Cooking wild critters

[alleyyooper]

Cooking wild critters and tips.
First and for most when you wish to cook a wild critter the prep is the most important step. You want to keep the critter clean as you skin it remove any hair or feathers on the carcass remove all glands on those critters that have them. It is also a good Idea to remove fatty deposits/tissue. Try to age the critter also older animals can be tough and are better suited to a long slow cook method.

Many chicken recipes can be used for game birds like pheasant quail and partridges, grouse ducks and geese.
Many beef and pork recipes also work well with deer, elk, moose and other hoofed animals.
And Yes even a coyote can be cooked and taste delicious, along with bob cat and mountain lion.
Don't be afraid to modify the following recipes and use slightly different amounts of the listed ingredients. Or you can experiment and substitute other ingredients. That is what good cooks do -- they find the right combination of ingredients in the right quantities that are pleasing to the taste. A little change can produce exciting and delightful results. Too much change can ruin a recipe.

Some use full tips
When you substitute honey for granulated sugar in recipes, begin by substituting honey for up to half of the sugar called for in the recipe.
With experimentation, honey can be substituted for all the sugar in some recipes.
When substituting honey for sugar in baked goods:
Reduce the liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup for each cup of honey used.
Add about 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used.
Reduce oven temperature by 25 degrees to prevent over-browning.
For easy measuring and clean-up, coat measuring cup or spoon with cooking spray before adding honey.
A 12-ounce jar of honey equals a standard measuring cup.


Useful Substitutions

1 tsp. baking powder = 1/4 tsp. baking soda + 1/2 tsp. cream tartar + 1/4 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking powder = 1/3 tsp. baking soda + 1/2 tsp. cream tartar
1 cup butter = 1 cup shortening + 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. oil = 1 tbsp. melted shortening (or lard)
1 cup corn syrup = 1 cup honey = 1 cup sugar + 1/2 cup of the liquid used in the recipe
1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp. vinegar (or lemon juice)
1 cup nonfat milk = 1/3 cup nonfat dry milk + 1 cup water
1 cup whole milk = 1/3 cup nonfat dry milk + 1 cup water + 2 tbsp. melted butter
1 cup whole milk = 1/2 cup evaporated milk + 1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar = 1 cup corn syrup (decrease recipe liquid by 1/4 cup)
1 cup sugar = 1 cup honey (decrease recipe liquid by 1/4 cup)
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate = 3 tbsp. cocoa + 1 tbsp. shortening


Going to do this one this week.

Cajun Coyote Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
* 2 cups vegetable oil
* 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
* 2 tablespoons dried Italian-style seasoning
* 2 tablespoons lemon pepper
* garlic powder to taste
* 2lbs of fresh thawed coyote meat – pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large shallow dish, mix the oil, Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and lemon pepper. Place the coyote meat in the dish, and turn to coat with the mixture. Cover, and refrigerate for 1/2 hour.
2. Preheat the grill for high heat.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Drain coyote, and discard marinade. Place coyote on hot grill and cook for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear.

Al

 

[alleyyooper]

Some muskrats recipes, as a Kid I had a trap line for them. so we ate a lot of them.

Completely defat carcass, paying special attention to the end of the leg and under front legs. IMPORTANT: All fat must come off!

HUDSON SEAL (MUSKRAT)

3 muskrats
2 lg. onions
6 carrots
1 clove garlic
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 qts. water


Quarter onions and slice carrots. Put in water along with salt, pepper, and meat. Boil until very tender. Check by pinching large leg muscle. It should crush completely through without much pressure of fingers. Remove from water.

FRIED MUSKRAT

1 young muskrat
1 egg
3/4 c. milk
1 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 tbsp. fat
1 tbsp. water

Cut muskrat into serving size pieces and soak 8-10 hours in cold salt water (1 tablespoon salt to 1 quart water). Parboil 15-20 minutes, drain and wipe dry with damp cloth. Combine egg, milk, salt, and flour to make a smooth batter. Dip meat in batter and drop into hot fat and brown on all sides. Add water to skillet. When brown, reduce heat, cover and cook slowly until tender (about 1 1/2 hours).

OVEN-BARBECUED MUSKRAT

If muskrat is old, soak 24 hours in water to which 1 cup vinegar and 2 tablespoons salt have been added to each quart. Drain and dry. Cut in serving pieces. Brown pieces on all sides on hot fat. Place in pan, cover with Barbecue Sauce and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until tender, spooning sauce from pan over meat frequently.

BARBECUE SAUCE:

1/2 c. butter
1 lg. onion, grated
1/2 c. water
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. tomato paste

Melt butter; add onion and cook until wilted. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 10 minutes.

MUSKRAT AND ONIONS

1 muskrat
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 c. flour
3 tbsp. fat
3 lg. onions, sliced
1 c. sour cream

Soak muskrat overnight in salted water (1 tablespoon salt to 1 quart water). Drain, disjoint and cut up. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, paprika, roll into flour and fry in fat until browned. Cover muskrat with onion, sprinkle onions with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour in the cream. Cover skillet tightly and simmer for 1 hour.

