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Alex.W
Guest
I just shot my first squirrel (nice clean shot to the head) and am now making it into a stew for lunch but i was wondering what the best way to skin a squirrel is as my first attempt was a bit clumsy.
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They are very tough! You will only get any real meat off of the back legs, anything else is just a bit too much of an effort for not much return. I've done a few, as has Ratbag, and Rat found the best way to do it which I use myself now.
Squirrel on his back, pinch and cut through the skin where the leg joins the body. It is a loose flap. Once you have cut through that, take a pair of secateurs or use your knife to remove the foot, and then pull the leg through the hole you made. You may need to enlarge the hole, if the skin won't budge from the meat, use the tip of a sharp knife to just release the skin. Finely drag it along the skin where it joins the meat, it'll part nicely. You may have to do this quite a bit.
Once you have got the leg out of his trousers, you need to cut the leg off. Cut round with your knife through the meat to the bone, where you should be able to twist and pull the leg from the socket joint. Rinse in cold water to remove excess blood and fur, set aside for use or freeze for use later on.
Try and get the squirrels skinned as soon as you can, I'm sure it is easier before they curl up with rigour!
Squirrel on his back, pinch and cut through the skin where the leg joins the body. It is a loose flap. Once you have cut through that, take a pair of secateurs or use your knife to remove the foot, and then pull the leg through the hole you made. You may need to enlarge the hole, if the skin won't budge from the meat, use the tip of a sharp knife to just release the skin. Finely drag it along the skin where it joins the meat, it'll part nicely. You may have to do this quite a bit.
Once you have got the leg out of his trousers, you need to cut the leg off. Cut round with your knife through the meat to the bone, where you should be able to twist and pull the leg from the socket joint. Rinse in cold water to remove excess blood and fur, set aside for use or freeze for use later on.
Try and get the squirrels skinned as soon as you can, I'm sure it is easier before they curl up with rigour!
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Alex.W
Guest
Thanks! That sounds a good way to do it. I only managed to get the back legs and a couple of other bits so that sounds a pretty easy way.
The first time I tried, I went in through the back and it was a nightmare to skin! Once you have that hole in the crook of the leg, and you get basically the skin peeled back all the way round the thigh, you will have a hole going right round the thigh. You can put your finger in then and pull on the thigh which pulls the leg out of the trousers. So, you just need to get that one bit done with the knife and the foot off, which is just pure tendons and if you try to skin with the foot on, what happens is as you pull the tendons tighten and the foot grips on to your hand, which is quite alarming first time!
That guy is completely skinning it, presumably for roasting on a stick over the fire. I feel that there just isn't enough meat on the rest of a squirrel to warrant it, although i reckon if you got enough skins you could make a good pair of tough, warm mittens!
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Alex.W
Guest
If you wanted to skin the whole thing easily, I reckon you would be best nailing its' head to a fence post and cutting the skin then pulling off and slitting as the skin stops coming, it's the only way I think you could do it quickly and easily.
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Alex.W
Guest
I tried it like on the video but it wasn' t as easy as it looks. I think Spam's method is easier because you get the best meat and you don't have to get the guts out 
I've skinned lots of squirrel that way. It works fine as long as the kill is warm and the ground is firm and dry. Once the squirrel cools, it's a lot harder to skin. For a cold squirrel, I use a homemade gambrel. You make the same cut. Only one cut is needed although I like to cut the front paws off as well.
To pull the "breeches" off the squirrel, you put it's head in the middle groove of the gambrel.
To pull the "breeches" off the squirrel, you put it's head in the middle groove of the gambrel.
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Alex.W
Guest
I start but cutting the head,tail and feet(at the lowest joint )off.Then lay them on their side(a fallen limb or stump works well for this)and pinch the skin up so the pinched bit is running lengthwise and stick the knife point in with the sharp edge up and lift up cutting the skin.Then work your fingers into the cut and pull (one hand going towards the head,the other towards the tail).It will be tough pulling especially if it is an old squirrel.The skin will peel off like removing a sock.Try to keep excess hair off the meat,because it is a pain to pick off.When the hide is off,I am right handed so I hold the squirrel in my left and start the knife point into the V in the rib cage and cut carefully toward the head.Then cut toward the tail,splitting the pelvis bone and removing all the internal workings.If you knife is sharp, you can cut around the anus and remove it.I put mine in a plastic bag to bring home.When arriving home,wash well in cold water and pick any hair off.I disjoint them buy cutting the legs off ,the back legs first at the pelvis joint and the front legs along the rib cage.Under the front legs there are glands,tan to light white in color,remove them with your knife.If left on they impart a wild taste to the meat.Then cut at the end of rib cage and twist off.This leaves a nice saddle and rib cage separated.Put the pieces in a pan and cover pieces with cold water.Then pour 3 to 4 tablespoons of salt over all.Do not stir or mix.Put in refrigerator over night ,rinse,pat dry and start making biscuits and gravy.
So last week I skinned my first squirrels - squirrel on back, pinched skin just below breastbone made a tiny knick across ways (about 5mm) slit squirrel up to top of ribs then slit down to and around anus. Pulled skin back from body on either side, removed guts (fed to owls), then removed organs - liver, kidney, lungs and heart and set aside. Eased fingers between skin and flesh on both sides until they met round the back of the squirrel over the spine. Then pulled back legs through (involved a bit of effort) then pushed skin right side out on legs. Did the same for the front legs. Then carefully separated the skin from flesh and tendons around the tail and pulled the tail right through. Did the same at the head end - this was a bit of a faff and involved small knife cuts to separate the skin from the flesh. However - result was complete squirrel skins, and a complete squirrel to eat! Paws removed, head removed and de fleshed so I could have the skull, I like skulls. Squirrel roasted over coals and scoffed. If I'd just wanted the meat I'd have cut the head, tail and paws off and taken the guts out and skinned it the easy way. Now I have to decide what to do with the two skins... And the Owls loved the guts and the organs too.
Yep. Make a slit in the skin and pull it off like a glove. Several hundred squirrels done and it's easy as pie.
Cut up the finished squirrel, flour it like chicken, and shallow fry it. remove the squirrel from the pan, make a roux and add stock to make gravy (season to taste) Add the fried squirrel back to the gravy and simmer another 10 to 15 minutes before serving with rice, American biscuits, veg, and iced tea.
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