Alright, let’s talk about cookin’ squirrel in them slow cookers. You know, the kind you plug in and just let it do its thing? Yeah, them things. Handy as a pocket on a shirt, I tell ya. Now, I ain’t no fancy chef, but I can make a squirrel stew that’ll stick to your ribs, you betcha.
First off, you gotta get yourself some squirrels. Don’t go shootin’ no city squirrels, though. You want the ones from the woods, the ones that been eatin’ nuts and such. Clean ’em good, skin ’em, and chop ’em up. Don’t forget to wash your hands good after, too. Critters can carry all sorts of nasty stuff.
Now, the best way to cook squirrel, ‘specially if you ain’t never had it before, is to make a stew. It’s easy and you can throw in whatever veggies you got lyin’ around. I like to boil them squirrels in salty water for a bit first, maybe an hour or so. Makes ’em tender, you see. If they’re old squirrels, though, they might take longer. Sometimes a couple hours, even. Just keep addin’ water if it gets low and poke ’em with a fork. When the fork goes in easy, they’re ready.
Once them squirrels is boiled and tender, take ’em out and pull the meat off the bones. Toss the bones away, unless you got a dog. Dogs love them bones, just make sure they don’t splinter. Now, get out your slow cooker. Put that squirrel meat in there.
- Then chop up some potatoes.
- And some carrots.
- And some onions. I like to use them yellow onions, but any kind will do.
- Oh, and a green pepper if you got one. Chop it up too.
Throw all them veggies in the slow cooker with the squirrel meat. Don’t forget to season it up good. Salt, pepper, maybe some garlic powder. If you got some of them fancy herbs, go ahead and throw them in too. I don’t usually bother, but some folks like it.
Now, you need some liquid. Water works just fine, but if you got some broth, like chicken broth or beef broth, that’s even better. Pour enough in to cover everything good. Then put the lid on that slow cooker and turn it on low. Let it cook all day, like six or eight hours. The longer it cooks, the better it gets.
Some folks like to add cabbage to their squirrel stew. If you wanna do that, just chop it up and throw it in the last couple hours. Don’t put it in too early or it’ll get all mushy. You can also fry up some of them onions first, get ‘em all brown and sweet, before you put ‘em in the slow cooker. Gives it a nice flavor, they say. I don’t always do it, depends on how much time I got.
And that’s pretty much it. When it’s done, that squirrel meat will be fall-off-the-bone tender and the veggies will be soft and flavorful. You can eat it just like that, or you can serve it over rice or noodles. It’s good with a hunk of cornbread, too. Warm your belly right up, it will.
Now, I know some folks might turn up their noses at eatin’ squirrel, but don’t knock it ‘til you try it. It’s good eatin’, and it’s free if you know how to get it. Just make sure you cook it good and long, so it’s nice and tender. And don’t forget to try out different things with it, like different vegetables or seasonings. Get creative with it, that’s the fun part. This whole slow cooker thing is about makin’ life easier, ain’t it? Just throw it in, turn it on, and go about your day. Come supper time, you got a hot meal waitin’ for ya. Can’t beat that, I tell ya.
So, next time you’re out in the woods and you see a squirrel, don’t just think of it as a critter runnin’ around. Think of it as dinner! And don’t be afraid to try cookin’ it in your slow cooker. You might just surprise yourself with how good it is. Just remember what I told you, and you’ll be fine. Happy cookin’!
Tags: Slow Cooker, Squirrel Recipes, Stew, Wild Game, Country Cooking, Easy Recipes, Dinner Ideas, Budget-Friendly Meals, Southern Cooking, Comfort Food
