Throughout my life, I have experienced many varieties of food from many varieties of cultures. I have experienced everything from the oriental dishes my Japanese family loves to cook, to the country kettle cooking of Southern Illinois where I grew up. I’ve eaten at luaus in Hawaii and at pubs in London. I’ve eaten at a true pit barbecue in Southern California, and have eaten fresh lobster in Boston. However, there is one experience that stands out from all of these. My favorite eating experience is one that I create completely from the start, and is unique to people who live in rural areas like I once did. It is the experience of eating squirrel.
I know that the thought of eating a squirrel is repulsive to many people. It was for me as well at first, but there is some clarifying that needs to be done before the judging starts. The squirrels I eat are nothing like the ones we see around here, surviving off candy wrappers and cigarette buds. The ones I eat live naturally in the wild, growing fat off acorns and wild berries. Their coats are clean and glossy, unlike their city counterparts who are smudged and mottled from rummaging through garbage. The squirrel I eat is an agile, crafty creature of the woods that hasn’t seen a single piece of trash in its entire life.
There are many ways to cook squirrel. Some people make squirrel pie and others make squirrel stew. My personal favorite is fried squirrel, the hind legs to be specific. Before I explain the tastes and textures of fried squirrel, I will guide you through the process of making the dish. Depending on how much you want to make, the process can take a while. One way to speed up the process and have a lot of fun is to have a squirrel fry.
Squirrel fries are similar to fish fries. You invite a few families over, but instead of bringing their fishing, poles, they bring their guns. The squirrel fry starts with everyone heading out into the woods to “collect” some squirrels. There are two types of guns that are typically used. Less experienced hunters can use a shotgun loaded with a spread shot. This makes it easier to hit the squirrel, but also can ruin the meat by filling it with shot or shredding the meat. Experienced hunters use small rifles, like twenty-two’s. This is much more challenging because the single bullet needs to hit the squirrel in the head. This guarantees that all of the meat stays intact and unharmed.
After a few hours of “collecting”, the next stage of the fry starts. It is the cleaning stage. I’ll spare you the bloody details, literally, and give you a brief overview. The fur, skin, internal organs, and head is removed from the body of each squirrel and disposed of properly. The majority of the meat is located on the strong hind legs of the squirrel. These are removed from the body and kept together in a container, a.k.a. a five gallon bucket. From this point on, I will be focusing on what happens to the legs.
Now it’s frying time! Some people like to deep fry and some people fry on large pans placed on grills. It doesn’t really matter to me because they both taste great and are a lot of fun to do. First you whisk some eggs in a bowl, and then add a little milk. Dip the legs into the bowl, roll them in flour, and the fry them until all of their sides are golden brown.
The best part of the fry has finally arrived. Chow time! Squirrel can be served with corn bread, mashed potatoes, beans, corn, and other fresh vegetables. Keeping all of the dishes fresh and home grown enhances the flavor of the meal and adds appreciation to the dishes. Whenever my family holds a squirrel fry, no other meats are served. The spotlight is on the squirrel. Many other families do the same at their fries.
Explaining what squirrel tastes like is difficult. Animals that live in the wild have a certain taste that they all share. If you eat a turkey from Kroger, and then you eat wild turkey, you’ll notice that there is a big difference in the flavor. This “wild” flavor is the most prevalent in squirrel. Squirrel explodes with this flavor. People who have eaten squirrel for years claim that you can even tastes whether or not a squirrel lived near a berry patch. The ones that did have a slightly sweeter taste while the ones that didn’t have a hint of nuttiness from their diet of acorns. Add all of these flavors to the crunchy, fried crust around the meat, and that’s fried squirrel.
There is still one last stage of the fry, the relaxation stage. Everyone sits around the fire remembering the day’s activities. Some are telling stories, some are smoking a pipe or drinking beer, and others are cleaning their guns content with sitting and listening to the sounds of the night. Everyone is full, everyone has enjoyed the day, and everyone is happy.
It’s easy to see why I love to eat squirrel. It isn’t just the flavor of the food, but the whole experience that goes along with it. Whenever squirrel is on the day’s menu, I know that I am guaranteed to see lots of people and have a great time throughout the day.
Eating squirrel is uncommon in many places, and that is another reason why I like it. It is as unique as the people who eat it. Having squirrel fries make the eating experience more personal. Throughout the day, you are surrounded by friends and loved ones who are all working together towards one goal, a great tasting evening meal. The fun you have throughout the day turns into memories that stay with you forever. All of this is made possible by one small creature that is also a delicious meal. The common squirrel.
Until rabbit season…
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