squirrel jerky update..done.. review

DiscoRacing · February 12, 2009, 08:23 AM

After several hours of deboning the meat... in attemp to get a large enough chunk of meat that I woulnt just end up with nibblets, meat was marinaded for over 14 hours in typical deer jerky recipe marinade. Whole process went well I thought and the final product looked just as good as any other I had made. After tasting tho... I would feel safe in saying that I would never attempt it again. The problem, I feel, is that the meat must be cut across the grain in slabs.. for the marinade to soak into.. since this meat was so small it was nearly impossible to cut crossgrain slabs... thus the marinade really didnt soak into the meat... only into the small fat areas of the meat between the separate muscles. The meat was dried well just had virtually no taste.. that is of course until the spots betwix where the marinade did all settle to.. which was an overpowering spice taste. Just wanted to share the whole experience with you folks... maybe help out for anyone who had thought of this idea... or wondered what it may be like. Thankfully I only did 5 squirrel legs in the mix of 2 lbs of deer.... so I still got a nice batch of deer jerky... I think the neighbors dogs will like the squirrel jerky in the yard.... Goodspeed..... you wouldnt have wanted it either... :barf:

goodspeed(TPF) · February 12, 2009, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Goodspeed..... you wouldnt have wanted it either...

Thanks, I think.

Just give it another try. I am sure you will end up with some good stuff eventually. Then I for sure want some.

rantingredneck · February 12, 2009, 11:35 AM

Maybe this would be a good time to use one of those jerky gun kits where you grind the meat up first with seasonings and then dry it.

Kinda sorta becomes like a slim jim I guess.........

Slim Squirrel????

.

hogdogs · February 12, 2009, 11:39 AM

:barf::barf::barf::barf:
Okay... like my lead pellets in a shot shell experiment... "MYTH.... BUSTED..."

Better you than me...
Brent

DiscoRacing · February 12, 2009, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Slim Squirrel????

i was looking into this also Ratlin... im thinkin now tho... the little a squirrel that i get per annum... would be much more enjoyed fried..as in the past... rather than dried... so to speak

rantingredneck · February 12, 2009, 12:04 PM

Yeah, I'll stick to deer for jerky and continue to fry up the tree rats.

meathunter · February 12, 2009, 12:11 PM

I had a good squirrel hunt and tossed about 20 rats into the freezer. Later I thawed them out, and slow cooked them with carrots, onion and celery. I let them cool and boned those buggers out, put them into a vacuum seal bag and tossed back into the freezer.

My next pot of "CKICKEN" gumbo will have a little surprise.

musher · February 12, 2009, 01:16 PM

Friend of mine told me the other day he discovered that canning whole squirrels in the pressure cooker, softened their bones so that you could just eat'em whole. Maybe that's a better approach than jerking them.

Haven't tried either myself.

February 12, 2009, 08:23 AM	#1
DiscoRacing Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Location: milton, wv Posts: 3,640	squirrel jerky update..done.. review After several hours of deboning the meat... in attemp to get a large enough chunk of meat that I woulnt just end up with nibblets, meat was marinaded for over 14 hours in typical deer jerky recipe marinade. Whole process went well I thought and the final product looked just as good as any other I had made. After tasting tho... I would feel safe in saying that I would never attempt it again. The problem, I feel, is that the meat must be cut across the grain in slabs.. for the marinade to soak into.. since this meat was so small it was nearly impossible to cut crossgrain slabs... thus the marinade really didnt soak into the meat... only into the small fat areas of the meat between the separate muscles. The meat was dried well just had virtually no taste.. that is of course until the spots betwix where the marinade did all settle to.. which was an overpowering spice taste. Just wanted to share the whole experience with you folks... maybe help out for anyone who had thought of this idea... or wondered what it may be like. Thankfully I only did 5 squirrel legs in the mix of 2 lbs of deer.... so I still got a nice batch of deer jerky... I think the neighbors dogs will like the squirrel jerky in the yard.... Goodspeed..... you wouldnt have wanted it either... :barf:

February 12, 2009, 11:35 AM	#3
rantingredneck Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,728	Maybe this would be a good time to use one of those jerky gun kits where you grind the meat up first with seasonings and then dry it. Kinda sorta becomes like a slim jim I guess......... Slim Squirrel???? . __________________ NRA Member NC Hunter's Education Instructor PCCA Member (What's PCCA you ask? <- Check the link)

February 12, 2009, 12:04 PM	#6
rantingredneck Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,728	Yeah, I'll stick to deer for jerky and continue to fry up the tree rats. __________________ NRA Member NC Hunter's Education Instructor PCCA Member (What's PCCA you ask? <- Check the link)

February 12, 2009, 12:11 PM	#7
meathunter Junior Member Join Date: August 5, 2008 Posts: 6	I had a good squirrel hunt and tossed about 20 rats into the freezer. Later I thawed them out, and slow cooked them with carrots, onion and celery. I let them cool and boned those buggers out, put them into a vacuum seal bag and tossed back into the freezer. My next pot of "CKICKEN" gumbo will have a little surprise. __________________ Everyone has an opinion. Mine may stink and be offensive, but it is *still my* opinion.

February 12, 2009, 11:39 AM	#4
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	:barf::barf::barf::barf: Okay... like my lead pellets in a shot shell experiment... "MYTH.... BUSTED..." Better you than me... Brent

February 12, 2009, 01:16 PM	#8
musher Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2005 Posts: 462	Friend of mine told me the other day he discovered that canning whole squirrels in the pressure cooker, softened their bones so that you could just eat'em whole. Maybe that's a better approach than jerking them. Haven't tried either myself.