Cleaning a Squirrel

[Forvols]

I usually just keep the front and hind legs of squirrel. How do you guys butcher and cook them? well edited to add.

I took this older woman (85yrs or so) 5 squirrels last fall. Skinned, cleaned and whole body except the head..
funny she said on thank you so much But where is the head I like the brains...

Got me to thinking I usually only keep the front and hind quarters..just looking to see what other ppl do.

 

[WestTn Huntin man]

I was taught a fairly easy way. We always had a tree that we cleaned them all at. The tree had a limb slightly above eye level. Had a stiff piece of wire around the limb. Wrap the hind legs with the wire to hang the squirrel. Slit the hide on the inside of the Hind legs.Make sure the cut from both legs meets in the middle. If it's a male cut the sack off. Cut the tail bone without cutting the hide.Carefully Pull down on the tail You might need to cut the hide loose a little. Basically you can pull the hide off and have a whole squirrel . The hair is all inside the hide and none on the squirrel. Cut the feet off and slit the belly. Growing up we always left the head on and ate the brains and the Jaw meat. Nothing was wasted. Seems like about 10 years or so ago I read that squirrel brains can carry a form of mad cow disease. I've quit eating the brains and just cut the head off with the hide.
It's easier done than trying to type it out.I can clean one in just a minute or 2 and not get any hair on the meat at all.

http://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/29/us/ke ... rains.html

 

[Mike Belt]

I always just cut through the tail from the underside just at the body. I cut all the way up to the skin without breaking it, stand on the tail, grab both hind legs, and pull upwards. This'll skin him all the way to the head as long as his tail doesn't break off while pulling.

 

[MidTennFisher]

I always just cut through the tail from the underside just at the body. I cut all the way up to the skin without breaking it, stand on the tail, grab both hind legs, and pull upwards. This'll skin him all the way to the head as long as his tail doesn't break off while pulling.

I prefer this same method and I always do it immediately after the kill. Its a lot easier to skin a warm animal than a cold one.

FYI - there are several youtube videos on how to do it this way for those wanting to learn. When everything goes right, you can have the squirrel skinned and gutted in 2 minutes. It's great!

 

[TheLBLman]

When everything goes right, you can have the squirrel skinned and gutted in 2 minutes. It's great!

That seems to be the part I have trouble with ---- seldom seems to go right.
I love squirrel hunting and love eating them, but I do NOT love cleaning them. Always a real "chore" to me.

 

[catman529]

I usually cook them whole (minus the head and tail) on a grill rubbed with seasoning and basted with butter, when it's done then wrap up in foil and baste with more butter and let it sit in the foil over the coals and put the lid on the grill and wait 20 minutes.


Sent from the talk of tap

 

[gat51]

My father taught me the "cut around the middle and pull both ways" method. I used that for years. I'm trying to learn the method of cutting through the the tail bone, standing on the tail and pulling. I mess up about half of them. Probably tried it on 25 squirrels. Just need more squirrel to practice on.