37 Squirrel Recipes for Survivalists

Squirrels
have
been
a
popular
meal
among
homesteaders,
mountain
men,
and
other
self-reliant
folks
since
the
first
days
of
settlement
in
America.
Such
famous
pioneers
as
Daniel
Boone
and
Davy
Crockett
were
known
to
enjoy
squirrel.

Bushytails
have
even
made
it
to
the
White
House
dining
room
–
squirrel
stew
was
the
favorite
dish
of
President
James
Garfield.

Squirrel
meat
is
low
in
fat
and
high
in
protein.
It’s
also
delicious.
The
old
saying
“you
are
what
you
eat”
definitely
applies
to
wild
game.

Wild
animals
take
on
the
flavor
of
the
things
they
eat.
That’s
why
diving
ducks
taste
like
fish
and
opossums
(sometimes)
taste
like
garbage.
Squirrels
spend
their
days
eating
nuts
and
fruit,
so
squirrel
meat
takes
on
a
clean,
nutty
flavor.

Whether
you
are
living
off
the
grid,
learning
survival
skills,
or
just
want
to
enjoy
some
free-range
meat,
squirrel
is
a
great
choice.
But
what
do
you
do
once
you
catch
a
squirrel?
We
have
the
answers
below.

Fried
Squirrel

One
of
the
classic
squirrel
dishes
is
fried
squirrel.
Frying
is
a
fantastic
way
to
cook
very
lean
game
meats
for
two
reasons.
First,
frying
adds
fat
back
to
the
dish
so
it
isn’t
so
lean
as
to
be
try.
Second,
frying
seals
in
moisture
and
keeps
the
meat
tender.

Frying
is
best
suited
for
squirrels
that
have
been
cut
into
big
pieces.
You
can
fry
the
legs,
back,
and
saddle
just
like
you
are
frying
chicken.

Here
are
some
of
the
best
squirrel-frying
methods
around.

Basic
Fried
Squirrel

Just
like
the
name
says,
this
recipe
is
a
very
basic
method
for
frying
squirrels.
It
does
take
the
unusual
step
of
finishing
the
squirrel
in
the
oven
for
tenderness.
This
is
a
good
recipe
for
frying
older
squirrels
that
can
be
pretty
tough.

Fried
Squirrel
or
Rabbit

This
recipe
uses
corn
flakes
for
the
crust
to
get
some
extra
crispy
goodness.
It
works
equally
well
for
squirrels
or
rabbits.

Fried
Squirrel
with
Gravy

Is
there
anything
better
than
fried
food?
Yes
–
fried
food
with
gravy.
Here’s
a
way
to
fry
up
squirrels,
then
smother
them
with
gravy.
Delicious!

Chicken-Fried
Squirrel

Another
way
to
deal
with
tough
meat
is
to
tenderize
it
before
cooking.
In
Texas,
tough
rounds
stakes
are
tenderized
by
poking
the
repeatedly
with
a
fork
before
cooking.
This
recipe
uses
the
same
technique
to
tenderize
squirrel.

Buttermilk
Fried
Squirrel

Using
buttermilk
to
help
the
crust
stick
makes
this
recipe
extra-crispy.
The
buttermilk
adds
for
a
little
extra
tanginess,
too.

Nashville-Style
Hot
Fried
Squirrel

When
plain
fried
squirrel
gets
too
boring,
this
recipe
includes
a
spicy,
smoky
hot
sauce.

Buffalo-Style
Fried
Squirrel
Legs

This
recipe
features
a
spicy
Buffalo
sauce
for
squirrel
legs.
This
sauce
is
a
simple
combo
of
butter,
hot
sauce,
and
a
touch
of
sugar.
No
word
on
whether
you
need
to
find
a
squirrel
with
wings
to
make
the
recipe
work,
though.

Buffalo
Fried
Squirrel

Another
Buffalo
squirrel
recipe,
with
a
little
more
complicated
sauce.
It
includes
vinegar
and
Worcestershire
sauce
for
a
more
complex
flavor.

Squirrel
Stews

The
other
classic
way
to
cook
squirrel
is
in
a
stew.
There
are
a
lot
of
different
recipes
for
squirrel
stew.
Some
are
made
with
squirrel
only,
but
many
use
a
variety
of
meats.

Stewing
is
a
good
way
to
use
squirrels
that
were
somewhat
damaged
in
harvesting.
Since
the
meat
is
diced
or
shredded
before
you
eat
it,
it
doesn’t
matter
if
the
meat
is
a
little
bit
torn
up
from
shooting.

