eating squirrel

[mattc334]

Hi.
Sorry if this has been asked but can't find an answer.
I have just skinned and gutted my first squirrel.
Does anybody know of any safety risks eating squirrel in the uk, are there any known diseases or things to worry about.
Any precautions or tips and advice as well as any recipes appreciated thanks.

 

[mick91]

The only risk is not being able to get more it's bloody lovely! Cook it low and slow in gravy imo is the nicest. Few tatties an onion and carrots in with it. Use it like rabbit

 

[John Fenna]

I like it fried in butter and garlic...

 

[GGTBod]

John i seem to remember you wanting to cook something else by frying in butter and garlic

 

[Goatboy]

Only if you have a serious nut allergy!

As long as it's healthy and fresh it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[mattc334]

Thanks for the advice guys, garlic and butter sounds great, but so does the gravy option, will have to try and get some more

 

[John Fenna]

John i seem to remember you wanting to cook something else by frying in butter and garlic

OK - so I like frying in butter and garlic....

 

[mattc334]

i heard off soaking it in brine water for a bit first has anybody tried this?

 

[GGTBod]

OK - so I like frying in butter and garlic....

I wasn't picking fault with the technique, i find frying most meats in butter and garlic produces fine results, hungry now

 

[bopdude]

I was told to look for white spots on the liver, at the time I didn't ask why though .................. runs off to Google

 

[sunndog]

i heard off soaking it in brine water for a bit first has anybody tried this?

I soak all my rabbit overnight in salt water, much improves the tast imo
mine almost always need defrosting first so its no hardship to get a couple out the night before and put them jn to soak

 

[Vushtrri]

Having found that the little buggers have had a go at numerous beech trees in me wood and demolished ten oak saplings I have just gotten hold of six traps that'll be placed in various places around the wood, it's nearly seven acres do there will be a fair few of the buggers. Looks like I'll be dining on squirrels every weekend from now on.

 

[Macaroon]

Bait your traps with peanut butter, matey, they go wild for it; I watched two of them fighting last year when they both arrived at a trap at the same time and scrapped for the first dibs!

 

[Johnny Canuck]

Thanks for giving me a reason to wash my monitor

Only if you have a serious nut allergy!

 

[Goatboy]

I was told to look for white spots on the liver, at the time I didn't ask why though .................. runs off to Google

I kind of do/did a mini autopsy on everything I kill/eat. The liver is often a good indicator as to health. (Plus I like liver - especially with alphalpha beans and a nice... Okay back in the room).
Always worth having a peek inside any quarry to see if it has parasites/diseases. Especially if you eat the offal.
Squirrel I usually do in the slow cooker after dredging in seasoned flour and sealing. Some root veg in there especially some fennel. If you want it quick BBQ'd with a satay sauce is always nice. Most folk only eat the haunches but especially in the slow cooker I pop the whole Mr Nutkin in after quatering him.
(sorry for the nut allergy joke but it had to be done )

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[sunndog]

Bait your traps with peanut butter

+1
Fantastic squizzle bait

 

[Harvestman]

Squirrel and sausage casserole. Delicious!

 

[Wildpacker]

Leave the red squirrels alone though. They taste ok, but they're more vulnerable in most areas.

 

[ged]

Leave the red squirrels alone though. They taste ok, but they're more vulnerable in most areas.

And in the UK they're a proteced species:

http://www.rsne.org.uk/squirrels-and-law

 

[Dave]

I kind of do/did a mini autopsy on everything I kill/eat. The liver is often a good indicator as to health. (Plus I like liver - especially with alphalpha beans and a nice... Okay back in the room)but especially in the slow cooker I pop the whole Mr Nutkin in after quatering him.

LOL....

Are those slow cookers worth buying then? Wilderness ways were selling loads of them a while back, and I remember watching a program where a guy had a pressure cooker/slow cooker camping pan thing....