Favorite small game recipes

[StraightTucky]

Like a lot of people, squirrel pot pie is great. Squirrel pizza is my kids favorite. I cook the squirrels in the instapot for 20 mins (pre seasoned). Shred the meat. It has a natural fatty/oil to the meat, that crisps up so nicely under the intense heat of a pizza oven. Squirrel, pineapple and jalapeño pizza is fantastic.

 

[TSAMP]

Squacos in my house. Crock them with some seasoning, jalapeños and all that jazz. Shred and add some rice and beans to mix in.

 

[TheRepeatOffender]

Rabbit and dumplings is excellent - obviously similar to the pot pies everyone recommended earlier. Usually make it in the instant pot. Also try a rabbit paella. I generally do a seafood paella and just switch out the chicken for rabbit but you can find plenty of rabbit paella recipes too. Highly recommended.

 

[meta_gabbro]

Another +1 for rabbit paella. Paella originated from the eastern region of Spain, and while seafood paella is more universally popular in the US, using rabbit and chicken is the traditional composition.

It's a good way to introduce people to game meat if they're uneasy about it too. It's exotic (for those of us in North America at least) but still approachable (especially if you include chicken as a second meat source), it presents and plates well, it's not especially difficult to make, it's flavorful enough that any gaminess is muted. You also get to cook it in a massive pan directly over a fire, so it makes a good communal meal where everyone can participate in prep and cooking while also enjoying a nice campfire.

I've started a tradition the last few years of hosting a camping/hunting trip on or near the summer solstice, grabbing a couple hares and doing a big paella for the first night. Just a good bonding experience for everyone, and it's gotten a few friends' kids interested in rabbit hunting too.

 

[ryandurham]

squirrel chili!
I usually put a heavy smoke on it for 45mins or so, and then several hours low and slow in onions, garlic, and rehydrated dried chili puree. and as we all know, no beans! lol

 

[Trackerbacker]

chili!...
...as we all know, no beans! lol

You're lucky I'm no mod here..

..damn near bannable offense..

 

[ryandurham]

You're lucky I'm no mod here..

..damn near bannable offense..

I know right!! All chili beaners should be banned!! Glad to meet a fellow sane person!

 

[simplepeddler]

Fry down half pound of bacon in a cast iron pot, preferably a pot older than you mama and dem.
remove the bacon, and two teaspoons of sugar and blend in. More sure you don't splash dat, it's hotter dan hell full of peppered sinners.
Then brown floured squirrel in the pan. Get it to the color of a chocolate lab and turn down the heat. Cover with the holy trinity and cook dat until you get a nice graton on da bottem of da pot, but don't burn dat. Than add chicken stock, or some other flavoured liquid, the bourbon you should be drinking by this time can be added. but just a little. Cover you black iron pot and place in the oven for at least another round of drinks. Check dat eva now and din. Add some tomatoe sauce to your likin' and some carrots, potatoes, and turnips. Cook that back in the oven with the lid on till the squirrel surrenders and falls off the bone easy peasy.
Serve that over fresh ground corn grits cooked with a little cream in them.

OH! crunch up the bacon and add that too as an edible carnish, not that weedy stuff just for looks.

 

[eaglemountainman]

Young rabbit, cut into quarters. Dusted with seasoned four and sauteed in bacon fat with a Bay leaf. Finish with a light grating of nutmeg...trust me.

I'm 66 y/o. I was fed this at a hunting camp as a teenager, and have made it ever since then.

 

[eaglemountainman]

Here's one for pheasant in a crockpot. Lay some whole carrots on the bottom of the crock, then some whole celery crossways to the carrots. Fillet out the breasts and skin out the leg quarters. Lay them on the veggies and season with s&p. Mix a can of cream of mushrooms and a can of cream of chicken, and pour it in. Add a good healthy splash of white wine and a bunch of sliced mushrooms. Some thyme or other herbs are nice, but optional. Serve over rice or noodles.

This works great with grouse and turkey, as well.

 

[Flintlocks4me]

Like a lot of people, squirrel pot pie is great. Squirrel pizza is my kids favorite. I cook the squirrels in the instapot for 20 mins (pre seasoned). Shred the meat. It has a natural fatty/oil to the meat, that crisps up so nicely under the intense heat of a pizza oven. Squirrel, pineapple and jalapeño pizza is fantastic.

Excellent idea. I add bbq sauce and enjoy eating bbq squirrel pizza. Can’t go wrong with that

 

[49ereric]

Here's one for pheasant in a crockpot. Lay some whole carrots on the bottom of the crock, then some whole celery crossways to the carrots. Fillet out the breasts and skin out the leg quarters. Lay them on the veggies and season with s&p. Mix a can of cream of mushrooms and a can of cream of chicken, and pour it in. Add a good healthy splash of white wine and a bunch of sliced mushrooms. Some thyme or other herbs are nice, but optional. Serve over rice or noodles.

This works great with grouse and turkey, as well.

Been doing a version of this for decades but we keep breast and leg dinners seperate.