Go forth and hunt, harvest and consume

A pictorial,

Tuesday went on a hunt on corps land on Truman lake in Missouri. I like squirrel and don't kill just to kill I hunt them to eat. It was a good trip and fount them high in the native pecans we have growing here. My gosh they would not stop moving. Up the giant pecans to grab a nut or a cluster of nuts and back to the ground in thick brush to bury and repeat performance. I would stalk, sit and watch to find most of the time on way back up tree a pause to see what was going on before ascending back to the treetops. Got four this way and one gathering a cluster for the tops. Had to rush shots and lost three front legs. Synthetic Crown trying my .30 caliber barrel kit.. Gun came with the .25.
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Shots were from 15 to 40 yards. It was a hoot and I bet I seen 20 plus grays and two fox squirrels. I will go back. Time passed real fast and I did not realize from 7:30 to 10 AM had passed so fast. 44 degrees at start and when it warmed enough the skeeters began to bite this is when I quit. So today it was time to cook and consume. We did our favorite recipe for old tough squirrel. I think I have shared this recipe before but want to again it is that good. We like to cook and there is a few steps but it is not hard. Please try it I am sure it will be a hit for you and your families. 

Spanish Braised Squirrel Recipe - Hank Shaw's Squirrel Aurora (honest-food.net)

We doubled this using the five from Tuesday and one from Monday. Usually do this in an 8 dutch oven but upsized to a 12. Sometime I will do a dozen and feed a crowd with the 12. So here is a a couple shots of the prepare part. 
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The nut part. Calls for almonds, squirrel prep is good with some nut as it is the important part of their diet. Recipe calls for almonds. Well here no almonds are grown but ten years ago I planted chestnuts from seed. This years crop was fantastic. Fast growers seed can happen in five years. Blight resistant cross of Chinese or European origin. Hopefully we will get a native blight resistant tree available in the future. Now the salted and dusted floured pieces browning, 
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Skipping to pulling out of the oven in last stage. Recipe time needs to be extended for age of squirrel used. Don't rush the process and leave time for such. Said 45 minutes to an hour for the braise in oven but ours took and hour and a half. It is worth the wait believe me. 

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Lets plate it up with some skillet toasted bread, 
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I am as full as a tick and happy as a clam right now :) 
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Life is good in SW Missouri! Happy hunting friends we have all we need provided for us out there to be used. Take advantage and use selective harvest. 
 
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Love this!!

Squirrel has to be one of the finest proteins out there. 100% free range, lean, hormone-pesticide-herbicide-antibiotic organic meat. Protein isn’t just protein - wild game is loaded with micronutrients because the meat is a product of their surroundings, not what was fed to them in a factory. There’s nothing like a day of fresh air, exercise and hunting followed by a healthy meal and a really nice beer! Or two..

Nowadays I just field dress and throw them in a pressure-cooker (instant pot). 38 minutes and its falling off-the-bones tender. De-bone and add to other stuff like salad or nachos because I suck at actually cooking 😂

Great post - Thanks for sharing.

Brian @airgunner.usa

 
Have always heard how tuff squirel can be, but I have not had that problem. I generally rub them down with flavoring spices, coat them with butter, smear some olive oil on alum foil and wrap them up tight. Slow roasted on the grill over charcoal. A few hours, depending on how many them pull meat off bone to create other dishes. Never had a tough one.....yet!
 
Have always heard how tuff squirel can be, but I have not had that problem. I generally rub them down with flavoring spices, coat them with butter, smear some olive oil on alum foil and wrap them up tight. Slow roasted on the grill over charcoal. A few hours, depending on how many them pull meat off bone to create other dishes. Never had a tough one.....yet!

Correct all the old ones need is some TLC in the form of a long braise or other long heat cycle with some moisture. 
 
Have always heard how tuff squirel can be, but I have not had that problem. I generally rub them down with flavoring spices, coat them with butter, smear some olive oil on alum foil and wrap them up tight. Slow roasted on the grill over charcoal. A few hours, depending on how many them pull meat off bone to create other dishes. Never had a tough one.....yet!

Correct all the old ones need is some TLC in the form of a long braise or other long heat cycle with some moisture.

Does aging the squirrel help with the flavor and toughness? I bought a vacuum sealer purpose built for squirrel season! I just gotta find the time to get my butt back out there! 😥 
 
That looks real tasty. I see that you are a fan of cast iron as well. Most of the things I cook inside are in a cast iron pot or pan.

Cannonball you have no idea. I have a sickness and probably need an intervention. I e tank, season and restore vintage cast iron cookware. I have so many I need to move some very soon. Have some that I need to put away. Sixty plus more than are in these few pictures. Pre 60s all the way back to the late 1800s. 
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Have always heard how tuff squirel can be, but I have not had that problem. I generally rub them down with flavoring spices, coat them with butter, smear some olive oil on alum foil and wrap them up tight. Slow roasted on the grill over charcoal. A few hours, depending on how many them pull meat off bone to create other dishes. Never had a tough one.....yet!

Correct all the old ones need is some TLC in the form of a long braise or other long heat cycle with some moisture.

Does aging the squirrel help with the flavor and toughness? I bought a vacuum sealer purpose built for squirrel season! I just gotta find the time to get my butt back out there! 😥

I doubt aging would do nothing for flavor or toughness. Vac sealing by getting all the air out before freezing is the best to preserve the flavor and prevent freezer burn. 
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I label with date, my conservation number, number of squirrel and age. Old ones like I said a braise and young ones just fried up with side of biscuits or mashed taters. Gravy always from the drippings. 
 
Just a quick hint for those who may not know. I think this year we have a new crop of hunters.

After you clean your squirrels and bag them up, put a bit of ginger in the bag with them, just a pinch in the water. I usually just a couple of ounces of water in the bag with them when I freeze them. Ginger powder will help to tenderize the meat. When you thaw them leave them in the bag in the fridge over night. That will also help to tenderize them a bit more.