Chicken Fried Squirrel with Morel Gravy
Typically squirrels are a target of opportunity for me. I will often use them for upland stews, with quail and rabbit.
I have tried to make fried squirrel on several occasions, all of which resulted in tough and chewy squirrel. I really wanted to make this work and my wife has recently purchased an instant pot. This seemed like a perfect opportunity to test a new method for making fried squirrel.
The end result was fantastic. Better than I could have hoped for. Yes, it's as delicious as it looks. Squirrels have moved from a target of opportunity to a target species for me, from now on.
- Prep Time15 min
- Cook Time50 min
- Total Time1 hr 5 min
Ingredients
Fried Squirrel
- 1 whole large squirrel, cut into 6-8 pieces
- 1 cup stock (chicken, turkey or other fowl)
- 1/2 cup almond milk or regular milk
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
Gravy
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 2 Tbsp butter, unsalted
- 6-8 medium dried morels
- 1 cup water
- 1-2 tsp dried sage (to your taste)
- 3 Tbsp heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Brussel Sprouts
- 1lb Brussel sprouts
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 tsp truffle salt
- pepper to taste
Method
Add morels to 1 cup of water and allow to sit for an hour or two to re-hydrate.
Squirrel
Put squirrel in instant pot. Add 1 cup of stock. Pressure cook on manual for 25 minutes.
Remove squirrel from instant pot and allow to cool for a half hour. Set aside stock. Prep Brussel sprouts and gravy while cooling.
Pour milk in a container large enough to dip and fully coat squirrel pieces. Mix flour, panko, salt, pepper and smoked paprika and place mixture on a plate.
Once squirrel has cooled, bread each piece by dipping in milk, then into panko/flour mix.
Fry squirrel 3 pieces at a time in hot oil until golden brown and crispy. Serve smothered in morel gravy.
Morel Gravy
Remove morels from liquid and chop. Set liquid aside to reuse.
Heat 2 Tbsp butter until melted and clarified.
Slowly add flour to pan with butter, stirring constantly. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until color begins to develop in roux.
Mix stock reserved from squirrel and liquid from re-hydrating morels. Slowly add to roux, stirring as you add, until gravy reaches desired thickness.
Combine chopped morels, heavy cream and sage with the liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Brussel Sprouts
Preheat oven to 425F
Place sprouts on a flat pan lined with foil.
Pour olive oil over sprouts, season with truffle salt and pepper.
Cook in oven at 425 for 15-20 minutes until roasted to your liking.
