Okay, so I wanted to try something new in the kitchen. I’ve heard some folks talking about crock pot squirrel recipes, and I thought, “Why not?” So here’s how my little cooking adventure went.
First, I had to get some squirrels. I managed to collect about 4 squirrels. I know it sounds a bit out there, but I was curious, and I love trying new things. It’s not every day you cook squirrel, right?
After I got the squirrels, I had to clean and prepare them. I made sure to remove the skin and insides and gave them a good wash. I don’t have a pressure cooker, so the crock pot was the way to go for me. Crock pots are great for slow cooking and making tough meat tender, so I figured it would be perfect for the squirrel.
I did a little digging online, and, honestly, there’s not a lot out there on squirrel recipes. But I found a few ideas. People were saying you could use your favorite recipes that you’d typically use for chicken or rabbit. I decided to keep it simple for my first try.
What I Put In
- 4 squirrels, cleaned and cut into pieces
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 diced carrots
- 2 diced celery stalks
- 4 cups of chicken broth
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and some paprika
I threw all these into the crock pot. I set it on low heat because I wanted the squirrel to cook slowly and become nice and tender. I let it cook for about 6 to 8 hours. You know how it is with crock pots—you just set it and forget it, which is pretty convenient.
While it was cooking, I did some other stuff around the house. The smell started to fill the kitchen after a few hours, and it was actually pretty good. It reminded me a bit of making a stew or something like that. It’s kind of earthy.
After about 7 hours, I checked on it. The meat was really tender, falling apart, just like I wanted. I took the squirrel out of the crock pot and let it cool a bit. Then I shredded the meat off the bones. It was so soft; it practically did all the work for me.
I tasted the broth, and it was flavorful, so I decided to thicken it up a bit with some cornstarch to make a gravy. I served the shredded squirrel with the gravy over some mashed potatoes. I also added some green beans on the side because, why not?
Honestly, it turned out better than I expected. The squirrel was tender and had a unique, gamey flavor. It’s not something I’d eat every day, but it was a fun experiment. I even got my family to try it, and they were surprised too. They said it tasted a bit like dark meat chicken but with a richer flavor. It was wild. The meat is very lean and surprisingly tender.
So, that’s my crock pot squirrel adventure. If you’re feeling adventurous and want to try something different, give it a shot. It’s a bit of work, but it’s worth it for the experience. Just make sure you cook it long enough to get it nice and tender. Happy cooking!
