# Squirrel Meat



## dadsbuckshot (Aug 17, 2009)

How do you prepair your squirrel meat?

Some folks eat it off the bone - others boil etc...

Not looking for receipes here... Just ideas before getting to the actual cooking.

Also how do you quarter a squirrel?


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## Rip Steele (Aug 17, 2009)

Boil all mine and put them in dumplins. Never heard of quartering one.


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## Bowyer29 (Aug 17, 2009)

Boil, grill to finish. Or just grill. I cut them off behind the front shoulder, then you have ribs to hind quarters with no need to quarter.


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## dadsbuckshot (Aug 17, 2009)

I had never heard of quartering either...

If one did quarter - I wonder how they would go about it?


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## Havana Dude (Aug 17, 2009)

Boil, strip from bone, skirl and rice.


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## redneckcamo (Aug 17, 2009)

cut it up an fry it slow with a lid  after a quick browning on both sides .mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


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## brooke81 (Aug 18, 2009)

*squirrel*

I like to quarter mine and fry them, then put them in gravy!!


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## Nimrod71 (Aug 18, 2009)

This is the way my grandma taught me, this is the way her grandma taught her, this goes back over 150 years now, and it still taste good today


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## dadsbuckshot (Aug 18, 2009)

brooke81 said:


> I like to quarter mine and fry them, then put them in gravy!!



Maybe you can shed some light - since you quarter your meat.

HOW do you quarter a squirrel?


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## yellowhammer (Aug 19, 2009)

*skwerl quarterin`*

Cut the head off.Then I cut`em off behind the shoulders and in front of the hips,then split the "halves" down the middle.In other words I don`t keep the backs.That gives you two front legs attatched to shoulders,and two back legs attatched to hips.I started doing this when I started using a .22 mag.I shoot some of`em so far off that headshots aren`t possible(except for some of the liars I know),so i just shoot`em broadside in the middle.It guts`em on the spot,usually,and the back ain`t worth much.I like to sit in one spot and shoot several before I move,then i go pick`em up.I boiled some quarters two days ago for two hours(slow boil)with a lotta salt and pepper.Made the house smell good.The wife then made dumplins.Also,I like to fry`em in a lotta salt and pepper,then make gravy,pour the gravy over the fried pieces,and let simmer an hour.This requires cathead biscuits.Or Grand`s,in a can.


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## Turkeypaw (Aug 22, 2009)

Gatorb said:


> i like em cooked several ways....fried is good......i dont quarter em' i half them...if that makes sense skin and then cut right in the middle of the back....like em' grilled too...i just marinate em' different ways and throw them on the grill on low/medium heat....eat off the bone.


Same way I do it.


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## Doug B. (Aug 22, 2009)

I like to shoot mine in the head, that is not always possible, but it does save a lot of meat. Then I quarter mine and either freeze them in water , make squirrel and dumplings, or fry them. To quarter a squirrel, I skin them first, then gut them and cut the head off (I used to keep and eat the head, but my wife would leave the table when I cracked them open so I stopped keeping them). Then I cut the front legs off, much like you would a deer or something, starting behind the shoulder and cutting toward the head. There is no bone to cut through on the front legs. Then I cut through the joint on the back legs, just like the ball joint on the back legs of a deer. Then I cut the rib cage off and throw it away but I keep the lower back which is probably the best part. It is the tender loin, or the back strap and has a lot of meat on it. Then I am ready to cook and eat and it is good to my face.


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## 308-MIKE (Aug 22, 2009)

i like to quarter them, much easier to pack them out of the woods


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## shortround1 (Aug 22, 2009)

dadsbuckshot said:


> I had never heard of quartering either...
> 
> If one did quarter - I wonder how they would go about it?


i parboil all my rodents. drain and quarter, roll in milk, and dredge in flour salt and pepper, introduce mr. nut gatherer to some hot grease.


