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Small game meat preparation
- Thread starter Strabs
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2007
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- 3,536
Vacuum seal is about as good as it gets in my experience. You could also make some jerky. But I'd just eat them, personally 
I'm a novice small game hunter so take this for what it's worth, but the meat isn't generally that good to keep. I use it in dishes that have other strong flavors. Garlic, for example. Pasta, rice, casserole's, etc.
The only game meet we keep is venison because it stores better.
I just clean the small stuff well and put in the fridge. It is usually in a marinade until it gets cooked.
A vacuum bag and freezing it would probably work well though.
The only game meet we keep is venison because it stores better.
I just clean the small stuff well and put in the fridge. It is usually in a marinade until it gets cooked.
A vacuum bag and freezing it would probably work well though.
I store small game and have no problems. I use vaccum bags or I will freexe it in water like I so my fish. Either way I would not keep it more than 5-6 months the longest. Usually is eaten pretty quick though. I have a good friend who's opinion I respect alot actually jars or cans some of his small game. His jared duck makes some good duck dressing. Seen him do severl game animals like this.
The reason I'm asking is that I usually only take what we can eat right away.
Season opens in a few days and the coyotes have moved on for this season, so this fall is going to be a bag limit neccesity. I'm hunting at a nursery and we need to knock down as many as we can because of the damage they cause without the coyote suppression. I can only give away so much but if I can save some of it, frozen or some dehydration recipes would be fun also.
Season opens in a few days and the coyotes have moved on for this season, so this fall is going to be a bag limit neccesity. I'm hunting at a nursery and we need to knock down as many as we can because of the damage they cause without the coyote suppression. I can only give away so much but if I can save some of it, frozen or some dehydration recipes would be fun also.
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2001
- Messages
- 1,236
Quite honestly I don't like the taste of small game meat. i don't know how you guys even eat squirrel meat basically eating a flying rat. I suppose that squirrel would be good eating if you put it in chillie or something like that. With respect to rabbit meat, best thing you can do for that sucker is soak in salt water, sometimes rabbit meat taste really funky if you freeze it. We are not talking about freezy burn here. In the past I would kill like 20 rabbits and cut the hind legs and freeze boil the rest of the rabbit for a few hours so the meat falls off the my dog loves that.
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2002
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- 7,269
For small game, squirrels especially, I use a pressure cooker. Cook until the meat falls off, or can be easily pulled off the bones. Watch out for the istsy-bitsy ribs (hate 'em) and then use in a spaghetti or mixed meat soup or stew.
Some folks LOVE squirrel. I'm not one, but won't shoot what I can't eat. So I eat the suckers.
For rabbits, often the same, tenderizes the meat, makes it easy to pull shot out, and, as you inquired, allows you to freeze the cooked meat until you have the occasion to use it for your meal.
Wild turkey? eh. Tough bird to hunt, tougher to eat. They, and wild geese, should be made into sausage. I think I've had two that were not so chewy it was an exercise program, not a meal. Even the pressure cooker doesn't help much.
Game birds...figure to freeze up to three months...you can bake a closed casserole meal with cream of mushroom soup (undiluted). Pheasant is what I've eaten most of; grouse is what I want...but very few around here.
Wild ducks...need some care. Best I've had is browned skin and then baked for an appropriate length of time. Season to taste. Can't speak for ocean fly-way birds, I usually just see woodies and mallards. Sometimes a teal, but for the return of meat-to-cost-of-shot, teal aren't worth it.
But the deal is...fat gives us most of the taste. Wild game has very little fat. Domestic fowl hang around and smoke dope all day. They are fatty. Wild game are training for the life olympics. They are lean.
Of course, YMMV. I'm a meat hunter, mostly. Pheasants are the only bird I hunt for sport, and most of that is to watch the dog work. The cost of getting the meat has to justify the return on that investment.
A two year-old doe is fine for my annual needs.
BUT...it does serve to remember that I have other options when I'm cooking game. Real hunger makes all foods very, very tasty.
Kis
enjoy every sandwich
Some folks LOVE squirrel. I'm not one, but won't shoot what I can't eat. So I eat the suckers.
For rabbits, often the same, tenderizes the meat, makes it easy to pull shot out, and, as you inquired, allows you to freeze the cooked meat until you have the occasion to use it for your meal.
Wild turkey? eh. Tough bird to hunt, tougher to eat. They, and wild geese, should be made into sausage. I think I've had two that were not so chewy it was an exercise program, not a meal. Even the pressure cooker doesn't help much.
Game birds...figure to freeze up to three months...you can bake a closed casserole meal with cream of mushroom soup (undiluted). Pheasant is what I've eaten most of; grouse is what I want...but very few around here.
Wild ducks...need some care. Best I've had is browned skin and then baked for an appropriate length of time. Season to taste. Can't speak for ocean fly-way birds, I usually just see woodies and mallards. Sometimes a teal, but for the return of meat-to-cost-of-shot, teal aren't worth it.
But the deal is...fat gives us most of the taste. Wild game has very little fat. Domestic fowl hang around and smoke dope all day. They are fatty. Wild game are training for the life olympics. They are lean.
Of course, YMMV. I'm a meat hunter, mostly. Pheasants are the only bird I hunt for sport, and most of that is to watch the dog work. The cost of getting the meat has to justify the return on that investment.
A two year-old doe is fine for my annual needs.
BUT...it does serve to remember that I have other options when I'm cooking game. Real hunger makes all foods very, very tasty.
Kis
enjoy every sandwich
Last edited:
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2008
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- 1,810
I usually freeze small game in a freezer bag filled with water. I have wondered about canning meat in fruit jars. I usually cook small game in a pressure cooker with onions and lots of celery for a short time, cool cooker off take meat out and debone, place back in cooker, meat chopped up, with more celery since it cooks down till done, add spices then throw in some noodles and heat a little longer till done serve with some of the celery green tops floating on top. Also added fresh garlic to the initial mix. If you shoot it, eat it or give it away neatly frozen, head shots only. Great way to improve your hunting game. Good squirrel hunter equals good deer hunter. Aim small, miss small as they say. Loosearrow
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2001
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- 1,236
Wonder if any of you guys ever make jerky out of small game? Probably not worth the time or the effort but bet you rabbit taste better jerk form than roast.