Grandpappy's Campfire Survival Cookbook
Chapter Forty-Four
Squirrel Information, Processing, and Recipes
Copyright © February 2, 2023 by Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.
All Rights Reserved.
Information about Squirrels
- A male squirrel is called a boar.
- A female squirrel is called a sow or a doe.
- A newborn squirrel is called a kit, kitten, or pup.
- A group of squirrels is called a dray or a scurry.
- It makes its nest in trees.
- It eats nuts, seeds, fruit, and it will raid a bird's nest and eat bird eggs. Because it eats bird eggs it is an omnivore.
- A fox squirrel is also called a Bryant's squirrel and it is the largest squirrel in North America. A fox squirrel usually weighs between 16 to 35 ounces (450 to 1,000 grams). Its body will usually be between 17 to 28 inches (43 to 71 cm) long and its tail is another 8 to 13 inches long (20 to 33 cm). Fox squirrels live from southern Canada to northern Mexico. A fox squirrel may have a buff brownish gray color, or a rust color, or a grayish color, or a black color.
- Red squirrels are one of the smallest specie of squirrel. A live adult red squirrel will usually weigh between 7 to 13 ounces (200 to 370 grams). Its total length will be between 10 to 15 inches long (25.4 to 38 cm) and that includes its 6 inch tail (15 cm). A red-legged red squirrel weighs between 4 to 8 ounces (113 to 227 grams) and is a total of about 12 inches (30.5 cm) long.
- Gray squirrels (see picture) are the most common type of squirrel in North America. A live adult gray squirrel will usually weigh between 14 to 28 ounces (400 to 800 grams). Its body will usually be between 9 to 12 inches (23 to 30.5 cm) long and its tail that is another 7 to 10 inches long (18 to 25.4 cm).
- Gray squirrels taste better than red squirrels.
- An adult gray squirrel will usually yield between 1/2 to 3/4 pound (0.23 to 0.34 kg) of edible meat after it has been dressed and its head, hide, bones, and organs have been removed.
- Squirrels can be caught with traps or snares.
- Depending on your local laws, squirrels can be successfully hunted with an air rifle (BB or pellet), a 22 handgun or rifle (short, long, or long rifle), or a shotgun (7.5 size shot). A bow and arrow is also a good choice but it requires more practice and you need to be able to get closer to the squirrel. In the 1800s and early 1900s some boys were able to kill squirrels with a homemade "Y" shaped slingshot and a small round rock.
- A squirrel should be shot through its brain. If a squirrel is not close enough for you to shoot it in its brain then don't shoot the squirrel. A squirrel has a very small body and if you shoot the squirrel in its body then you will rupture some of its internal organs, and some or all of its edible meat will be contaminated. A squirrel only has a small amount of edible meat and it would be a waste of ammunition to shoot a squirrel and then have to discard most or all of its meat.
- One easy way to lure squirrels within the effective range of your weapon is to sit quietly and to periodically rustle the dry leaves at your feet. Only rustle the leaves a little bit once every two minutes. The rustling of leaves is a common sound made by squirrels. If there are any squirrels within range of the sound you are making then eventually they will become curious and they will come to the area where you are rustling the leaves to see if a new squirrel has invaded their territory. When the squirrel is within the effective range of your weapon then you can shoot it through its brain.
How to Field Dress a Squirrel
- A squirrel is easier to field dress immediately after it has been killed and while its body is still warm.
- Verify the squirrel is 100% dead. If necessary, shoot it again but this time in the brain. Or, if it is lying on the ground then push a sharpened pointed stick through one of its eyes deep into its brain and then remove the stick.
- Wear vinyl, latex, or rubber gloves. Also wear safety glasses.
- Move the squirrel to a nearby area where you can conveniently process the squirrel.
- Always cut away from your body and away from your other hand.
- Insert your knife through the squirrel's neck where its skull makes contact with its neck. Cut all the way around the neck of the squirrel down to its neck bone. Twist and snap the neck bone and remove the head from the squirrel. Hold the squirrel upside down by its hind legs for 30 seconds to allow its blood to drain out. There is not very much blood in a squirrel.
- Cut off and discard the tail of the squirrel.
- Cut off the two front hands just above the tuffs of hair that are near the wrists. The scent glands are near these tuffs of hair and if you leave the scent glands on the squirrel then they will impart a bad taste into its meat.
- Cut off the two rear feet above the joints.
- Cut a circle around the anus opening but be careful to not cut into any internal organs. This will separate the end of the intestines from the end of the squirrel.
- Cut around the sex organs to free them from the exterior skin of the squirrel. But leave them attached to the tubes and organs inside the body of the squirrel.
- Make a small incision just below the rectum and below the genitals. Use a gut hook or knife to cut straight up the center of the belly to the underside of its throat where its head was. But do not cut or puncture the internal organs of the squirrel.
- Turn the squirrel over so that its open abdomen is facing the ground. Some or all of its internal organs will fall out onto the ground. In necessary, grab the esophagus, lungs, and heart and pull them out of the abdominal cavity of the squirrel.
