Squirrels

ArmySon · November 24, 2000, 01:16 PM

Does anybody know of an easy way to remove the annoying little hairs off the squirrel meat after cleaning? I've tried rinsing it under water to no avail. Basically, all these years, I've been rolling the damn hairs into one area and then plucking em off with my fingers.

Any ideas?

BadMedicine · November 24, 2000, 02:54 PM

This just about covers it all

This topic was covered less than a month ago

http://www.silverstreaksports.com/squirrel_cleaning.htm

CJO · November 24, 2000, 04:48 PM

I scrape with my pocket knife while holding the squirrel under running water....Works OK for me...Even if it dosen't work its not something I worry too much about anyway...If you can eat chicken, then you can eat anything....

Coolray · November 25, 2000, 10:39 AM

My family orignates in the south,I grew up in Montana. I never thought of eating a rodent,Why do people eat rats when there is other edible game around?

ArmySon · November 25, 2000, 05:34 PM

BadMedicine · November 25, 2000, 07:26 PM

Well first of all, alot of people like "rats" as you call them, second of all, I guess you have never tried them or you would know. I like to hunt them, and I don't like shooting little cute things unless I plan to eat or skin them, (this generally depends on my mood, prarie dogs are fair game, and sometimes I do "feed the yotes".)
Somepeople like to shoot them to brush up on their "off-season" skills, and some just like Plinking while enjoying time with their kids. Alot of the year (about 11 months) there is other big game around, but you can't shoot it. Your family is from the south and you never thought of eating squirrel? Where we lived it was a staple food

CJO · November 25, 2000, 08:38 PM

Kind of snotty attitude Coolray...Maybe you should try it before knocking it....

Coolray · November 26, 2000, 01:36 PM

Please, I Understand about Squirrel hunting, You are correct I have never tried eating/shooting Squirrels. Not many in Southeastern Montana. I equate that to the prarie dogs I grew up shooting, I never thought of eating them. I ment no Ill will Just poking fun.

CJO · November 26, 2000, 06:27 PM

OK, no prob Coolray...I sure wish we could see each other when we communicated, it would convey intent a lot better..
By the way headshooting squirrels with a .22 is quite a challenge and whole lot of fun...Really sharpens your scoping skills.....

PaladinX13 · November 26, 2000, 10:17 PM

Well, doesn't seem much like a trick, but just keep the whole process under running water- prevention is the key... it keeps the membrane from drying out and allowing the hairs to stick.

beertrucker · November 27, 2000, 08:12 AM

Getting rid of squirrel hair ain't no problem. Just flik your bic and singe em off. Someday I'm gonna make a video on squirrel cleaning. Until then there is my long winded version of the correct way to skin a rat at shooters on the smallgame bd. Been saving a couple pints worth of squirrel legs for when we can up venison. Today is the day and glad someone reminded me so I will take em out of the freezer. Should end up with about 50 pints and 30 qts af canned venison. Yes of course I cut the backstraps and best steaks from the hind quarters before canning the rest. Even the shank meat is tender and tasty after canning. beertrucker-x

shortround73 · November 27, 2000, 09:13 PM

The easiest way that i have learned to clean squirrel without gettin hair on them is to make a cut across the middle of the back and have a buddy hold one end and you pull on the other. I guess you can do it by yourself if you step on the tail. In my opinion very little hair gets on the squirrel and its quick and easy.

swampgator · November 29, 2000, 03:44 AM

But the million dollar question is: Do you leave the heads on when you cook them?

I could tell you a story about my grandma, but as we say this is an open board and I don't want to offend anyone.

BTW I work with a woman who raises squirrels for pets. Needless to say this topic always comes up.
"I just don't see how you can hate squirrels."

"I don't hate squirrels, they TASTE wonderful!"

Gator

BadMedicine · November 29, 2000, 12:56 PM

swamp gator, was your grandma native? The natives would boil down the heads of squirrels, rabbit, and birds into a broth. Since the head contained the brain, it was very nutritious. On larger animals they just scooped out the brain and cooked it.

and no, I never eat the heads, if I was ever that hungry I'd.....stay hungry, atleast until I found something else worth eating.

shortround73 · November 29, 2000, 09:05 PM

The first time i ate squirrel and dumplins at my friend's grandmother's house she dug me out a spoonful and low and behold there was the skull. I was shocked.

ArmySon · November 29, 2000, 11:14 PM

lol I could just picture the looks on your face when seeing those cute little skulls lol!!!

