The small Christian grade school I attended in my youth has an annual wild game dinner. You are invited to bring a dish to pass that features wild game, and my Dad is famous for his squirrel casserole.
I remember when my Dad first started hunting squirrel. He said he got the idea when he was hunting deer and he didn’t see any deer, just squirrel. He decided it would be a good way to practice marksmanship – to get a clean head shot on something that small requires skill. The first time he brought them home, I thought my mom was going to flip out. She refused to touch the things and said if he wanted to eat it he was going to have to cook it.
My Dad has always been a good cook (he and my Mom have always shared cooking duties), so he pulled out his copy of Kill It & Grill It: A Guide to Preparing and Cooking Wild Game and Fish by Ted Nugent and soon Squirrel Casserole was on its way to becoming famous at the wild game dinner.
In case you’re wondering what squirrel tastes like, it really does taste like chicken. One year my Dad didn’t have enough squirrel so he added chicken and no one was the wiser–if you don’t have a source of squirrel meat feel free to substitute chicken.
Squirrel Casserole
Ingredients:
- 2 squirrels (can substitute chicken)
- two 10 oz packages frozen broccoli with cheese (can substitute broccoli and cheese)
- 1 stick butter
- 1 C chopped onion
- 1 C chopped celery
- one 10 1/2 oz can cream of mushroom soup (can substitute this homemade version of cream of mushroom soup)
- 1 C cooked rice
- dash of garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Place squirrels in a saucepan and cover with water; boil until meat is tender and falls from bones.
- Cook broccoli according to package directions.
- In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter and saute’ the onion and celery until tender. Add the soup and stir well.
- Combine remaining ingredients in a 9×13 baking pan and bake at 350F for one hour.
The Verdict: As I said, this is a family favorite. I think cheese makes just about anything edible, don’t you?
This post shared at Monday Mania , Recipe Roundtable, Hearth and Soul, Kitchen Tip Tuesday, Tuesday Twister
This is funny to me. My mom would not touch squirrels either so my dad made his own recipe “Squirrel Meat and Gravy”. We loved it growing up and people think it’s funny that we ate squirrel. This recipe makes me want to go out and trap the confident city squirrels in my back yard and try it (just kidding). But the next time I have squirrel meat on hand (for the same reason your dad did, no deer just squirrels) I will try it. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Ha ha, I know what you mean about those confident city squirrels! So glad you could relate 🙂
Wow. I didn’t even know people ATE squirrel! Sounds interesting. 🙂
I know, it’s surprising isn’t it?
Two squirrels doesn’t seem like a lot of meat. I’d use three or four to feed a family. AS IF I’D KNOW.
Love that you linked up with this recipe!!
Ha ha – yeah, it’s not a lot of meat in there. I’m guessing the equivalent of 2-3 chicken breasts? It’s definitely the rest of the casserole that makes up the bulk of the meal.
Wow! This has never crossed my mind before. Thanks for sharing this inventive dish at Monday Mania! 🙂
Wow! I feel my comfort zone expanding! I guess there are a lot more squirrel than deer. Venison is soooooo tasty though. I wonder when it’s legal to hunt squirrel? Just picturing tree rats on my cutting board…O man! I think hubby would have to cook it! and maybe not tell me what it is…
I’m pretty sure you can hunt it anytime since it’s classified as small game. And yeah, it helps to not think about what it is. Sometimes my Dad will make some sort of stew or other casserole for Sunday dinner and not tell us until about halfway through, then he’ll start making squirrel noises LOL.
Great story, thanks for sharing.
I love that he turned to Nugent…that’s a man who knows his game! Sounds great, although I’ve never eaten squirrel. My husband likes it, though! Thanks for sharing this w/ the eharth and soul hop this week 🙂
Good point, Nugent sure does!
Interesting! I like Ted Nugent but i don’t know if i’d like squirrel 🙂
My dad never hunted, or fished, or really liked any of that and I married a gear-head (who can hunt but doesn’t like it) I guess squirrel casserole will never be on my menu – and that truly makes me sad, I would love to taste it – not skin/process it – just taste LOL! thanks for a great link to the Hearth and Soul Hop!
looks interesting. how are the bones – brittle like rabbit?
you might be interested in a Moroccan bistilla (pie) recipe that uses pigeon (can also substitute chicken).
Squirrel is my second favorite meat (behind deer), so tasty! Although mine has never made it as far as a casserole, it usually just gets grilled or stewed, depending upon age. You don’t know how happy you made me, seeing this recipe linked to the Hearth and Soul hop. Thank you!
I have not had grilled squirrel, but I’ve had various stews. Thanks for the tip.
Well if the economy gets any worse, at least now I know how to cook up some squirrels to save money 🙂 Seems like it would be a lot of work to skin a squirrel for the amount of meat you would get.
I suppose it depends on how fat the squirrel is 😉
I’ve never had the opportunity to enjoy squirrel. I’d imagine it would taste a lot like rabbit, which yes, tastes like chicken. LOL This sounds great, and I love that Ted Nugent was the go-to guy for this!
I’ve been trying to get my husband to bring home some squirrel and he won’t do it…I think it has more to do with the amount of work per bite than the idea of eating squirrel. I really want to try it though…we have such nice, fat squirrels here in Northern Virginia. What about ground hog/gopher? Any one had that? Our are enormous and I always wonder how they’d taste (not that hubby is likely to bring me one of those either).
I do have plenty of venison, and occasionally bear, so that’s good.
Squirrel is my second favorite meat (behind deer), so tasty! I feel my comfort zone expanding! I wonder when it’s legal to hunt squirrel?