Colonial Williamsburg Brunswick Stew

[Andy]

I'm going to wait for this Craig. I have a hankering to drop a few skwerells (the spelling I think I saw in "Undaunted Courage" with my 16g Trojan. As a kid I could never make the damn things taste good. Regarding pot pie, I make a pheasant pot pie that is just great, although have mixed in Chukar as well, wonder how it would work with squirrel. One pie will feed 5-6 people.

[Keavin Nelson]

Originally Posted by Andrew Sacco

I'm going to wait for this Craig. I have a hankering to drop a few skwerells (the spelling I think I saw in "Undaunted Courage" with my 16g Trojan. As a kid I could never make the damn things taste good. Regarding pot pie, I make a pheasant pot pie that is just great, although have mixed in Chukar as well, wonder how it would work with squirrel. One pie will feed 5-6 people.

Andy,
how about sharing your recipe for the Pheasant Pot Pie?
I grew up on crock pot squirrel stew! With moms biscuits, mmmmmmmgood!

[Andy]

Originally Posted by keavin nelson

Andy,
how about sharing your recipe for the Pheasant Pot Pie?
I grew up on crock pot squirrel stew! With moms biscuits, mmmmmmmgood!

2 cups chicken broth
1 pound pheasant cut into bite size pieces
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
some garlic
Half yellow onion chopped
1 stick carrot chopped
1 bag frozen peas
1/3 cup salted butter
2/3 cup whole milk
Salt and black pepper
1 t dried rosemary
1/2 t dried sage
1/2 t ground celery seed
1 beaten egg white
1 refrigerated pie crust

Preheat oven to 400
Sautee pheasant, mushroom and onion in some oil for 10 minutes, add 1 clove of mashed garlic for flavor and remove it when done. You can remove the onion if you don't like it in your pie. Reserve the drippings and pheasant/mushroom bites (I use just breast from two birds)
Boil the broth and add carrots and celery for 10 minutes, add peas for one or two minutes. Drain and RESERVE THE BROTH, adding the carrots/celery to the pheasant bites
Melt the butter in a saucepan for 5 minutes, medium heat
Stir in the flour continuously, you want a blonde roux here
Pour reserved broth and milk into the flour mixture, stirring constantly
Add pepper, rosemary, sage and celery seed and salt to taste, bringing slowly to a boil and then back to a simmer and stir and watch until it's thickened
Press your pie crust into a pie plate and brush with egg white. Put this in the oven for a few minutes until it just starts to firm up and turn color.
Remove from the oven, and turn heat to 375
Scoop 1/4 of the pheasant/mushroom/veggie mix into the pie plate, then mix the remaining pheasant/mushroom mix into your flour/broth/spice roux.
Pour this into the plate last, cover with the other half of the pie crust, crimp the edges, cut to vent and bake until golden brown all over about 35-45 minutes
Remove, let rest for 20 minutes.
*here's one before I covered it, I like it better with mushrooms

[Mike of the Mountain]

My wife makes a killer pot pie. Has to have two crusts or it's not a legit pot pie!! Just substitute pheasant, chukar, grouse, etc for chicken and run with it. My Dutchie relatives don't use crust. I call that soup!!

[Mike of the Mountain]

Heven't shot tree-rats in what seems forever. Used to sit in my pappy's oak stand by some huge boulders with the single shot Winchester .22 LR bolt and pick them off as they tried to retrieve acorns. Used to take a bag full home and my mom would quarter them and brown them in butter. Nix besser!!

[Andy]

Originally Posted by Mike Koneski

My wife makes a killer pot pie. Has to have two crusts or it's not a legit pot pie!! Just substitute pheasant, chukar, grouse, etc for chicken and run with it. My Dutchie relatives don't use crust. I call that soup!!

Last line, I said "BEFORE I COVERED IT" Of course there are TWO crusts I think it would be bad without it.

[Mike of the Mountain]

Wouldn't be bad, but it wouldn't be as GOOD!!

[Mike of the Mountain]

As for skinning them, do it ASAP and you'll have no problems. I'd keep a plastic bag in my pouch for the skinned squirrels. I'd do the same for rabbits too. Last few times I hunted rabbits they were covered with fleas/lice. That's not going into my coat!!

[Mike of the Mountain]

Originally Posted by Andrew Sacco

Last line, I said "BEFORE I COVERED IT" Of course there are TWO crusts I think it would be bad without it.

Yes, you said two crusts. I was merely commenting on the need for two crusts. Some only use a top crust, some use a bottom, some use no crusts. Just sayin’.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by Mike Koneski

Yes, you said two crusts. I was merely commenting on the need for two crusts. Some only use a top crust, some use a bottom, some use no crusts. Just sayin’.

Gotcha' Mike. I like Hank Shaw's cooking a LOT. His Ethiopian venison stew is just great. But I looked up your guy and he's amazing too, Mike Robinson, so I will have to start watching all his stuff. I love cooking wild game.