Had an uncle that would hunt squirrel. My aunt cooked it up tasted like Chicken!!

I should renew my hunting license.

Been years since I’ve had that meal ….. brought back great memories of my mom. Thank you.

We always hunted the fox squirrels when I was young. For some reason we never thought of the greys as wild.

Anyway, last time I had squirrel was years ago, shot a limit with a .22 then cooked them up for my roommates who thought I was a crazy hillbilly till they tried it.

My mom taught me to season flower and fry them in Crisco. Remove them from the pan when browned. Make a rue gravy with the drippings, put the fried pieces back in the gravy and simmer till the meat was falling off the bone. Serve over rice, pan fried potatoes or mashed whatever you like.

I have been tempted to go shoot a few and make that meal up just for the memories. I think squirrel rue gravy is one of the best gravies you can make only bested by sausage gravy.

I need to get back to my small game hunting roots. My deer hunting has taken me away from it and I just started thinking about how much fun we had shooting rabbits, pheasants and quail as a kid.

Since you didn't mention it, I have to ask? Did you gut it?

terry

Gutted and skinned.

Fall was for small game. We ate a few rabbits, and a bushel or so of squirrels. The heads were always fried and eaten as well.

Summertime was for frog legs and snapping turtle.

we may very well be related. as most folks know a large % of Smiths have an intentional blurry ancestral past. kenneth r SMITH

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Too good

Yup. The cheeks are a nice little hunk of meat. We used to crack the skulls and eat the brains too - I was never wild about any kind of brains, but would eat them.

Yessir, with panfish coated in cornmeal and skillet fried, and a big batch of hushpuppies too!

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

Never had squirrel, but reading this has my mouth watering! Tell grandma, I'm in!!

YIKES, I'm out on cracking skulls and eating brain!!
Larry

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

When the big Mad Cow scare was a thing in the '90s, Wildlife departments started warning against eating any kind of brain. I don't think I have had a squirrel brain since. Of course I've primarily head-shot with a .22 since about that time as well. Growing up, everyone used shotguns.

Has anyone told Bullwinkel?

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No baby we aint

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My latest resolution, to be quiet, and learn more, only lasted a few hours.

Sharing both good and bad experiences, folklore, Ideas, and debates, with my cyber friends, and giving an occasional criticism, to one of ‘em, is about all that remains for an old poop, 90+ years, to enjoy.

I’ve made my confession, I’m back to normal, feel a lot better, and I’m ready to make a fool of myself again.

This widely varied discussion of meat/food, types, both wild, and domestic, got me started, on this new rant. These widely varied opinions of meat, and it’s source, are mind boggling; Some folks condemn delicious squirl meat, and praise ‘possum. Concern about the part of the body that a meat came from is sometimes humorous, and ofttimes disgusting. Eggs of all poultry, mountain- oysters, and many entrails, come to mind. There are types of meat, that I refuse to eat, or haven’t tried. I absolutely, refuse to eat ‘possum. I remember ‘coon hunting with my dad, and finding a dead a dead cow, we pounded on that cow, and dad shot and killed several ‘possums that exiting its rear end. That experience forever removed any desire for me to eat ‘possum. My dad sold ‘Coon, and ‘possums, to local groceries. Those groceries, had a standing order for ‘coon, and ‘Possum. The sale of those critters, supplemented our family’s grocery needs. There are several types of meat/food, that I’ve wanted to, try, but, haven’t; ostridge, groundhog/woodchuck, rattlesnake, or mountain- oysters. Some of my favorite meat dishes are, bob white -quail, squab-pigeon, hasenpfeffer, frog legs, crab legs, Snapping turtle, and fried alligator.

I’ve enjoyed the many recipes, that have been offered, and promise to respect everybody’s opinion, but expect everybody to respect mine as well.

Chubbo

The game dinner crew at my old club would give rabbits or squirrels a quick ride in the pressure cooker then go to the pan frying unless it was young tender ones. Squirrel hind qtrs and back straps pan fried and served with gravy is a very nice meal. Any one who has the horror stories cooked the whole animal. Like all game prep is everything.
Thanks for the great post and the pictures.
The birds at the feeder support your efforts to keep the Model 18's and Marlin 39A's employed.

I no longer hunt as I'm just a softie that don't wanna to kill anything.

BUT, the hypocrite part of me still loves meat.

Anyway, as a young boy I hunted, and loved squirrels. Problem was, Dad and my uncle insisted they be head shot. Once in a while I'd miss the head and, since I was afraid to take the body shot ones home, I'd just get rid of them by throwing 'em in the brush. Always felt guilty about that.

Bob

I was always told the same thing. Shoot them in the head, or don’t shoot and wait until you can. Shotguns were allowed - but only if that was all you had. I did a season or two with a 16 gauge Wards single-shot until I got my own .22. Dad wouldn’t let me use his because it was a semi-auto (Rem. 241). I’ve eaten a squirrel or two and never felt oppressed.