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## pacecars (Sep 2, 2009)

Havana Dude said:


> Boil, strip from bone, skirl and rice.




Sounds good! Reminds me of old times, ate a lot of squirrels and rice and catfish.


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## Bighead (Sep 2, 2009)

We quarter them too . We also let them set 24 hours in unseasoned meat tenderizer before we fry them.


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## Paymaster (Sep 2, 2009)

shortround1 said:


> i parboil all my rodents. drain and quarter, roll in milk, and dredge in flour salt and pepper, introduce mr. nut gatherer to some hot grease.



.....X2

I quarter and fry and make gravy with the oil in the fry pan.


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## Cavalry Scout (Sep 2, 2009)

Maybe quarter is a bad term... Cut them off behind the shoulders, cust the rear Section off, pat with flour, fry and then throw in with some rice.  Or cook rice and mix with cream of mushroom soup and simmer.


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## shortround1 (Sep 2, 2009)

Gatorb said:


> i like em cooked several ways....fried is good......i dont quarter em' i half them...if that makes sense skin and then cut right in the middle of the back....like em' grilled too...i just marinate em' different ways and throw them on the grill on low/medium heat....eat off the bone.


i think u are right, but u can cut the front legs off at the backbone, same with the rear legs, quartering was done by my great grandmother to take all the backbone out. par boil for 30 min. drained then dreadge in buttermilk and rolled in flour, fried till brown. biscuits, gravy, rice and sliced tomatoes, iced tea of course, but u had to chip the ice from a block.


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## satman32935 (Sep 2, 2009)

pressure cook it and ya can eat bones and all, make gravy and eat it over rice taters or bread


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## Doug B. (Sep 4, 2009)

Pressure cooking has never made the bones edible for me. It does make the meat tender though.


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## coreyhopper22 (Sep 4, 2009)

i try to shoot most of mine in the neck cause i eat everything i dont like to waste a bit you would be supprised what you throw away taste the best but anyway i put mine in salt water over night then the next day put in buttermilk and in flour its the best ive had not putn off on any other way just seems to work the best for me


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## Toxic (Sep 5, 2009)

After you skin them, save the head, freeze it, when you have a 3 to 4 saved, PM me. Not for eating trust me. I just want the heads


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## droptinegirl1 (Sep 9, 2009)

Cut all of the legs off (I love the back ones) and then take the ribs off the backbone (we dont save the ribs) and soak them in salt water for several hours. Then you boil them for several hours (or you cant chew them). When tender put them in a baking dish and smother with barbeque sauce (any works) and bake them. I dont really pay attention to how long I just know when they are done. We love them. Our girls and I cant get enough. Great chow! Better than chicken wings!


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## bublewis (Sep 10, 2009)

I cut 'em up into peices (legs and the back) after skinning, and I usually let them soak in salt water over night.  For old ones I will pressure cook first; then fry and make gravy with it or make into dumplings.  For young ones I just fry without boiling first.


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## GunRights4US (Sep 28, 2009)

After reading this whole thread...I am starving for some tree rat!


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## COCHISE (Sep 28, 2009)

coreyhopper22 said:


> i try to shoot most of mine in the neck cause i eat everything i dont like to waste a bit you would be supprised what you throw away taste the best but anyway i put mine in salt water over night then the next day put in buttermilk and in flour its the best ive had not putn off on any other way just seems to work the best for me




Yeah, I shoot all of mine in the left eye, no exceptions....


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## fi8shmasty (Sep 28, 2009)

Here is a real good tasty idea.            yummy yumm
http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=371845&highlight=dehydrated+squirrel


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## Ducks4Me (Sep 29, 2009)

Soak it in Bourbon a wise man once told me.


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## rhbama3 (Sep 30, 2009)

I usually quarter mine. Skin and gut, then take heavy kitchen scissors and cut into quarters. The backbone is small and the scissors will cut right thru it and the pelvis. Fox squirrels and big grays, i will cut into pieces.


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