The ultimate ethical meal: a grey squirrel

The Observer ^ | Sunday May 11, 2008 | Caroline Davies

[Daffynition]

t's low in fat, low in food miles and completely free range. In fact, some claim that Sciurus carolinensis - the grey squirrel - is about as ethical a dish as it is possible to serve on a dinner plate.

The grey squirrel, the American cousin of Britain's endangered red variety, is flying off the shelves faster than hunters can shoot them, with game butchers struggling to keep up with demand. 'We put it on the shelf and it sells. It can be a dozen squirrels a day - and they all go,' said David Simpson, the director of Kingsley Village shopping centre in Fraddon, Cornwall, whose game counter began selling grey squirrel meat two months ago.

At Ridley's Fish and Game shop in Corbridge, Northumberland, the owner David Ridley says he has sold 1,000 - at £3.50 a squirrel - since he tested the market at the beginning of the year. 'I wasn't sure at first, and wondered would people really eat it. Now I take every squirrel I can get my hands on. I've had days when I have managed to get 60 and they've all sold straight away.'

Simpson likens the taste to wild boar. Ridley thinks it is more a cross between duck and lamb. 'It's moist and sweet because, basically, its diet has been berries and nuts,' he said.

[uglybiker]

Yo! You wanna piece o' me?

[SquirrelKing]

more cat pictures

[P8riot]

Fishers are one of the few animals that eat porcupine. It looks like this one has tangled with one.

[Daffynition]

This is just a wild guess ... but as part of the FTA ... we sent them grey squirrels and they sent us house sparrows. ;)

[Gilbo_3]

Squirrell & dumplins was the last I had...little chewy but Yummmm...

[Rebelbase]

When I was kid we caught and grilled and armadillo. Lots of gristle in that meat.

[Rebelbase]

Every spring there’s a healthy squirrel crop in my backyard. Then the hawks and owls move in for a week or two and wreck havoc. I’ve only seen one survivor this year.

[Daffynition]

Maybe a crossbreed with a rabbit will make it more tasty ... hassenpefferrel stew.

[Daffynition]

You talkin' to me? ;)

[Joe 6-pack]

‘Possum on a half-shell!

[Daffynition]

HAHAHA! Cuisine on the fly ...

[Joe 6-pack]

"Chipmunks roasting on an open fire..."

[Daffynition]

[Joe 6-pack]

[CholeraJoe]

I’ve eaten armadillo. Tastes like greasy pork.

[Still Thinking]

How to make squirrel pasties

Please. I mean, they already have fur.

[Bigg Red]

Oh, yeah, the dang house sparrows! Actually, I think that we have a Shakespeare fan who once lived in NYC to thank for that one. IIRC, he was bothered by the fact that in America we did not have all of the birds that were mentioned in Shakespeare’s works, so he had some house sparrows brought here. Of course, this was back in the 19th century, so he can be excused for not realizing it’s not nice to fool Mother Nature this way....

[hiredhand]

Oh man! You got that right! I’ll eat a squirrel in a heartbeat! They make the BEST breakfast gravy & buscuits! You have to cut the meat up really small and brown it first, but it’s yummy! :-)

[hiredhand]

I've gone through most of this thread and have come to the conclusion that there will be a lot of hungry "city folks" if food becomes in short supply or unavailable through our current supply systems. Squirrel is at least palatable. I can't say the same for Possum. I just don't like possums and would prefer not eat them at ALL. But I think too many people have been conditioned to believe that unless "meat" comes from the Winn Dixie meat counter with a USDA sticker on it, that it's going to kill us. If things keep getting "tough" we'll see how the picky eaters fare. My family and I intend to at LEAST stay well fed! :-)

Speaking of which... we've got TOO many wethers (neutered male goats) and we butchered two of them this weekend. They were young and TASTY...VERY yummy! My wife cooked it up with some sort of garlic basting and we chowed on it with roast taters and it was GOOD!

[Gilbo_3]

unless "meat" comes from the Winn Dixie meat counter with a USDA sticker on it, that it's going to kill us

Although raised in the 'big city', Ive always tried different game when available...most has been deemed at least 'okay'...

A bud o' mine eats anything that aint nailed down...ALWAYS has somethin interestin...though I dont think even he'd eat possum unless it was all there wuz...

He get ALL the deer roadkill in Marion co...sherriff/game warden has him on speed dial for 24/7 pick up of fresh 'meat'...