What's Your Favorite Squirrel Recipe?

i hope its ok to ask here, but since there's so many squirrel eaters in this thread someone should know. what types of things would make you toss a squirrel and not eat it? pictures on how to identify such problems would be great.

thanks

Good question,

I do an outside assessment right after the shot looking for lesions or sores. Look at eyes and lake sure they are clear without crust or any matter around the edges. When skinning watch as I go under the skin and on meat for anything out of place. I may work a bit harder when I clean one but they turn out real clean. Hang by one back foot and case skin them. Then when splitting the pelvis and working around the innards I check them out too. I cleaned just under 100 last season and am into the mid 40s total wise since the may 23rd opener. No issues with any sick ones yet. I have seen a couple fleas in January and early February right before season closes because they will den in groups and pass around a few fleas. Those fleas go off with the hide so no biggie. 
 
Since we are in the middle of hunting season I just thought it would be a good time to bring this thread back. 

I got two squirrels yesterday and for the sake of something a little different I'm thinking of trying one of the above recipes instead of my my own.

Thank you for doing this Moog!

Saturday tried a new on to us. Rabbit Ragu with Pasta - Tuscan Hare or Rabbit Ragu | Hank Shaw (honest-food.net)

In Hank Shaws cookbook he says Squirrel can be subbed so this is what we used. Besides with 39 of our 40 possession limit in the freezer needed to use some to shoot more :) 

It was great, used penne rigate pasta so all that tasty goodness to fill the hollow core. Picture heavy I know but fun to see the steps. Been so mild here we still had fresh rosemary and sage in the garden! Packed with meat after the 3 hour braise. Pulled meat off the bones then returned meat to sauce.

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Here's another FYI,

When cleaning squirrels, I don't use a knife, I use this tool in the pictures below. I feel its quicker and does a clean job

Start by cutting a slit across the middle of the back large enough to get a couple fingers from each hand. Then pull in opposing directons, until it gets difficult then step on back feet and pull hide over head and front legs. Now step on hide (over the head) and pull
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d pull remaining hide from back legs. Use mentioned tool to cut off feet, tail, and head. Perfect tool for cutting through pelvic and on up through the chest cavity then pull the entire innards out and walla your done, except for rinsing. 

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