Squirrel is one game animal that thankfully does not taste like chicken.
Squirrel stew made in the Crock Pot, squirrel and dumplings, fried squirrel, roasted over a fire, or cooked in the oven smothered with vegetables, man, it's all awesomely good.
It just tastes like squirrel, and I know of nobody who has tried it who didn't like it, if they either didn't know what it was, or if they didn't mind trying it.
Very, very good meat. Just trim away any bloodshot meat, where the bullet passed through. That does not taste any good. Kinda' metallic.
a skwerel that size may have some age on him. I've started using the pressure cooker. 1/2 inch of water then an upside down pie plate or the canning base for the p/c put the skwerel(s) in a pyrex dish or corelle ware pie plate to save the juices then pressure cook for 20 min at 10# of pressure. flakes off the bone and makes an excellent soup stock. I always thought they tasted like processed hickory nuts,... except for the ones i shot out of beech or walnut trees. younger smaller skwerels will melt with this treatment. they are better oven fried or processed for 10 min.
Funny, I have three in the freezer and there's more out there running. I've not had the compulsion to shoot another though, since shooting this big fella.
I know it's not possible, but I'm almost afraid I'll kill 'em all! LOL
I think I'll lay off the fox squirrels though - each time I kill one of them, a gray moves in to take its place. Not good. Time to concentrate on grays.
I think I'll also stick to long shots (50 to 100yds) as I've seen them out there, but have taken most within 30 yards. This one was the farthest at 30-40yds.
Big squirrel there, I've seen two bigger, and both where long time residents of houses with bird feeders so it's hardly fair. One of the two, the lady treated like a pet, she'd put down a paper plate of bird seed every day for it, the wooden railing on their deck wobbled almost half a foot as the thing walked down it to feed. It body wise was the size of a medium cat, I'm surprised it hadn't died from a heart attack.
I recommend a crockpot. Let him stew over night,pick out the bones,add some bbq and stew for an hour or so more...pulled squirrel sandwich.
That big he has to be older.This will make the meat very tender and mmmm.
Oh,I advise not using your wifes favorite(or only)crockpot,tends to take on a squirrel taste(i have a crockpot just for the little critters
I've never noticed a distinct, strong, squirrel flavor in any of my past cooking experiences. Squirrel flesh, to me, is very mild.
I soak them for at least 24 hours in salt water that I keep filled choked with ice, and clean them very soon after I kill them, right away if it's a gut shot.
I wonder if my prep has something to do with it? It takes the "fishy" taste out of fish as well...