MUSKRAT MEAT LOAF

1 1/2 lbs. ground muskrat
2 eggs, beaten
1/8 c. dry crumbs
1 c. evaporated milk
1/4 onion, minced or grated
1/4 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Soak muskrat overnight in salted water (1 tablespoons salt to 1 quart water). Remove meat from bones and grind. Mix thoroughly with other ingredients. Place in meat loaf dish. Place dish in pan containing hot water. Bake in a moderate oven, 350 degrees for 1 1/4 hours to 2 hours.

Al

 

[svk]

That's hardcore Al! Although I could see myself eating muskrat long before coyote for sure.

 

[Brushpile]

A lot of folks don't know how to cook possum. The key is to cooking possum is, not kill it, but catch it live. Then, you feed it nothing but sweet potatoes for a week. That will get the funk out of the meat from all the nasty stuff that a possum normally eats. Then, prepare as you would any small game animal.
Game birds need a brine bath for at least 4 hrs before cooking. The brine doesn't "tame" the meat, but prepares it to absorb moisture and flavors from the seasoning. And cook your birds to no more than medium doneness to avoid a tough, dry bird.
A coyote is too much like a dog, so no, I wouldn't eat one unless I had to, and I'd have to need to pretty bad.

 

[alleyyooper]

Possum recipes.

LOUISIANA 'POSSUM AND YAMS

1 med. possum
6 med. yams

Season well with salt, black pepper and cayenne. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar and 1 cup water. Cover and place in refrigerator overnight. When ready to cook, place in pot with 1 quart water. Simmer about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from pot and place in a shallow baking dish. Slice yams lengthwise. Place yams around 'possum. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar on yams. Pour 1 cup of liquid from pot over 'possum. (Remove excess fat first.) Bake in moderate oven (300 degrees F.) until yams are done and 'possum is tender.


ROAST POSSUM WITH SWEET POTATOES.

1 possum
Salt and pepper
1 pod red pepper
1 sweet potato per person

Simmer possum until partially done, changing the stock a couple of times according to age and amount of wild taste. Add a piece of red pepper in the final simmer. Place possum in roaster. Add small amount of water. Sprinkle possum with flour and baste with fat, if necessary. (Usually fat on possum is sufficient.) Surround by small sweet potatoes and bake until possum and potatoes are browned. Cooking time, from 1 to 2 hours at 350 degrees.


Possum and Taters

Ingredients:
1 young, fat possum
8 sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sugar
salt

Directions: First, catch a possum. This in itself is excellent entertainment on a moonlight night. Skin the possum and remove the head and feet. Be sure to wash it thoroughly. Freeze overnight either outside or in a refrigerator. When ready to cook, peel the potatoes and boil them tender in lightly salted water along with the butter and sugar. At the same time, stew the possum tender in a tightly covered pan with a little water. Arrange the taters around the possum, strip with bacon, sprinkle with thyme or marjoram, or pepper, and brown in the oven. Baste often with the drippings.


Stuffed Possum

1 possum (whole)
1 qt. cold water
1/8 cup salt
5 beef bouillon cubes
2 bay leaves
3 celery stalks (chopped)
2 onions (sliced)
1 bag packaged stuffing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Soak possum in cold salt water for 10 hours. Rinse meat in cold water and refrigerate 2-4 hours. Prepare stuffing according to package directions. Stuff possum cavity with prepared packaged stuffing. Close cavity tightly. Place stuffed possum in roasting pan, add water, bouillon cubes, bay leaves, celery and onion. After 2 hours turn meat. Reduce heat to 300 degrees. Cook for 1 more hour. Test roast, if not done reduce heat and cook until done.

Al

 

[alleyyooper]

WOODCHUCK, WHISTLE PIG, GROUND HOG. They are vegan critters.


1 woodchuck
2 slices bacon
Potatoes, carrots, onions
2 onions or 1 onion and 1 apple
Salt and pepper to taste
4 c. water

Soak woodchuck in salt water for 24 hours before cooking. Rinse well and place in roasted. Put onion and apple in cavity. Lay bacon over breast. Salt and pepper to taste. Place vegetables around woodchuck. Add water. Place in 350 degree oven and roast for 3 to 4 hours


FRIED WOODCHUCK

1 woodchuck
1 tbsp. salt
1 c. flour
3 tbsp. fat

Clean woodchuck and cut into 6 or 7 pieces. Parboil in salted water for 1 hour. Remove from broth, roll in flour and fry in hot fat (deep fat may be used) until brown

STEWED WOODCHUCK

1 woodchuck
2 onions, sliced
1/2 c. celery, sliced
Flour
Vinegar and water
Salt and pepper
Cloves

Clean woodchuck, remove glands, cut into serving pieces. Soak overnight in a solution of equal parts water and vinegar with addition of a sliced onions and a little salt. Drain, wash and wipe. parboil 20 minutes, drain and cover with fresh boiling water. Add 1 sliced onion, 1/2 cup celery sliced, a few cloves, salt, and pepper. Cook until tender, then thicken gravy with flour.

