Squirrel
Quarter the squirrels, lay in a pan along with their livers, kidneys and hearts, sprinkle with seasonings and with a tiny bit of poultry seasoning or mixed herbs, spread with softened butter or bacon fat, and roast before open fire or in oven. Baste frequently with pan juices. k Young squirrels may be wrapped in bacon, and grilled whole over coals.
Old ones may be jugged or potted, and otherwise cooked exactly like rabbit. Or they may be put into a Brunswick Stew (see recipe).
A skeleton recipe that assumes you already know how to dress small game and judge a fire. The one thing it never says is how old the animal is, and that decision governs everything else.
- Age decides the methodYoung squirrels have pale, pliable feet and thin claws; they take dry heat well and will be tender in under an hour. Older animals have hard, dark feet and heavy claws, and dry roasting turns them to string, which is why the recipe sends them to the jug, the pot, or Brunswick stew.
- Oven temperatureNone is given. Roast at 350F; if you cover it for the early part so the lean meat does not seize, note that the recipe itself assumes open roasting and frequent basting. A dressed squirrel, roughly 3/4 to 1 1/2 lb depending on the species, quartered will take 45 to 60 minutes.
- DonenessCook to at least 165F at the thickest part of the hind leg. Wild game is lean and there is no fat margin, so use a thermometer rather than time; squirrel dries out within a few minutes of being done.
- HandlingSquirrels and rabbits can carry tularemia, most often contracted through cuts or abrasions on the hands while skinning, though eating undercooked meat can transmit it as well. Wear gloves while skinning and jointing, wash everything that touched the raw carcass, and cook thoroughly. Discard any animal that looked sick or had spotted liver or spleen.
- The offalA squirrel's liver, kidneys and heart together amount to a spoonful or two. They cook far faster than the quarters, so add them for the last 15 minutes or roast them in a corner of the pan and eat them as the cook's portion.
- Bacon fat and bastingThe butter or bacon fat is not seasoning, it is the entire fat content of the dish. Be generous, and baste every 10 minutes or so. Wrapping young squirrels in bacon for the grill does the same job over coals, where drips would otherwise flare.
- Jugged and pottedJugging means long, slow cooking in a tightly closed vessel standing in simmering water, with little or no added liquid. Potting means cooking down until the meat shreds, then packing it under a seal of fat. Either is a 2 to 3 hour proposition at a bare simmer.
- Poultry seasoningPeriod mixes lean on sage, thyme, marjoram and savory. A pinch is right; squirrel is a delicate, nutty meat and sage will bury it.
- YieldFigure one squirrel per person as a main course, two if the animals are small and the eaters have been outdoors.