- If the sex organs and bladder did not fall away from the squirrel then find the bladder that is near the anus. Pinch the top of the bladder that contains the urine and pull the bladder out of the squirrel, along with its sex organs, without spilling any urine on the squirrel meat.
- Split the pelvis bone in half. Pull out any remaining internal organs and let them fall onto the ground.
- Find and save the heart, liver, and kidneys. Examine the liver. It should be a solid dark red or maroon color. If the liver is a pale color, or if you see any spots or discoloration then discard the entire squirrel and do not eat it.
- Rinse the squirrel is clean cool water. Chill the squirrel as soon as possible unless you intend to cook it immediately. If you intend to eat the squirrel immediately then skin the squirrel without chilling.
How to Skin a Squirrel
It is easier to skin a squirrel while its body is still warm. Grab the skin of the squirrel at its neck and pull the skin down off the body of the squirrel and off its four legs. Pulling off the skin will usually require a reasonable amount of effort. Squirrel hides are of no practical value and there is no reason to save the hide.
How to Butcher a Squirrel
- The objective of butchering a squirrel is to end up with four legs, a loin, and a rib section. You may use a sharp knife or meat shears.
- Cut off the two front arms close to the ribcage just behind the shoulder.
- Now cut off the two hind legs by slicing through the meat of one leg close to the pelvic bone to find the ball joint. Then twist and pull the leg to get it out of the joint. Then finish cutting through the meat that is holding the leg to the body. Repeat for the other leg.
- Cut the squirrel's body in half at the very bottom of its ribs. The lower half of the squirrel will be the back strap and it has some good meat on it. The upper half of squirrel will be the ribs and neck and they will have a very small amount of meat on them. The ribs and neck can be used to make soup.
Brines and Marinades
If a recipe recommends a specific type of marinade then follow the recipe. If a recipe does not recommend a marinade then make a brine by stirring 2 teaspoons of salt into enough water to cover the squirrel meat. Completely submerge the squirrel meat in the brine in a cool area for 12 hours or overnight. Soaking the meat will help to remove any wild flavor still remaining in the meat. It also helps to moisturize the meat and add juiciness to the meat for cooking.
After 12 hours remove the squirrel meat from the brine and discard the brine. Allow the squirrel meat to drain if the recipe requires dry meat.
Squirrel Recipes
Squirrel may be used in twelve of the basic recipes in chapter 35.
Squirrel may also be used in three of the "one-pot recipes" in chapter 58.
Four additional unique recipes for squirrel are in this chapter.
In total there are 19 different recipes where squirrel can become part of a delightful meal.
Squirrel meat is light colored and it has a mild taste.
Young squirrels are tender and they may be fried, grilled, stewed, or roasted at 350°F (177°C) for 30 to 40 minutes.
Older squirrels are tough and they should be boiled, stewed, or braised.
Squirrel meat should be cooked until an instant read meat thermometer indicates its internal meat temperature is 165°F (74°C).
Southern Fried Squirrel
Brine:
2 teaspoons plain salt, not iodized
enough water to cover the squirrel
Main Dish:
Step One, Boil:
1 squirrel
enough water to cover the squirrel
Step Two, Fry:
1/4 cup flour
1/16 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon lard, bear grease, or oil
Preparation: Cut the squirrel into pieces similar to a chicken by following the butchering instructions earlier in this chapter.
Brine: Place the squirrel pieces in a large bowl and completely cover the squirrel pieces with water that contains 2 teaspoons of salt. Put in a cool area for 12 hours or overnight. Remove the squirrel and discard the salted water. Do not drain the squirrel pieces.
Step One, Boil: Put the squirrel pieces in a cook pot. Add just enough clean water to cover the squirrel pieces. Bring the water to a gentle boil and allow to water to boil gently for 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Remove the pieces from the pot and allow them to cool. Strain the water in the pot and serve the water in the pot as a hot beverage because it contains calories and a lot of healthy nutrients.
Step Two, Fry: Put the flour and black pepper in a large bowl and stir to mix together. Put a squirrel piece in the bowl and turn it over several times to evenly coat the piece with a thin layer of the flour mixture. Do not coat too heavily to avoid a dry hard crust on the fried squirrel piece. Repeat with the other pieces. Put the floured squirrel pieces in a cool area for 20 minutes and this will help the flour stick to the squirrel pieces.
Put the lard in a large nonstick skillet. Heat the lard over medium-high heat for 2 minutes and then turn the heat down to medium. Put the squirrel pieces in the skillet and lightly brown both sides of all the pieces to seal in their juices. Reduce the heat to low and turn the pieces over in the skillet. Cover the skillet. Cook for 20 minutes. Then remove the lid, turn all the squirrel pieces over, replace the lid, and cook another 15 minutes. Remove the lid and cook uncovered for another 10 minutes to put a crisp crust on the squirrel pieces.
Remove the squirrel pieces and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Then serve.