WOODCHUCK IN SAUCE

1 woodchuck
1/4 c. salt
4 mint leaves
1/4 c. oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 c. vinegar
2 c. tomato sauce
Pinch of basil

Remove scent glands from woodchuck. Soak 8 hours in cold water with salt. Cut in 8 pieces and boil 15 minutes. Rinse and repeat soaking process. Rinse again and boil with mint leaves for 45 minutes. Drain and brown with oil and garlic. Salt and pepper both sides. When browned, add vinegar. Cover and let simmer 8 minutes. Remove from pan and put into pot. Add tomato sauce and a pinch of basil. Cook 1 1/2 hours over moderate heat.

GRANDMA GUERINA'S BRAISED WOODCHUCK

Using a crock or bowl (not a metal pan) marinate the chunks of meat for 48 hours in:

1 c. sugar
1/4 c. vinegar
1/4 c. salt
2 bay leaves
1 slice onion
1/4 tsp. chili powder
Enough water to cover meat

Dry pieces and roll in seasoned (salt and pepper) flour. Brown in imported olive oil in a heavy frying pan. Add to pan:

1 chopped onion
1 chopped carrot
1 chopped stalk of celery (with leaves)
1 c. tomato juice
6 oz. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. marjoram

Cover and simmer over low heat until the meat is tender about 2 hours. Place the meat on a heated platter surrounding a bed of buttered noodles. Pour the sauce over both. Serve with a green salad dressing with oil and vinegar and hot Italian bread.

The above recipes work with Possum and coons also.

Al

 

[svk]

Sounds interesting. Have you personally tried these?

I love the "vegan" part.

 

[alleyyooper]

I also trapped beaver for a while. You should never waste the meat from one.

BARBECUED BEAVER

Remove all fat from beaver and cut in serving pieces. Soak 3-4 hours in water to which has been added 2 rounded tablespoons salt. Place beaver in large kettle; cover with water, add 1 tablespoons salt. Slowly simmer 1 hour. Remove from kettle and rinse meat. Place in roaster. Pour over Barbecue Sauce and bake, covered, at 200 degrees for 3 hours. Turn every half hours.

BARBECUE SAUCE:

3 tbsp. butter, melted
1 med. onion, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 c. catsup
3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp. cider vinegar
1 tbsp. celery flakes
1/8 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. marjoram

Mix first 10 minutes, pour over meat. Over this scatter celery flakes, thyme and marjoram.

BEAVER ROAST

1 beaver roast
4 c. water
1 tbsp. tamari
1 pkg. onion soup mix
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Soak roast in salt water 24 hours before cooking. Rinse well. Brown roast on all sides in butter. Place in crock pot. Sprinkle onion soup mix over roast. Add water and other ingredients. Cook 8 hours on low. Juice may be thickened with flour and water or cornstarch and water and used for gravy.

BEAVER TAIL SOUP

Skin and remove all fat from tails of 2 beavers; cut up tails in small pieces. Soak overnight in water with 2 cups vinegar and 2 tablespoons salt for each quart. Place meat in kettle with 4 quarts boiling water. Add 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 bay leaf, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 3 carrots, sliced, 3 stalks celery, 2 small onions. When meat is almost tender, add 2 cups egg noodles and 1 small can peas (I prefer frozen over mushy can peas) , drained.

BEAVER TAIL BEANS

Blister tail over fire until skin loosens or dip in boiling water for a couple of minutes. Pull skin off. Cut up and boil with a pot of beans. Add salt and pepper to taste. Some chopped onions adds to the flavor. Beaver tail is also good roast over a campfire or in the oven.

PICKLED BEAVER TAIL

Put a long stick or long tonged fork through a beaver tail and hold tail over an open flame until the skin pops and peels off. Boil the tail in water. Drain water then boil again in fresh water until tender. Then cut tail into bite sizes. Place in jars of pure white vinegar. Seal jars

ORIENTAL HONEY SAUCE WITH FISH OR GAME

2 lbs. any meat, cubed (beaver is best, fish is good too)
Melted shortening or oil
1 heaping tbsp. beef bouillon
3/4 c. water
1/4 c. honey
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. cooking wine (optional)
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
Vegetables (carrots, celery, snow peas, etc. optional)

Flour and brown meat in oil for 15 minute. Combine remaining ingredients and add to meat. Cover and cook 20 minutes. (Add vegetables, if desired.) Thicken with cornstarch if necessary, and serve over rice or noodles.

Al

 

[alleyyooper]

Most of these recipes are out of my family's passed down cooking notes, I have worked at putting in a book form. Some go all the way back into the 1800's from my great grand mom on dads side.
I have ate most of them at one time or another being a northern Michigan farm boy at one time.
These days beaver is very rare unless my brother gives me one.
Coyote and whistle pigs are on the menu often as I hunt them more than any thing else other than possums.

Al