I was digging through old cookbooks on Internet Archive when I found some squirrel recipes! Here are six recipes … Now go catch some squirrels at your local park!
Squirrel with Bacon
“Squirrels should be carefully skinned and laid in salt water a short time before cooking; if old, parboil. They are delicious broiled, and are excellent cooked in any way with thin slices of bacon.”
The Dixie cook-book, 1883. Page 169. POPULAR DIXIE DISHES
Broiled Squirrel
“Broiled Chicken, Quail, Squirrel or Woodcock. — Any of these must be tender. Take the breast of the first two, or the thighs of the others; place on hot coals or on a broiler, turning often to prevent burning. When done, remove the burned parts, if any, season slightly with butter, pepper and salt, and serve at once.”
The Dixie cook-book, 1883. Page 568–569. FOOD FOR THE SICK.
Squirrel Croquettes
“Dress squirrel ready to cook, cook until meat will fall off the bones, then let cool; work out the bones with the hands, and chop meat fine; season with a little salt, pepper, and sage; make into cakes; roll in corn meal, and fry in butter.” — Sister Effie I. House, Montserrat, Mo.
The Inglenook Cook Book. Choice Recipes Contributed by Sisters of the Church of the Brethren, Subscribers and Friends of The Inglenook Magazine, Eglin, Ill., 1911. Page 25
Roast Rabbit or Squirrel
“Split through the breast and soak one hour in salt water; then put in a pan and slice an onion all over it ; sprinkle with celery seed and a little sage and a tablespoonful of butter ; place in the oven to roast.” — Mrs. S. p. Tanner, Frankfort, Ky.
Pittsburgh Tested Recipes, Prepared by the Ladies of Trinity M.E. Church, 1885. Page 152.
Brunswick Stew (Virginia)
“Use one of three meats — chicken, lamb, or squirrel. If chicken is used parboil, cut up as for frying ; put in pot and cover with cold water. To one, three or four pound hen ; add one sliced onion, one thick slice boiling meat, cut in small pieces. Add black pepper and salt to taste. Cook chicken until meat leaves the bones, adding water as the first water boils away. 6 ears fresh scraped corn or 1 can corn. 1 quart tomatoes, 1/2 pound butter. Let cook until corn and tomatoes are done. Before serving add two cups stale light bread crumbs and a few slices of lemon. Accompany this dish with stuffed baked peppers, or sliced peppers, cucumbers, and onions.” — Mrs. Edward H. Barnes.
Atlanta Woman’s Club Cook Book, 1921. Page 144
Brunswick Stew (2nd version)
“Stew one chicken or two squirrels in half gallon water until bones can be removed. Cook in separate saucepans six large ripe tomatoes, one half pint butter-beans and six ears of corn cut from cob, add to cut pieces of chicken from which bones have been removed ; season with salt, pepper and butter ; cook until thick enough to be eaten with fork ; will require probably four hours cooking. An excellent old Virginia dish.” — Mrs. S.T.
The Dixie cook-book, 1883. Page 389.
More squirrel recipes!
Look for more squirrel recipes in my future blog posts. For now, here’s a YouTube video of a squirrel caught at my family home. (No squirrels were harmed during filming.) Or you can check out this recipe for shark fin soup.
This story originally appeared as a post on my blog at www.gary-pang.com.