In
Kentucky
and
other
parts
of
Appalachia,
a
stew
with
squirrel
and
other
meats
is
called
burgoo.
Here
are
some
great
burgoo
recipes:

Kentucky
Burgoo

This
recipe
uses
squirrel,
venison,
and
pheasant
for
a
real
outdoors
eating
adventure.
It
also
offers
some
nice
history
of
burgoo.

Traditional
Burgoo

This
recipe
doesn’t
call
for
squirrel,
but
you
can
substitute
squirrel
for
the
chicken.
You
can
also
add
squirrel
along
with
the
chicken
and
other
meats.

Ultimate
Kentucky
Burgoo

This
is
a
smaller
recipe
that
only
makes
about
a
gallon
of
stew
–
perfect
for
smaller
families.

In
other
parts
of
the
south,
the
mixed-meat
stew
is
called
Brunswick
stew.
It’s
very
similar
to
burgoo,
although
Brunswick
stew
tends
to
be
a
little
thinner.
Brunswick
stew
recipes
are
also
more
likely
to
call
for
just
one
meat
as
well.

Brunswick
Stew
with
Squirrel

This
simple
stew
is
a
good
way
to
make
use
of
older
squirrels
with
tough
meat.

Squirrel
Brunswick
Stew
with
Bacon

Bacon
gives
this
stew
some
extra
flavor.
It
also
includes
a
touch
of
brown
sugar
if
you
like
a
sweeter
stew.

Georgia-Style
Brunswick
Stew

This
recipe
doesn’t
specify
what
meat
you
should
use.
It
would
work
great
with
squirrel,
chicken,
pork,
or
just
about
any
other
meat
you
care
to
use.

Traditional
Brunswick
Stew

This
recipe
calls
for
a
mix
of
meats.
You
could
substitute
squirrel
for
one
of
the
meats
or
just
add
squirrel
on
top
of
everything
else.

All
these
stew
recipes
(but
one)
call
for
fixed
amounts
of
particular
meats.
With
either
burgoo
or
Brunswick
stew,
you
can
mix
and
match
the
meats.
Feel
free
to
add
squirrel,
rabbit,
or
other
game
to
any
recipe.
Add
or
delete
domestic
meats
as
well.
These
stews
don’t
need
to
be
the
same
every
time.

Of
course,
the
upper
south
isn’t
the
only
region
that
hunts
squirrels
and
makes
stew.
Here
are
a
few
other
regional
specialties
for
stewing
squirrels.

New
England-Style
Squirrel
Chowder

Creamy
chowders
are
a
regional
specialty
in
New
England.
This
is
a
milk-based
stew
that
is
popular
with
hunters
in
the
northeast.

Traditional
Manhattan
Squirrel
Chowder

Manhattan
chowders
use
a
base
of
tomatoes
instead
of
milk
for
the
broth.
If
New
York
City
had
an
official
recipe
for
squirrel,
it
would
probably
be
this
tomato-based
chowder.

Cajun
Squirrel
Stew

The
Cajun
trinity
of
onion,
bell
pepper,
and
celery
make
this
stew
a
great
taste
of
the
bayou.
Don’t
call
it
gumbo,
though.
Gumbo
must
include
either
file
powder
or
okra;
this
recipe
doesn’t
call
for
either.

Squirrel
Gumbo

This
recipe
calls
itself
gumbo,
but
also
omits
okra
and
file.
Add
a
cup
of
diced
okra
to
this
recipe,
then
it’s
gumbo.

Irish
Hunter’s
Stew

This
recipe
from
across
the
pond
uses
venison
and
squirrel
along
with
potatoes,
carrots
and
parsnips.

Baked
and
Roasted
Squirrel

Roasting
in
the
oven
(or
over
a
fire)
is
another
good
way
to
cook
squirrel.
Squirrels
can
be
roasted
whole
and
cut
up
after
cooking,
or
you
can
roast
the
pieces.
These
recipes
range
from
fancy
to
practically
Neanderthal.

Roast
Squirrel
with
Squash,
Sage,
and
Hazelnuts

From
England
comes
this
recipe
with
some
great
fall
flavors.
It’s
a
simple
dish
that
is
surprisingly
sophisticated.

Simple
Roast
Squirrel

This
easy
recipe
calls
for
just
squirrels
and
onions.
It’s
a
quick
and
easy
way
to
bake
up
some
bushytails.

Roast
Squirrel
with
Orange-Cranberry-Blackberry
Sauce

Blackberries,
cranberries,
and
oranges
add
huge
flavor
to
this
recipe.
It’s
the
opposite
of
the
previous
recipes,
but
the
extra
work
is
worth
it.

