Is there an easy way to clean and skin squirrels?

[PRDATR]

Asking for a friend. LOL

 

Seriously though, should I clean them right away instead of a couple of hours later? My son asked me this last week, said he loves eating them but they seem to be a pain to clean and get the skin off.

[GreyGhost85]

Steve Rinella has a good video on youtube about it

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FtspCxIfWuI

[WHT_MTNMAN]

I didn't watch the video but if you do it right away it is a piece of cake, if you wait it is a nightmare.

[6AYoteHunter]

Clean them ASAP and it is way easier. Some Corona classic pruners make things faster. They also work well on turkey and cutting catclaw.

[Guest akaspecials]

I cut the skin around the midsection, like where a belt would be worn, and then pull from either side. Cut the hands and feet off with scissors and then gut. Takes less than a minute. If one won't peel, I use catfish skinners to get a better grip.

 

Still haven't found a recipe to make those old squirrels tender though.

[stanley]

+ 1 on the mid-section method.

 

I shot a nice big squirrel while scouting elk last Fall. I'm not a regular squirrel hunter, so wasn't sure what to do. The guy I was with suggested the 'mid-section' method, and it worked great!

 

Then came the cooking.... I just kind of went with my intuition, and it came out great!!! I quartered it, and the browned it in a cast iron skillet. After browned, I added a big load of sliced mushrooms and cooked those down. After the mushrooms cooked down just a bit, I added some cream of mushroom soup (thinned a bit with milk....). A little salt and fresh ground pepper.... I then simmered on low, covered, for a couple of hours. Served with white rice, and it was EXCELLENT!! I had never eaten squirrel before, and I was very pleased. Meat was super tender and very mild tasting. The closest 'domestic' comparison I could come-up with was that it tasted like tender, slow cooked pork.

 

S.

[Guest oneshot]

Skin right away...

To cook///

Cut into 6pieces, 4legs,back bone cut in half...

Par-boil gently(w/onion/carrot/celery) till fully cooked and tender, remove from broth, drain broth for gravy, mix flour/panko crumbs/white pepper/black pepper/salt/chili powder/etc, coat pieces of sq., fry in butter till brown and crispy...

 

Use reserved broth to make gravy...

[muledeerarea33?]

+ 1 on the mid-section method.

 

I shot a nice big squirrel while scouting elk last Fall. I'm not a regular squirrel hunter, so wasn't sure what to do. The guy I was with suggested the 'mid-section' method, and it worked great!

 

Then came the cooking.... I just kind of went with my intuition, and it came out great!!! I quartered it, and the browned it in a cast iron skillet. After browned, I added a big load of sliced mushrooms and cooked those down. After the mushrooms cooked down just a bit, I added some cream of mushroom soup (thinned a bit with milk....). A little salt and fresh ground pepper.... I then simmered on low, covered, for a couple of hours. Served with white rice, and it was EXCELLENT!! I had never eaten squirrel before, and I was very pleased. Meat was super tender and very mild tasting. The closest 'domestic' comparison I could come-up with was that it tasted like tender, slow cooked pork.

 

S.

all the ingredients I don't have at camp lol. Except milk and pepper.

[stanley]

 

+ 1 on the mid-section method.

 

I shot a nice big squirrel while scouting elk last Fall. I'm not a regular squirrel hunter, so wasn't sure what to do. The guy I was with suggested the 'mid-section' method, and it worked great!

 

Then came the cooking.... I just kind of went with my intuition, and it came out great!!! I quartered it, and the browned it in a cast iron skillet. After browned, I added a big load of sliced mushrooms and cooked those down. After the mushrooms cooked down just a bit, I added some cream of mushroom soup (thinned a bit with milk....). A little salt and fresh ground pepper.... I then simmered on low, covered, for a couple of hours. Served with white rice, and it was EXCELLENT!! I had never eaten squirrel before, and I was very pleased. Meat was super tender and very mild tasting. The closest 'domestic' comparison I could come-up with was that it tasted like tender, slow cooked pork.

 

S.

all the ingredients I don't have at camp lol. Except milk and pepper.

 

 

Me neither. Was in my kitchen when I got home.