What does squirrel taste like

Some believe this gamey meat is a mix of white lean chicken and rabbit. No matter the comparison, squirrel meat has a sweet and uniquely nutty taste from their nut diet. These questions are common for many home cooks who first know about squirrel meat. For those getting acquainted with squirrel meat, it can be unappetizing for many people to see the raw meat. The meat ratio is decent, with a vivid view of the whole-body parts. If you buy squirrel meat from the market, they are likely skinned with light pink color and smooth, lean meat.

However, in case you hunt wild squirrels, you need to add an extra step in the preparation process which is skinning the squirrel. Therefore, it is best to ask the butcher to skin the squirrel first so that you can easily work on the raw meat. With such a small portion, is squirrel meat good? When cooking it, the squirrel meat has beautiful pink colored muscles with hardly any fat.

But, how does squirrel taste? You can feel a sweet, juicy, and subtle taste in your mouth with a nutty flavor, creating a lukewarm and mouth-watering experience. Regardless of their unappetizing raw look, squirrels are adored for their delicious taste, which is ideal for cooking in a slow cooking or casserole with vegetables and herbs like thyme, parsley, rosemary, paprika, with dry red wine or ale.

Normally, an average squirrel can be divided into five parts which are preferable for frying and roasting. Because of their rich meat content, front legs, hind legs, backstraps, and shoulders should be your focus parts.

The belly, rib cage, and leftover back sections have lesser meat which is great for stock and broth recipes. Regarding the organs of squirrels like kidneys, livers, and hearts, you can also cook them along with the meat for stews.

They would give an extra meat taste to your dishes. Eating grey squirrel brain, however, is not recommended due to the high risk of brain diseases in squirrels. Squirrels are sweet and delicious meat with a stable position in the healthy meat group. There is no carbon footprint in squirrel meat which is why many people have chosen to bring squirrels back to the menu as sustainable meat.

Furthermore, when looking at squirrel nutrition, it is clear why squirrels are favorable to healthy diets. This is due to their highly low carb and fat and a great source of protein. You can find only 34 calories in a pound of the squirrel. One of the biggest squirrel issues is the Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease contained inside the squirrels.

This disease is also known as mad-cow disease, affecting your brain functions, intellectual and memory loss, vision problems, and slurred speech. It can be tricky to prepare raw squirrel meat, especially squirrel hunting.

Therefore, here is how you can prepare a gray squirrel:. Marinating overnight helps tenderise the meat, and squirrel is a perfect match for a syrupy barbecue sauce.

Former National Chef of the Year Kevin Viner has also created a recipe for Cornish squirrel pasty, which proved a hit in his home county. You can find the recipe below if you want to try it at home. Squirrel is an adaptable ingredient that can be enjoyed with a wide range of flavours. Unsurprisingly, it goes particularly well with nuts and berries but it also holds its own in big bold tomato sauces or creamy dishes. Recipes with bacon and sausages are also delicious and the pork fat helps prevent the meat drying out.

Herbs: rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley Spices: cayenne, paprika, chilli Alcohol: dry red wine e. Claret , cider, ale. Meet the producer — Truly Traceable Posted on February 23, I tried to shred as much meat off the bones as possible, but it is hard going.

Apparently the pieces are often served breaded in the States, much like KFC chicken. I can see why. You really need to get your mouth around a joint and strip it down with your teeth for maximum efficacy, but wanting to give everyone the chance to taste it, I carry on ripping scrappy pieces off the carcass with a fork and sharp knife.

Strangely, the squirrel meat was compared with pretty much every other meat. I think that our collective inability to make a singular comparison tells us that squirrel has its own distinctive flavour. Would you ever try squirrel, or are you revolted by the thought? Let us know in the Comments below.