Northern Fried Squirrel
Brine:
2 teaspoons plain salt, not iodized
enough water to cover the squirrel
Main Dish:
Step One, Boil:
1 squirrel
enough water to cover the squirrel
Step Two, Fry:
1/4 cup flour
1/16 teaspoon black pepper
optional 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt or powder
optional 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon lard, bear grease, or oil
Preparation: Cut the squirrel into pieces similar to a chicken by following the butchering instructions earlier in this chapter.
Brine: Place the squirrel pieces in a large bowl and completely cover the squirrel pieces with water that contains 2 teaspoons of salt. Put in a cool area for 12 hours or overnight. Remove the squirrel and discard the salted water. Do not drain the squirrel pieces.
Step One, Boil: Put the squirrel pieces in a cook pot. Cover the squirrel pieces with 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) of water. Bring the water to a boil and then immediately reduce heat to low. Simmer squirrel pieces for 60 minutes or until tender. If you have an older squirrel it may take an additional 30 to 60 minutes for the meat to become tender. The meat should be tender but not falling off the bones. Remove the pot from the heat. Remove the pieces from the pot and allow them to cool. Strain the water in the pot and serve the water in the pot as a hot beverage because it contains calories and a lot of healthy nutrients.
Step Two, Fry: Mix the flour and black pepper in a bowl until well blended. If desired, add the optional garlic powder and cayenne pepper and stir. Put a squirrel piece in the bowl and turn it over several times to evenly coat the piece with a thin layer of the flour mixture. Do not coat too heavily to avoid a dry hard crust on the fried squirrel. Repeat with the other pieces. Put the floured squirrel pieces in a cool area for 20 minutes and this will help the flour stick to the squirrel pieces.
Heat lard in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Turn heat down to medium. Put squirrel pieces in the skillet and lightly brown both sides of all the pieces to seal in their juices. Reduce heat to low and cook one side until the crust is golden brown. The thinner pieces will cook faster and they will need to be turned over to the other side sooner than the thicker pieces. Cook the other side until the crust is golden brown. Remove the thinner pieces when done and remove the thicker pieces when done. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Grilled Squirrel or Barbecued Squirrel
Brine:
2 teaspoons plain salt, not iodized
enough water to cover the squirrel
Main Dish:
1 squirrel
1/16 teaspoon black pepper
Optional:
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
Preparation: Cut the squirrel into pieces similar to a chicken by following the butchering instructions earlier in this chapter.
Brine: Place the squirrel pieces in a large bowl and completely cover the squirrel pieces with water that contains 2 teaspoons of salt. Put in a cool area for 12 hours or overnight. Remove the squirrel and discard the salted water. Drain the squirrel pieces. Pat the pieces dry.
Rub: Rub or press the black pepper into the squirrel pieces. Allow the peppered pieces to rest in a cool place for 20 minutes to give the pepper a chance to bond with the squirrel.
Grill: Place the grill over the coals of a fire and wait for the grill to get hot. Place the squirrel pieces on the grill and sear one side of each piece. Then turn the pieces over and sear the other side of each piece. Continue cooking on the grill but turn the pieces over every ten minutes. Remove the pieces when they are done. The smaller pieces will be done sooner than the thicker pieces.
Barbecue Option: For barbecued squirrel, brush just a little barbecue sauce on top of each squirrel piece each time you turn the piece over on the grill. If you are low on barbecue sauce then wait and brush the barbecue sauce on the squirrel pieces when you serve them.
Boiled Squirrel or Squirrel Soup
Brine:
2 teaspoons plain salt, not iodized
enough water to cover the squirrel
Main Dish:
1 squirrel
enough water to cover the squirrel
Preparation: Cut the squirrel into pieces similar to a chicken by following the butchering instructions earlier in this chapter. If you wish you may include the upper rib piece in this recipe.
Brine: Place the squirrel pieces in a large bowl and completely cover the squirrel pieces with water that contains 2 teaspoons of salt. Put bowl in a cool area for 12 hours or overnight. Remove the squirrel and discard the salted water. Do not drain the squirrel pieces.
Boil: Put the squirrel pieces in a cook pot. Add clean water until the squirrel pieces are 1 inch (2.5 cm) under water. Bring the water to a boil and then immediately reduce the heat to low. Simmer the squirrel pieces for 90 to 120 minutes or until the meat is tender and the meat if falling off the bones. Remove the pot from the heat.
Save the water. Remove the pieces from the water and allow the pieces to cool until you can touch them without burning yourself. Use two forks to pull the meat off the bones. Discard the bones because all the nutrients have been boiled out of the bones into the water. You may serve the squirrel meat as part of a meal. You can serve the water in the pot as a hot beverage because it contains calories and a lot of healthy nutrients, Or you can make squirrel soup.
Squirrel Soup: Use two forks to pull the meat apart into small pieces and put the pieces back into the water in the pot. If necessary, briefly reheat the soup to a reasonable serving temperature. Serve the meaty soup and consume all the soup water because it contains calories and a lot of healthy nutrients.
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Grandpappy's e-mail address is: RobertWayneAtkins@hotmail.com