No, I didn’t kill one of those that invade my garden, but I would very happily do so if I didn’t think some of my neighbours would object! Once a year the game stall on the market sells squirrel after there has been a cull on a local estate. Last year I only considered it, this year I bought one.
Having got it home I didn’t have a clue how to cook it of course, and the internet only seemed to suggest barbecuing it. I don’t do barbecues and certainly not at this time of year and in the rain! Having been told it is like rabbit, I decided to treat it like rabbit and casserole it. I emailed a friend – the only one I could think of who would consider eating squirrel – and although I didn’t get her reply until after I had eaten the first portion of it, she agreed that casserole was probably the answer.
So I fried the onions and some celery and portions of the squirrel and put them in a casserole dish with carrot and mushrooms.
I put the oven on at about 175°C and put the casserole in. It was actually in for about 3½ hours, which was longer than I intended – I got distracted by talking to too many people at church. It did make the meat very tender though! I had it with rice and parsnips.
So what was it like? Very much like rabbit, but perhaps a little stronger taste. There was much less meat than a rabbit, of course, and the bones were much smaller so I had to be quite careful not to choke on one. I must remember that when I eat the other 2 portions which I have put in the freezer.
So would I have it again? Probably not. It was OK, but quite expensive at nearly £1 for a pound. Most of the cost must have gone on the skinning and gutting which must have been quite time consuming for the amount of meat. And the bones are a bit small and the proportion of meat to bone is also quite low. I am glad I have tried it though!