I smoke my ducks with the heads on. One time, I served a duck and rabbit that way to some non-hunting, PC friends. The looks on their faces when they saw the heads was worth a million bucks!

swampgator · November 30, 2000, 04:31 AM

Sounds kind of pornographic doesn't it?

Anyway she wasn't native but she'd boil them heads and all.
I remember her taking the head and cracking the skull with her teeth and she would suck the brains and eyes out!

YUCK! And I've eaten some lousy grub!

My Mother-in-Law's mother loves to tell how my mother-in-law used to fight with her brother to see who got to suck the brains out! (My ma in law gets a little embarrassed about that one)

Gator

beertrucker · November 30, 2000, 06:08 AM

I'm sure that I could handle these 'specialy' prepared dishes, just can't deal with the hangover from all the pre dinner cocktails that it would REQUIRE. Course I'd have ta start using a diffrent aiming point. No wonder grandpa insisted in head-shots-only. beertrucker-x

dongun · November 30, 2000, 07:57 AM

When I was a boy, there was an old man that deer hunted with us. He fried the heads, then cracked them open with his pocket knife, sort of like cracking a walnut. I tried a taste of brains once, but wasn't impressed.

As a young man, there was an older couple that were neighbors with my hunting partner. Once or twice a season we would clean a mess (leaving the heads on) and take to them. They argued over who would get the heads.

Now in the prime of middle aged, I only take one shell with me when I go squirrel hunting. After the first one, I just throw heads at the rest.

PaladinX13 · November 30, 2000, 03:09 PM

You're not supposed to eat squirrel brains... there's a strain of "Mad Cow" like disease running its rounds through the squirrel population right now.

November 24, 2000, 02:54 PM	#2
BadMedicine Junior member Join Date: July 7, 2000 Location: Anchorage Posts: 863	Here. This just about covers it all This topic was covered less than a month ago http://www.silverstreaksports.com/squirrel_cleaning.htm

November 25, 2000, 07:26 PM	#6
BadMedicine Junior member Join Date: July 7, 2000 Location: Anchorage Posts: 863	huh. Well first of all, alot of people like "rats" as you call them, second of all, I guess you have never tried them or you would know. I like to hunt them, and I don't like shooting little cute things unless I plan to eat or skin them, (this generally depends on my mood, prarie dogs are fair game, and sometimes I do "feed the yotes".) Somepeople like to shoot them to brush up on their "off-season" skills, and some just like Plinking while enjoying time with their kids. Alot of the year (about 11 months) there is other big game around, but you can't shoot it. Your family is from the south and you never thought of eating squirrel? Where we lived it was a staple food

November 29, 2000, 03:44 AM	#13
swampgator Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 1999 Location: Gatorville, Florida Posts: 619	But the million dollar question is: Do you leave the heads on when you cook them? I could tell you a story about my grandma, but as we say this is an open board and I don't want to offend anyone. BTW I work with a woman who raises squirrels for pets. Needless to say this topic always comes up. "I just don't see how you can hate squirrels." "I don't hate squirrels, they TASTE wonderful!" Gator __________________ www.afn.org/~guns

November 29, 2000, 12:56 PM	#14
BadMedicine Junior member Join Date: July 7, 2000 Location: Anchorage Posts: 863	hmmm... swamp gator, was your grandma native? The natives would boil down the heads of squirrels, rabbit, and birds into a broth. Since the head contained the brain, it was very nutritious. On larger animals they just scooped out the brain and cooked it. and no, I never eat the heads, if I was ever that hungry I'd.....stay hungry, atleast until I found something else worth eating.

November 30, 2000, 04:31 AM	#17
swampgator Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 1999 Location: Gatorville, Florida Posts: 619	Grandma's Squirrel Sounds kind of pornographic doesn't it? Anyway she wasn't native but she'd boil them heads and all. I remember her taking the head and cracking the skull with her teeth and she would suck the brains and eyes out! YUCK! And I've eaten some lousy grub! My Mother-in-Law's mother loves to tell how my mother-in-law used to fight with her brother to see who got to suck the brains out! (My ma in law gets a little embarrassed about that one) Gator

November 24, 2000, 01:16 PM	#1
ArmySon Staff Alumnus Join Date: April 14, 2000 Posts: 2,926	Does anybody know of an easy way to remove the annoying little hairs off the squirrel meat after cleaning? I've tried rinsing it under water to no avail. Basically, all these years, I've been rolling the damn hairs into one area and then plucking em off with my fingers. Any ideas?

November 24, 2000, 04:48 PM	#3
CJO Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2000 Location: Gulfport, Ms Posts: 153	I scrape with my pocket knife while holding the squirrel under running water....Works OK for me...Even if it dosen't work its not something I worry too much about anyway...If you can eat chicken, then you can eat anything....

