CasperImproved
Sous Chef
You guys remind me of why I visit here. I did not buy you xmas gifts this year. But you remind me of why I should have.
Hi You All, from Shaver Creek, Arkansas
- Thread starter oldandcrotchety
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
oldandcrotchety
Assistant Cook
Thank you all for the wonderful welcome. What a nice bunch of folks. Ok, what is it you're after? Out with it.... Nah...just tuggin' your pea vine. I wish I could provide you with a good hillbilly recipe, but the fact is, real hillbilly cooking is just the very basic foods on a vagrants budget. When things get tight out here in the woods, it gets down to little more than flour, beans, grits and shine. One thing you may want to try that is not very common to the townies table is groundhog. At first blush it may not sound too good, but really, a groundhog is little more than a squirrel that's too heavy to climb a tree. If you want to try this tasty treat, you will have to wait for warm weather since they hole up at this time of year. I would recommend you take your hog with a .22 magnum rifle. They are very alert and you will be hard pressed to get within shotgun range. Besides, shotguns is for folks that are poor shots and have teeth that can resist the overlooked #6 shot in the meat. ( I cracked a tooth one time on a rabbit a feller gave me that didn't warn me it was took with a shotgun. ) And a regular .22 just ain't up to the job.
Once you have your critter in hand you will need to settle down in the shade to skin and dress it. They don't give up the hide without a lot of work. Tougher to skin than a beaver. But once you got it skinned and gutted and washed off, throw it in a pressure cooker. Most of the hogs I've took is tough, so this part is kind of necessary. I let mine cook at 15 pounds of pressure for about 10 or 15 minutes. You don't want to let it go much longer than that or it may start falling off the bone. (unless you want stew, in which 25 minutes should do it,) After it has been pressured, then you can fix it just like you would squirrel. Fried with flour and pepper coating, baked, or what ever you want. It is actually pretty tasty. I have fed it to a guest one time who thought it was great, until I told her what it was. Wonder what ever happen to that little lady. Haven't seen her since. Oh well, I degress. I like to bake mine at 350° for about an hour and serve with white gravy and home made bisquits, with fried okra and sweet potatoes cooked with butter and brown sugar.
A side note here. Groundhogs and skunks live in much they same environment. Be very sure of your target before you squeeze the trigger. Hope this helps give you an idea for your next meal. Fred
Once you have your critter in hand you will need to settle down in the shade to skin and dress it. They don't give up the hide without a lot of work. Tougher to skin than a beaver. But once you got it skinned and gutted and washed off, throw it in a pressure cooker. Most of the hogs I've took is tough, so this part is kind of necessary. I let mine cook at 15 pounds of pressure for about 10 or 15 minutes. You don't want to let it go much longer than that or it may start falling off the bone. (unless you want stew, in which 25 minutes should do it,) After it has been pressured, then you can fix it just like you would squirrel. Fried with flour and pepper coating, baked, or what ever you want. It is actually pretty tasty. I have fed it to a guest one time who thought it was great, until I told her what it was. Wonder what ever happen to that little lady. Haven't seen her since. Oh well, I degress. I like to bake mine at 350° for about an hour and serve with white gravy and home made bisquits, with fried okra and sweet potatoes cooked with butter and brown sugar.
A side note here. Groundhogs and skunks live in much they same environment. Be very sure of your target before you squeeze the trigger. Hope this helps give you an idea for your next meal. Fred
justplainbill
Executive Chef
What's the undressed (live) weight of your average groundhog?
.22 LR head shots out to 75 yards work well on our woodchucks and a good sized one weighs close to 20 pounds.
.22 LR head shots out to 75 yards work well on our woodchucks and a good sized one weighs close to 20 pounds.
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Please tell me how you make fried okra. I love it, but have never been able to make it like I like it. The frozen stuff stinks. No flavor and too salty.
Many years ago, I tried it with cornflake crumbs, but I couldn't get them to stick. Good flavor, though.
Many years ago, I tried it with cornflake crumbs, but I couldn't get them to stick. Good flavor, though.
oldandcrotchety
Assistant Cook
Sounds about right. 15 to 20 pounds. It's just that I have never been able to get that close to one. About 100 yards minimum around here. Maybe they are just a little more spooky here. I have taken them with a .22 LR before, but a head shot at 100+ yards for me is iffy. I just use the magnum and go for a chest shot where I know I won't miss.
oldandcrotchety
Assistant Cook
Nothing to it. I just go out to the garden and pick however much I want to eat. Never over about 3" long. Longer than that and they start to getting tough. Then I take them into the kitchen and give them a quick rinse. While I am cutting them up I have my skillet with about a cup or so of oil heating up. When the oil is close to smoking it is ready. As far as the coating, all I do is mix up some cornmeal (never cornmeal mix) with some salt and pepper added. I rinse the cut up okra again a handful at a time and while they are still wet, I put them in the corn meal until coated good and then into the pan until they are cooked enough to suit me. Some folks like them pretty soft, so if you do, just don't let them get plumb brown. I like mine a little crunchy, so I leave them cook until they good and brown on both sides.
