Skin a squirrel-Graphic

[newbie_nick]

Oh yeah, Machine... Thanks, by the way...now, I'm hungry for fried squirrel and mashed potatoes! Mmmm.....

 

[zachtateknives]

WOW. I got a dum question. Are the squirrels that run around in city parks safe to eat? Or should I look for them when I go camping?

 

[ejes]

Never tried this method of rabbit gutting, but looks interesting. When skinning rabbits, I usually just grab behind the neck and pull in opposite directions and the skin just peels off in two (sometimes one) pieces.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pStF0lF6zYg

 

[Ken_McCarty]

OP, could you post details on how to get the guts out? I have a hard time with that.

 

[newbie_nick]

Never tried this method of rabbit gutting, but looks interesting. When skinning rabbits, I usually just grab behind the neck and pull in opposite directions and the skin just peels off in two (sometimes one) pieces.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pStF0lF6zYg

Ejes,

Rabbits are a lot less muscular than squirrels and are easier to clean. I've often said that I could clean one with my bare hands if I didn't have a knife (HA! like that would ever happen!). Squirrels are tough, little beasts, and I usually need a stout knife or a wire cutters to cut off the head/tail/legs.

My $0.02

Nick

 

[adaman04]

Always neat to see the way people do things differently. More than one way to skin a cat....I mean tree rat. I've become fond of this one.

[Youtube]66AVwthXgMA[/Youtube]

 

[machine26]

OP, could you post details on how to get the guts out? I have a hard time with that.

I slice them open all the way from the pelvis to the neck and then literally start pulling the guts out, no special way of doing it really.

 

[hung-solo]

This is how I do it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66AVwthXgMA

its the easiest way as well

 

[sadiejane]

Is it
the same for say a deer, chicken?

squirrels are really easy to skin. once ya make a few cuts it basically just peels off. not so with a deer. but cats, of any size/variety peel off just about as easy.

 

[Mannlicher]

pretty much how I was shown back around 1953.

 

[Acetylene]

I have been skinning them just like the video posted by ejes since 1980 and I dress them the way Newbie Nick described. I know there are different ways of doing the same thing, but these have proven the easiest for me. The best part of skinning the way I do is that you don't have to try to pick off all the hair that inevitably gets on the meat and as newbie Nick said the best part of dressing them the way I do is it is very fast, not very messy, easier to dispose of the carcass, and I come away with the same amount of meat. Good post.

 

[ejes]

Just curious. Do you all find a difference in the taste of red squirrel and gray squirrel? I find the gray to be a little less strong, but it might just be my taster. Regardless, I find the smaller the better. Have eaten some pretty large reds that were like shoe leather. I usually cook them a long time in a stew or something similar and they are fine after that.

 

[machine26]

Just curious. Do you all find a difference in the taste of red squirrel and gray squirrel? I find the gray to be a little less strong, but it might just be my taster. Regardless, I find the smaller the better. Have eaten some pretty large reds that were like shoe leather. I usually cook them a long time in a stew or something similar and they are fine after that.

I dont notice any difference. Always pressure cook em for a while before adding them to dumplings or whatnot.

 

[gruntmedik]

I like to fry the Gray squirrels, and stew the Fox squirrels.

 

[crackerjax]

Nice to see someone other than myself use a randall for its designed use and not let it sit on a shelf.I love to use my 17. I love tree rat and KC masterpiece! My wife makes a killer brunswick stew the old fasioned way.

 

[canadiantrailman]

registered user

 

[newbie_nick]

Great thread, really informative. As for the taste of squirrels in general, can you compare them to anything in the butcher's window or do they have a taste all of their own? Also, would you run into the same problem if you had a steady survival diet eating them as with rabbits or is there fat on those little critters?

Thanks,

Honestly, I've never found much fat on squirrels unless they are preparing for a hard winter. Rabbits tend to have a bit more fat, but they are still pretty lean. In survival-mode, I would definitely live off of either/both, but you could easily eat a whole one during 1 meal. You'd need to be continually hunting to feed yourself unless you could supplement with something else.

 

[jeff_c]

The technique you describe is how I was taught as a boy. But recently I have seen another technique I have only used once.

It worked pretty well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66AVwthXgMA

 

[WJC01]

I cooked the legs of 6 squirrels yesterday. Parboiled for about 25 minutes, then seasoned(creole type) and pan fried. Of the batch 2 of the legs were like rubber, the rest were outstanding.

 

[newbie_nick]

I cooked the legs of 6 squirrels yesterday. Parboiled for about 25 minutes, then seasoned(creole type) and pan fried. Of the batch 2 of the legs were like rubber, the rest were outstanding.

I cook mine a little bit differently. I coat them with eggs, flour/cornmeal, and seasoning, and I fry them very quickly at high heat. That seems to seal in the juices pretty well. After that, I put them in the oven to bake at 350 for at least 1/2 hour. They seem to turn out pretty good that way.

Did you throw away the backstraps? That's some pretty good eatin' there, too.

Mmm...making me hungry again...