Squirrel Hunting

omega5 · November 9, 2002, 01:33 PM

Just got back from getting the supper meat. 4 nice fat squirrels to go with gravy, sweet corn, biscuits, mash potatoes and a peach cobbler for desert.
Shot all 4 with my new S&W 317 Kit Gun w/ CCI Stinger hollow points. 3 were within 15 yards but the last on was way up in the top of a big oak.
Do I like my little 317Kit; yes I do

retiredsquid · November 9, 2002, 02:39 PM

omega,
You're going to force me to add one of those 317s to my safe!

Rich

Cadwallader · November 10, 2002, 12:15 AM

Lots of squirrels have come home to the frying pan over the years - I just started doing them w/ biscuits and gravy last year: I could have kicked myself for not doing it sooner. In my book there is now no game dish that ranks higher. Just to give you an idea, my WIFE asked for some the last time I made it. Wife? Squirrels? Now if I can just get her to do the cooking I'll be sitting pretty.

SkaerE · November 10, 2002, 09:27 PM

well dont just brag...

post the way to make it!

i likes me some squirrel

Cadwallader · November 10, 2002, 11:57 PM

Without going into too much detail here's my recipe:

1. Cut up your skinned squirrels into 6 pieces each. In a 12" skillet I usually do 3-4 squirrels at a shot.
2. Dredge with seasoned flour (I use just salt and pepper) and brown well in fat of your choice - I use Crisco or peanut oil and sometimes half oil, half butter. I only use enough fat to coat the bottom of the pan at this point.
3. Throw into the pan: 1 medium onion diced, 2 ribs of celery diced, 2 carrots diced, 1 minced clove of garlic and 3 tablespoons chopped parsley. Season a bit more at this point so the vegetables get their share. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pan to steam everything for about 10-15 minutes.
4. At this point I add about 1/4 cup of dry vermouth, dry white wine, or hard cider, cover and cook over low heat for something like 1.5 to 2.5 hours depending on the age of the squirrels. You could use the same amount of water or stock (using homemade chicken stock is a good way to fool your wife into liking this) if you don't use or like alcohol. When the meat is fork-tender, uncover the pan and raise the heat for a few minutes, turning the pieces to re-brown the outsides a bit.
5. Remove the meat, keeping it warm, and make gravy any way you normally would using the pan drippings and juices - I usually just add more fat if needed, add an amount of flour equal to the total amount of fat in the pan, stir the lumps out and cook that 2-3 minutes, add milk as needed and stir until thickened over medium-low heat, adding more seasoning as needed.
6. Serve over hot biscuits, maybe have a salad or some sweet corn, and what the heck, blueberry cobbler for dessert.

Schuey2002 · November 11, 2002, 12:57 AM

My sister is feeding about 9 of them in here back yard.
They are nice and fat.........Hmmmmmmm...never thought about
eating one....
Does it taste like chicken?

kjm · November 11, 2002, 11:44 AM

It isn't too far off from chicken. I'd say it is like dark-meat chicken. I like the younger ones. We fry them like we fry chicken and most recipes where chicken is called for, you can substitute squirrel. My grandfather smokes them on his electric smoker.

I would like to see how other people make them here.

I use a CZ .22 and sometimes opportunity shots with a Ruger MkI.

Poodleshooter · November 11, 2002, 02:45 PM

How do you smoke a squirrel w/o turning it into jerky? Does he wrap them in bacon or soak in fat/grease?

kjm · November 12, 2002, 12:04 AM

No, I think he might boil them first, but even then it is a wild guess. I know that when I eat his smoked squirrels, they are tough as nails but kinda tasty. I didn't say squirrel is good on an electric smoker.

My brother makes some sort of squirrell and dumplin's but I still prefer them fried.

Zorro · November 12, 2002, 12:45 AM

A possible alteration to the recipe.

For long slow cooking a 250-300 degree oven works well and will give you less guess work.

Just use a skillet with a metal handle, Cast Iron works well, and cover while in the oven.

The oven will greatly lessen the possibility of burning one side.

Using the oven also frees you from watching it constantly.

labgrade · November 12, 2002, 05:36 PM

A nifty way to prevent smoked meat turning into jerky is to place a water-filled pan (use one of those heavy-duty tin foil jobs & just pitch it afterwards, if you don't have a dedicated "waterer") - moisturized the meat with all the water & prevents any drying out.

omerga5,

We've at least a couple of those 317s - quite the handy, light-weight addition to anybody's field-use tool kit. & we use the CCI Mini-Mags too. Tough to beat an 8-shot .22LR handgun .... accurate too boot.

eroyd · November 12, 2002, 05:49 PM

We're not supposed to have those big fat Grey Squirrels here but some ignorant person introduced them and they're doing very well. They're quite aggressive, destroying birds nests and pushing out our little native red squirrels. Unfortunately the places they flourish are semi-urban at the very least. Sooo!.... would a quiet little pellet pistol do them in?

labgrade · November 12, 2002, 05:57 PM

Headshots = yup, body shots (in appropriate areas) = unh-huh - with a .22 caliber. Shaky with a .177

Thos eColibri .22s CBs with no powder are very quiet as well, but shoot to a completely different point of aim.

November 9, 2002, 01:33 PM	#1
omega5 Member Join Date: September 8, 2002 Location: TN Posts: 44	Squirrel Hunting Just got back from getting the supper meat. 4 nice fat squirrels to go with gravy, sweet corn, biscuits, mash potatoes and a peach cobbler for desert. Shot all 4 with my new S&W 317 Kit Gun w/ CCI Stinger hollow points. 3 were within 15 yards but the last on was way up in the top of a big oak. Do I like my little 317Kit; yes I do

November 11, 2002, 11:44 AM	#7
kjm Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 1999 Location: College Station, Texas Posts: 1,871	It isn't too far off from chicken. I'd say it is like dark-meat chicken. I like the younger ones. We fry them like we fry chicken and most recipes where chicken is called for, you can substitute squirrel. My grandfather smokes them on his electric smoker. I would like to see how other people make them here. I use a CZ .22 and sometimes opportunity shots with a Ruger MkI. __________________ COME AND TAKE IT!!!

