make you quit the shotgun.

Locally a lot of people use Gilster Mary Lee chicken breading. The factory is a local employer . Easy access to a good product.

We cut our squirrel into 2 hind legs,2 front legs, a loin piece, and a rib piece.


Trim rib piece with game shears.

Eating squirrel heads was a tradition I can NO LONGER ENDORSE!!

My best friends sister got Crutchfield-Jacobs disease. Basically the human form of mad cows disease. There's a study I Kentucky which thinks there may possibly be a link. But, I won't eat beef brains either. I loved them.
 
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When Grandpa took Johnny out squirrel hunting for the first time with that old Glenfield 22 Johnny asked; “Grandpa, Where should I aim to hit the squirrel?” Grandpa replied; “Anywhere in the eye.”

Johnny never wondered about cooking squirrels with the head on.

Hilditch
 
Have you heard of the " bark shot" for tree rats? Even the early black powder squirrel guns were somewhat a larger cal. Then a 22 used today.

Bark shot was hitting the bark just under the animal and the shock would drop them. My old buddy who was fond of the crunchy head would get cranky if the head was damaged. God rest his soul.
 
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