Crunchy Baked Squirrel Recipes

NUTTY SQUIRRELS DOG TREATS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325˚ F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the water, peanut butter, molasses and canola oil in the bowl of a stand mixer. Slowly add the flour and mix on low speed until all the ingredients are combined and a dough forms.
• Turn out the dough onto a clean surface and roll out to a 3/8-inch thickness. Cut out shapes with a squirrel cookie cutter; use a toothpick to make the eyes and a knife to score the arms and legs.
• Place the cutouts scored-side down on the baking sheet. Place a second baking sheet on top to prevent air bubbles from forming. Bake 15 minutes, then remove the top baking sheet, flip the cutouts and continue baking, uncovered, until just golden and slightly firm, 5 to 10 more minutes.
• Turn off the oven but keep the treats in the oven to dry, 2 hours (this will allow all the moisture to evaporate completely). Remove from the oven and spread a small amount of peanut butter on the tail with a knife; dip the tail in crushed peanuts. Place in the refrigerator or freezer to set. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

SWEET BAKED SQUIRREL

Steps:

• Place the washed, cut-up squirrel pieces in a medium-sized bowl.
• In another bowl, blend the sorghum molasses and the cider. Pour this over the squirrel pieces, cover, and allow to marinate for 18-24 hours in the refrigerator. Turn the pieces several times during the marinating process.
• After the marination process is complete, gently dab off excess marinade from the squirrel meat with damp paper towels and roll them in the flour to which the salt has also been added. Set these pieces aside on a piece of wax paper or parchment for 30 minutes.
• Pre-heat the oven to 275-degrees F.
• In a large skillet, heat the oil and brown up the squirrel pieces. Set aside on a plate when browned.
• In a small roaster or Dutch oven, pour in the chicken broth and add in the butter, the mushrooms and the minced onion mushrooms. Place a small rack or oven-proof bowl in the roaster pan so that it will elevate the squirrel pieces above the liquid. Then place the squirrel pieces on the rack or bowl and cover with a lid or aluminum foil.
• Bake for 90 minutes in the pre-heated oven (275-degrees F.) and then check the squirrel for tenderness. If it's not fork tender, bake it for 30-45 more minutes.
• When the squirrel is plated up, set aside, pour any bowl drippings into the liquid that's in the roaster pan and make (squirrel-based) "red-eye gravy" from the drippings. Take the mushrooms out first, make the gravy, and then add them back in, or, just baste the squirrel on the plates with some of the drippings and the mushrooms. Either way is good.
• NOTE! It is no longer adviseable to eat the squirrel brains as they have now been associated with a form of mad cow disease called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. While ADEQUATE cooking eliminates the problem, it's still not worth the risk until more is known about the problem: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9500E0D91231F93AA1575BC0A961958260.

CRUNCHY BAKED SQUIRREL RECIPE

Steps:

• Soak the squirrel in milk for 30 minutes. Put cornflake crumbs, salt, garlic powder and pepper in a bag. Shake squirrel pieces one at a time to coat, then remove and place in a shallow baking dish. Don't crowd the pieces in the pan. Sprinkle with paprika and dot with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until tender. This recipe yields 2 to 4 servings.