easiest way to cook squirrels

Pressure cooker speeds the process but you can just parboil until fork-tender then bread and fry.

Or even easier still - bread the pieces (just seasoned flour works fine) fry until brown. Throw it in the crockpot and dump a can of mushroom soup on it.
 
cause i tried that pizzaz pizza turner thing an fixed it like you would with chicken wings on it. an they turned out tough. good but tough. i mean chicken wings you set the timer for 20 min. an as it turns to cook you turn the wings with 10 min left.
 
Originally Posted By: HideHunterNope - only the very youngest of squirrels will fry or grill without steaming or parboiling.

Squirrels are *tough*.

Yep, if you don't cook them long enough, you won't be able to stick a fork in the gravy.
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Pressure them until the meat can be easily separated from the bones. Then use the meat just like you would use cooked chicken in a good pot pie or casserole recipe.
 
i might see how much a pressure cooker is. how long do you usually cook it in one? or does it depend on how many squirrels are in a cooker?
 
Pressure cooking can be a trick. A lot depends on the amount of meat you put in, water level, and PSI of pressure used. I cook a tough deer roast or beef roast for about 45 minutes under pressure and it is fall off the fork tender. These are 2.5-3 lb roasts covered in beef stock and seared first. A raw peeled potato or onion is mush after about 10 minutes of pressure. I'd say do 30 minutes under pressure then release the pressure and check them. You can always bring it back up to pressure and do another 15 minutes or so. My 8-10 hour crock pot roast recipes take about 1.25 hrs in the pressure cooker and are more tender. I bought my pressure cooker last year on Black Friday at JCPenneys. It was normally $125 and I got it for $65. I think it is an 8qt Presto that looks anodized. Pretty cool deal for me. Now you have me wanting to go shoot a mess of squirrels and make squirrel pulled BBQ
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We like squirrel stew pretty well. Just cook the squirrels in the crock pot with salted water until the meat easily comes of the bone. Then bone them out. Pour out the water and rinse the crockpot out. That water is kind of nasty tasting. Pour you two or three cans of Swanson chicken broth in the pot. Cut up some taters,celery,carrots,onions and add them to the pot with the squirrel meat. Season the stew up with salt,pepper, garlic and some rubbed sage. Cook until the carrots and taters are tender. Thicken with corn starch or flour slurry if you like a little gravy like stew. Fix some cornbread and you got a good meal.
 
The only ways I've ever cooked squirrels, rabbits, or pheasants...either cook on low heat in a crock pot for about 10 hours...or breaded & fried like chicken.
But, I admit that I haven't cooked any of those critters for about 15 years.LOL
 
Just boil them in water until tender. Usually about 1 to 1 1/2 hr. Once tender put them in a frying pan and a little butter and fry until brown or seared on the outside to suit your taste. They are great this way. You can use the water and butter and cornmeal to make gravy and pour over white bread. Yummm yummm
Daryl P.
 
hmm it seems like you guys all cook them bout the same way. guess i better too. im wanting to do a gumbo cause ima meaty soup guy.
 
Originally Posted By: mightymosinhmm it seems like you guys all cook them bout the same way. guess i better too. im wanting to do a gumbo cause ima meaty soup guy.

What I do with squirrels is pretty much a gumbo I just call it stew. Sometimes I serve it over rice with some hot sauce. Oh yeah good stuff.
 
make a salt brine and soak them for 24 hrs
then rinse and soak in plain ice water for 24 more hours
them make a marinade
I like taking Lime juice, olive oil, cumin, basil Garlic and Rosmary toss them all together in a ziplock and stick in the squirrel for 12 hrs
grill on LOW heat with a Pan or beer or water underneath to keep steam in the grill for moisture and cook for 2-3 hrs
it will be tender and TASTY
 
meat hunter I agree with your method I do mine about the same way but in a pressure cooker. This will cut down on cooking time by quite a bit. I think the key is to dump out the water after cooking the meat.
 
Originally Posted By: varmint917vmeat hunter I agree with your method I do mine about the same way but in a pressure cooker. This will cut down on cooking time by quite a bit. I think the key is to dump out the water after cooking the meat.



Yes sir pressure cooker is way faster. I have done it that way too. Only thing is with me I am getting older so easy is my bag anymore. Pressure cookers have to be tended to and crock pots just dump stuff in, turn on and do something else for a few hours.
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End result is the same though.
 
i can't wait to get my pressure cooker for christmas from my gf! she hasn't got her babysitting money an she was going to buy me one!
 
I love smoked (not grilled) squirrels. If done right the meat will fall off the bones, even the ribs. As everyone knows the younger the better. The old tougher ones, boil 1st, then roll in seasoned flour and fry. A lot of folks make squirrel & dumplings. NOT ME! I've never seen any done that way that the meat didn't look like hair. It may taste great but I can't get past how it looks. The most DISGUSTING way I've ever seen them cooked is fried whole, with the head, teeth, etc. The folks then crack the heads & eat the brains! NASTY!!!!----Ben Jimmy
 
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