BS: What happened to the crockpot thread?

Subject: RE: BS: What happened to the crockpot thread?
From: Cluin
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 11:41 PM

Squirrel? Never eaten tree-rat, meself. But then I don't like rabbit either... too stringy, so I lets `em run wild to feed the foxes and weasels.

Venison, yum! My cousin gave me several pounds of venison including some pepperettes for Xmas `cause he knew I couldn't get out for deer this year.

Though I usually prefer moose meat, my favourite meal is still marinated (I use a wine & beer based mixture) barbecued venison steak, wild rice and corn-on-the-cob no more than 10 minutes out of the field.

Subject: RE: BS: What happened to the crockpot thread?
From: Rapparee
Date: 02 Jan 04 - 07:46 AM

Try simmering squirrel or rabbit in a crockpot (see how I subtlely brought this back to to the title?) until the meat falls away -- or better yet, both at the same time. Reserve the liquor (ie, pour it all out through a colander or sieve and save the juice), and seperate the meat from the other stuff.

Toss the meat and the juice back into the crockpot and add corn, tomatoes, hominy, or whatever you got, even okra. Continue simmering for a while (note how precise my recipes are!), correct the seasonings, and serve with cornbread, 'cause you've got burgoo.

(You can also use or add chicken meat and/or country ham.)

Subject: RE: BS: What happened to the crockpot thread?
From: *daylia*
Date: 02 Jan 04 - 08:51 AM

Ok Spaw, to expand on Rapaire's mouthwatering suggestions, here's what the Huronia Conservation Officers (that's the district of Ontario where I live) offer for cooking Tree Rat (thanks, Cluin! :-D )

                            ROAST SQUIRRELS

3 squirrels, prepared and ready for roasting
3/4 c. cooking oil
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 c. bread crumbs
1/2 c. milk
1 c. sliced mushrooms, sauteed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. onion juice

Wash the squirrels in several waters and dry. Cover with cooking oil and lemon juice; let soak for 2 hours. Mix crumbs with enough milk to moisten. Add mushrooms, salt, pepper, and onion juice. Stuff squirrels and sew up. Place in roasting pan. Brush with bacon fat and roast, uncovered at 325 for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Baste often and add water if necessary.


And you might like this one too, just for variety. (If not, just spread it thinly on a canvas to dry, spray it with varnish and then hang it on your wall. Tell people it's a Bateman print!)


                         SQUIRREL WITH MUSHROOMS

    Cut squirrel into serving size pieces. Dice and saute 6 bacon strips. Dip meat in seasoned flour and saute in bacon fat. Add garlic, thyme, and tomato paste. Cover meat with red wine and chicken stock. Cook until tender. Serve with sauteed mushrooms.


Now, I don't know how popular these recipes are, but if the number of fat happy tree rats bouncin around out there is any indication, my guess is "not very".

(By the way, our European guests just LOVE the squirrels, following them around with cameras, cooing and clucking. I've heard that all the European Tree Rats fell to the crockpots long ago ...)

That Roast Beaver recipe still looks pretty interesting to me though! Any takers out there??? C'mon now, don't be squeamish! Just relax, take a deep deep breath and repeat after me ....

EAT A BEAVER, SAVE A TREE!

Yours delectably,

daylia

Subject: RE: BS: What happened to the crockpot thread?
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Jan 04 - 07:35 AM

Well, some crackpot dropped the crackpipe into the crockpot. So our local leprechaun valiantly donned goggles, dived in, and fished it out. He then busted the crackpot and confiscated the crockpot for evidence.

But he slipped the crackpipe into his pocket and kept it. He's going to drill holes in the stem and use it as an Irish whistle.

Any more questions???

Subject: RE: BS: What happened to the crockpot thread?
From: *daylia*
Date: 03 Jan 04 - 07:53 AM

Sorry .... forgot to sign in. Please, hold your fire -- I'm only the anonymous GUEST piano player!

Foolestroupe, I'm not sure Hummingbirds are endangered here in Ontario, but you might be relieved to know the recipe I mentioned does not call for any measure of Hummingbird -- meat, bone, or feather.

An attempt at a tempting name, perhaps?

daylia

Subject: RE: BS: What happened to the crockpot thread?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 03 Jan 04 - 08:16 AM

... eat a beaver, lose a wetlands ...