Squirrel
on
a
Stick

This
recipe
for
campfire-roasted
squirrel
is
so
simple,
you
don’t
even
need
a
kitchen.
If
you
are
ever
in
a
survival
situation,
this
is
the
recipe
you
need.

Squirrel
Pies

Savory
meat
pies
have
gone
out
of
favor
in
this
country,
but
meat
pies
were
once
a
staple
of
game
cookery.
Like
stews,
this
is
a
good
way
to
use
pieces
that
aren’t
whole.

Most
of
the
recipes
call
for
the
squirrel
to
be
diced,
either
before
or
after
cooking.
Here
are
some
tasty
ways
to
cook
squirrel
with
a
flaky
pastry
crust:

Squirrel
Pot
Pie

A
hearty
feast
in
a
crispy
crust.
This
recipe
will
probably
make
you
want
to
never
eat
the
frozen
kind
of
pot
pie
again.

Squirrel
Pie

This
simple
recipe
puts
a
thin
crust
over
a
thick,
stew-like
base
of
squirrel
and
vegetables.

Squirrel
Hand
Pies

For
the
hunter
on
the
go,
these
hand
pies
have
all
the
flavor
of
a
traditional
pot
pie,
but
wrapped
up
like
a
sandwich.
They
are
a
great
way
to
stow
a
meal
in
your
pack
for
a
day
in
the
field.

Squirrel
Empanadas

These
empanadas
bring
a
taste
of
Mexico
to
hand
pies.
It’s
still
squirrel
and
vegetables
wrapped
in
a
crust,
but
the
addition
of
cumin
and
other
spices
make
it
very
different
from
traditional
squirrel
pie
recipes.

Other
Ways
to
Cook
Squirrel

Squirrels
are
like
the
chicken
of
game
meats.
The
small
pieces,
mild
flavor,
and
tender
texture
lend
themselves
well
to
a
wide
variety
of
cooking
methods
and
seasonings.
These
recipes
range
from
traditional
to
really
out
there.

Squirrel
and
Dumplings

Squirrel
and
dumplings
is
a
traditional
recipe,
somewhere
between
a
stew
and
a
pot
pie.
Feel
free
to
use
your
grandmother’s
recipe
for
dumplings
to
go
with
the
squirrel.

Smoked
Squirrel
Sandwiches

This
slow-cooker
recipe
cooks
the
squirrels
until
they
can
be
shredded,
then
tops
the
meat
with
BBQ
sauce.
Shredded
squirrel
makes
a
great
sandwich,
but
it’s
good
on
its
own,
too.

Squirrel
Ravioli

Cooked
and
diced
squirrel
gets
folded
into
pouches
of
pasta
dough
for
an
Italian
treatment
of
everybody’s
favorite
small
game.

Squirrel
Fricassee

Squirrel
braised
in
milk
makes
a
rich,
delicious
sauce.
It’s
great
for
a
cold
winter
night.

Squirrel
and
Mushrooms
Braised
in
Hard
Cider

Another
recipe
that
is
great
for
cold
weather,
this
time
using
hard
apple
cider
and
mushrooms
for
extra
flavor.

Jamaican
Squirrel

This
isn’t
your
grandma’s
squirrel
recipe.
It’s
a
spicy,
smoky
twist
on
small
game
that
is
sure
to
be
a
hit
with
lovers
of
hot
peppers.

Squirrel
Jerky

Salted,
dried
squirrel
makes
a
great
snack.
Make
a
little
jerky
to
take
with
you
on
your
next
hunting
trip.

Processing

Between
catching
the
squirrel
and
cooking
it
comes
processing.
There
are
probably
more
methods
of
skinning
and
cleaning
squirrels
than
there
are
squirrel
hunters.

To
clean
a
squirrel,
you
need
a
good,
sharp
knife
and
a
source
of
running
water.
You
might
also
want
a
good
pair
of
game
or
poultry
shears.
Here
are
some
step-by-step
instructions
for
cleaning
squirrels:

Of
course,
once
the
squirrel
is
processed,
you
need
to
cut
it
up
for
cooking.
Here
are
a
couple
of
guides
to
doing
that:

By
the
way
–
save
the
tails.
You
can
make
a
little
bit
of
cash
by
sending
them
to
the

Mepps
fishing
lure
company
to
be
used
in
making
fishing
spinners.

Wrap
Up

Get
familiar
with
how
to
process
and
cook
squirrels
now
and
you’ll
be
ready
to
feed
yourself
and
your
family
no
matter
what
happens.