November 25, 2000, 10:39 AM	#4
Coolray Senior Member Join Date: August 10, 2000 Location: Spokane ,wa Posts: 290	My family orignates in the south,I grew up in Montana. I never thought of eating a rodent,Why do people eat rats when there is other edible game around?

November 25, 2000, 05:34 PM	#5
ArmySon Staff Alumnus Join Date: April 14, 2000 Posts: 2,926

November 25, 2000, 08:38 PM	#7
CJO Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2000 Location: Gulfport, Ms Posts: 153	Kind of snotty attitude Coolray...Maybe you should try it before knocking it....

November 26, 2000, 01:36 PM	#8
Coolray Senior Member Join Date: August 10, 2000 Location: Spokane ,wa Posts: 290	Please, I Understand about Squirrel hunting, You are correct I have never tried eating/shooting Squirrels. Not many in Southeastern Montana. I equate that to the prarie dogs I grew up shooting, I never thought of eating them. I ment no Ill will Just poking fun.

November 26, 2000, 06:27 PM	#9
CJO Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2000 Location: Gulfport, Ms Posts: 153	OK, no prob Coolray...I sure wish we could see each other when we communicated, it would convey intent a lot better.. By the way headshooting squirrels with a .22 is quite a challenge and whole lot of fun...Really sharpens your scoping skills.....

November 26, 2000, 10:17 PM	#10
PaladinX13 Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2000 Posts: 519	Well, doesn't seem much like a trick, but just keep the whole process under running water- prevention is the key... it keeps the membrane from drying out and allowing the hairs to stick.

November 27, 2000, 08:12 AM	#11
beertrucker Member Join Date: October 8, 2000 Posts: 36	Getting rid of squirrel hair ain't no problem. Just flik your bic and singe em off. Someday I'm gonna make a video on squirrel cleaning. Until then there is my long winded version of the correct way to skin a rat at shooters on the smallgame bd. Been saving a couple pints worth of squirrel legs for when we can up venison. Today is the day and glad someone reminded me so I will take em out of the freezer. Should end up with about 50 pints and 30 qts af canned venison. Yes of course I cut the backstraps and best steaks from the hind quarters before canning the rest. Even the shank meat is tender and tasty after canning. beertrucker-x

November 27, 2000, 09:13 PM	#12
shortround73 Member Join Date: July 7, 2000 Posts: 37	The easiest way that i have learned to clean squirrel without gettin hair on them is to make a cut across the middle of the back and have a buddy hold one end and you pull on the other. I guess you can do it by yourself if you step on the tail. In my opinion very little hair gets on the squirrel and its quick and easy.

November 29, 2000, 09:05 PM	#15
shortround73 Member Join Date: July 7, 2000 Posts: 37	The first time i ate squirrel and dumplins at my friend's grandmother's house she dug me out a spoonful and low and behold there was the skull. I was shocked.

November 29, 2000, 11:14 PM	#16
ArmySon Staff Alumnus Join Date: April 14, 2000 Posts: 2,926	lol I could just picture the looks on your face when seeing those cute little skulls lol!!! I smoke my ducks with the heads on. One time, I served a duck and rabbit that way to some non-hunting, PC friends. The looks on their faces when they saw the heads was worth a million bucks!

November 30, 2000, 06:08 AM	#18
beertrucker Member Join Date: October 8, 2000 Posts: 36	I'm sure that I could handle these 'specialy' prepared dishes, just can't deal with the hangover from all the pre dinner cocktails that it would REQUIRE. Course I'd have ta start using a diffrent aiming point. No wonder grandpa insisted in head-shots-only. beertrucker-x

November 30, 2000, 07:57 AM	#19
dongun Member Join Date: May 7, 2000 Location: Central Arkansas Posts: 76	When I was a boy, there was an old man that deer hunted with us. He fried the heads, then cracked them open with his pocket knife, sort of like cracking a walnut. I tried a taste of brains once, but wasn't impressed. As a young man, there was an older couple that were neighbors with my hunting partner. Once or twice a season we would clean a mess (leaving the heads on) and take to them. They argued over who would get the heads. Now in the prime of middle aged, I only take one shell with me when I go squirrel hunting. After the first one, I just throw heads at the rest. __________________ "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist." - Verbal Kent (The Usual Suspects)

November 30, 2000, 03:09 PM	#20
PaladinX13 Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2000 Posts: 519	Errr... You're not supposed to eat squirrel brains... there's a strain of "Mad Cow" like disease running its rounds through the squirrel population right now.