Subject: RE: BS: What happened to the crockpot thread?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 03 Jan 04 - 08:20 AM

Beavers are essential to wetlands, as wolves are to other US environments - they had to put the wolves back in Yellowstone National Park...

Subject: RE: BS: What happened to the crockpot thread?
From: Rapparee
Date: 03 Jan 04 - 10:26 AM

Well, no, not really, Robin. There's a lovely wetlands area near here called "Grays Lake", but because of the drought it should more properly be called "Grays Puddle." There are no beavers there and haven't been any for many, many years.

It IS, however, home to swans and cranes, including the endangered Whooping Crane. Last June I was privileged to see two Whoopers doing a mating flight (the actual mating was NOT done in flight).

Beavers are useful to wetlands, but not essential. They are also not threatened, at least not in Idaho, Kentucky, or Indiana, the three states I know about. Except, of course, if their dam floods out a farmer's crop -- but usually conservation officers then trap and move them.

Beaver tail is eaten, but I haven't heard of anyone eating the rest of the animal. I'd think that the taste would be a bit fierce, given the castor sacs.

Subject: RE: BS: What happened to the crockpot thread?
From: *daylia*
Date: 04 Jan 04 - 08:31 AM

Castor sacs, Rapaire? Now I'm wondering where castor oil comes from! Surely, not beavers?!?

Those sacs are probably why the recipe says to be sure to strip the beaver of all fat and remove all sinews from the legs, then soak overnight in vinegar and water, or salt and water. Parbroil it twice to remove all fat, then roast at 300 for about 1 and 1/2 hours.

Choice of two sauces for basting -- one with butter/lemon juice/Worcestershire sauce, the other with butter/dry mustard/brown sugar/orange marmalade. (Personally, I'd go for the brown sugar and marmalade). One beaver serves "lots"!

At any rate, it sure sounds like not everyone's loathe to eat Beaver.

Regarding whether or not beavers are essential to wetlands, this article about the declining population of beavers in Algonquin Park Ontario is quite interesting - Beavers dislodged

"Algonquin Park is an exceptional laboratory ... one of the world's most-studied habitats. There are hundreds of scientific papers and research reports on its flora and fauna.

One of the most-studied animals is the beaver, partly because it is a so-called "keystone" species, an animal that, much like the centre stone in an archway, holds up the rest of the ecosystem.

By building dams that foster wetlands, beavers completely reshape the landscape, and are said to be second only to humans in their modification of the natural environment.

Their industrious activity provides habitat for wood ducks, black ducks and the dozens of plant species that live only in marshes.

Beavers also provide an important link in the food chain because they are high on the menu for wolves".

The article postulates that the reason the beavers are disappearing from the Park is because the trees are changing. The young forests which sprang up after the fires and clear-cuts of the logging days are now maturing into old-growth forests, which do not appeal to beavers;

"While these woods, with their towering canopy of old-growth beech, maple and white pine, look majestic to us, the beauty of the situation is totally lost on a beaver, which considers a forest from the more mundane, culinary standpoint.

Beavers eat tree bark, leaves and the growing end of twigs. But they are fussy. They prefer to gnaw on aspen and white birch, fast-growing trees that sprout from the soil after a forest fire or a big, human disturbance, such as clear-cutting".

So, beavers and clear-cutters are on the same team?? Sheesh, never thought of it quite that way before! Thanks for the inspiration to educate myself!

daylia

Subject: RE: BS: What happened to the crockpot thread?
From: Rapparee
Date: 04 Jan 04 - 11:21 AM

Which could be why there are no beavers at Grays Lake. No trees around.

Castor oil doesn't come from beavers. The castor sacs are...oh, heck, look it up. They're basically scent glands; the oldtime trappers used to use them as part of the bait they put on their traps.

Come to think of it, I don't know where castor oil comes from, unless it's from the castor bean.

Prepared mustard and brown sugar, or prepared mustard and orange marmalade, works very well as a sauce on carrots (and, I assume, parsnips).

Subject: RE: BS: What happened to the crockpot thread?
From: GUEST,Jill
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 12:02 AM

I have been looking for Iron Ore Stew that was served at the Amaranthe Lodge in Detroit in the 50's. There was nothing like it.
I am hoping your recipe will do the trick.
Just happened on the site.
Jill