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11-04-2011, 11:45 AM | #3 | ||||||
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Thanks Charlie.
I look forward to eating some of them squirrels they sound good. All the best Dave. |
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11-04-2011, 02:12 PM | #4 | ||||||
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Charlie has it right as far as I'm concerned though I usually use bacon grease rather than cooking oil.
You can usually tell the old ones from the young by the lack of hair on the sack of the boars and the lack of hair on the belly of the sows. The young ones will have hair in these spots. If you get older squirrels and younger ones in the same hunt leave a foot on the old ones when you freeze so you'll be able to tell the difference when you go to cook them. The old ones need a good parboil before you fry them. Or, the best way, is to fry them then put inside a pressure cooker for a few minutes. That will make even the most tough old squirrel as tender as a yearling. Roger Giles would fry them in advance then put them in a baking dish in the oven with chicken broth for a few hours to slow cook further. Destry
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I was as virtuously given as a gentleman need to be; virtuous enough; swore little; diced not above seven times a week; went to a bawdy-house once in a quarter--of an hour; paid money that I borrowed, three of four times; lived well and in good compass: and now I live out of all order, out of all compass. Falstaff - Henry IV |
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The Following User Says Thank You to Destry L. Hoffard For Your Post: |
11-05-2011, 08:46 AM | #5 | ||||||
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One thing that alot of people dont know is how to clean squirrels properly. Their skin is very tough. Ive heard that the pioneers used squirrel hide as shoe strings. If you dont skin them right you will end up with a hairy mess. The best way Ive found is before you gut the creature you use a sharp knive to make a small cut under his tail that just goes through the hide. Putting your foot firmly on the hind legs, pull up on the tail. Hopefully the hide will come up like pulling his shirt up over his head. Pull his front leg through cut off wrists and head then pull the hide off his hind legs like taking his pants off. Then you can take his innerds out. This all is easier when the squirrel is still warm. If the tail comes off when you do the pull up thing you need to get some pliers and grab the skin near where the tail was. When you get good you can clean five squirrels in about 10 minutes and with no squirrel hair on the meat.
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The Following User Says Thank You to Brent Francis For Your Post: |
11-05-2011, 09:05 AM | #6 | ||||||
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Thanks Brent.
Will do as you say. All the best Dave. |
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11-05-2011, 10:21 AM | #7 | ||||||
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You're in for a real treat David. Few things in the world are much better than nice tender squirrel.
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11-05-2011, 10:30 AM | #8 | ||||||
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when in doubt cacciatore is an old reliable recipe.
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The Following User Says Thank You to Eric Grims For Your Post: |
11-05-2011, 11:14 AM | #9 | ||||||
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David, re-reading my instructions I think I need a couple of corrections (its been awhile since I skinned one). First after you make the cut beneath the tail you need to cut upward to severe his tailbone above his hips but dont cut through the skin above his tail. It is also better if after pulling his skin above his head to leave his hide attached at his head and wrists so you can step on that hide when you pull his trousers off. the trickey part is getting that first cut right beneath the tail. Cut too deep and the tail comes off and you need the pliers. If you dont cut enough the hide wont rip properly. It takes a few times before you get it right. A recent movie "Winter Bones" I think it was called had the young girl who was the star cleaning squirrels in one scene and she was doing it right, I was amazed. It was a good but disturbing movie not sure how it went over in the UK.
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The Following User Says Thank You to Brent Francis For Your Post: |
11-05-2011, 11:21 AM | #10 | ||||||
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I think this was posted here somewhere? This is a video I saved away when I saw it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66AVwthXgMA
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The Following User Says Thank You to Robin Lewis For Your Post: |
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