November 12, 2002, 12:04 AM	#9
kjm Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 1999 Location: College Station, Texas Posts: 1,871	No, I think he might boil them first, but even then it is a wild guess. I know that when I eat his smoked squirrels, they are tough as nails but kinda tasty. I didn't say squirrel is good on an electric smoker. My brother makes some sort of squirrell and dumplin's but I still prefer them fried. __________________ COME AND TAKE IT!!!

November 9, 2002, 02:39 PM	#2
retiredsquid Member Join Date: July 28, 2002 Location: Northwest Arkansas Posts: 83	omega, You're going to force me to add one of those 317s to my safe! Rich

November 10, 2002, 12:15 AM	#3
Cadwallader Member Join Date: November 7, 2002 Posts: 18	Lots of squirrels have come home to the frying pan over the years - I just started doing them w/ biscuits and gravy last year: I could have kicked myself for not doing it sooner. In my book there is now no game dish that ranks higher. Just to give you an idea, my WIFE asked for some the last time I made it. Wife? Squirrels? Now if I can just get her to do the cooking I'll be sitting pretty.

November 10, 2002, 09:27 PM	#4
SkaerE Senior Member Join Date: July 22, 2001 Location: Va Posts: 166	well dont just brag... post the way to make it! i likes me some squirrel

November 10, 2002, 11:57 PM	#5
Cadwallader Member Join Date: November 7, 2002 Posts: 18	Without going into too much detail here's my recipe: 1. Cut up your skinned squirrels into 6 pieces each. In a 12" skillet I usually do 3-4 squirrels at a shot. 2. Dredge with seasoned flour (I use just salt and pepper) and brown well in fat of your choice - I use Crisco or peanut oil and sometimes half oil, half butter. I only use enough fat to coat the bottom of the pan at this point. 3. Throw into the pan: 1 medium onion diced, 2 ribs of celery diced, 2 carrots diced, 1 minced clove of garlic and 3 tablespoons chopped parsley. Season a bit more at this point so the vegetables get their share. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pan to steam everything for about 10-15 minutes. 4. At this point I add about 1/4 cup of dry vermouth, dry white wine, or hard cider, cover and cook over low heat for something like 1.5 to 2.5 hours depending on the age of the squirrels. You could use the same amount of water or stock (using homemade chicken stock is a good way to fool your wife into liking this) if you don't use or like alcohol. When the meat is fork-tender, uncover the pan and raise the heat for a few minutes, turning the pieces to re-brown the outsides a bit. 5. Remove the meat, keeping it warm, and make gravy any way you normally would using the pan drippings and juices - I usually just add more fat if needed, add an amount of flour equal to the total amount of fat in the pan, stir the lumps out and cook that 2-3 minutes, add milk as needed and stir until thickened over medium-low heat, adding more seasoning as needed. 6. Serve over hot biscuits, maybe have a salad or some sweet corn, and what the heck, blueberry cobbler for dessert.

November 11, 2002, 12:57 AM	#6
Schuey2002 Senior Member Join Date: September 21, 2002 Posts: 854	My sister is feeding about 9 of them in here back yard. They are nice and fat.........Hmmmmmmm...never thought about eating one.... Does it taste like chicken?

November 11, 2002, 02:45 PM	#8
Poodleshooter Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2000 Location: Floating down the James River in VA Posts: 2,599	How do you smoke a squirrel w/o turning it into jerky? Does he wrap them in bacon or soak in fat/grease?

November 12, 2002, 12:45 AM	#10
Zorro Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2000 Posts: 1,072	A possible alteration to the recipe. For long slow cooking a 250-300 degree oven works well and will give you less guess work. Just use a skillet with a metal handle, Cast Iron works well, and cover while in the oven. The oven will greatly lessen the possibility of burning one side. Using the oven also frees you from watching it constantly.

November 12, 2002, 05:36 PM	#11
labgrade Member In Memoriam Join Date: November 29, 1999 Location: west of a small town, CO Posts: 4,346	A nifty way to prevent smoked meat turning into jerky is to place a water-filled pan (use one of those heavy-duty tin foil jobs & just pitch it afterwards, if you don't have a dedicated "waterer") - moisturized the meat with all the water & prevents any drying out. omerga5, We've at least a couple of those 317s - quite the handy, light-weight addition to anybody's field-use tool kit. & we use the CCI Mini-Mags too. Tough to beat an 8-shot .22LR handgun .... accurate too boot.

November 12, 2002, 05:49 PM	#12
eroyd Member Join Date: September 13, 2002 Location: british columbia, canada Posts: 81	We're not supposed to have those big fat Grey Squirrels here but some ignorant person introduced them and they're doing very well. They're quite aggressive, destroying birds nests and pushing out our little native red squirrels. Unfortunately the places they flourish are semi-urban at the very least. Sooo!.... would a quiet little pellet pistol do them in?

November 12, 2002, 05:57 PM	#13
labgrade Member In Memoriam Join Date: November 29, 1999 Location: west of a small town, CO Posts: 4,346	Headshots = yup, body shots (in appropriate areas) = unh-huh - with a .22 caliber. Shaky with a .177 Thos eColibri .22s CBs with no powder are very quiet as well, but shoot to a completely different point of aim.