This slow-simmered stew is the perfect thing to spoon over a bowl of rice. Similar to gumbo, it starts with the trinity of bell pepper, onion and celery, but simmers pieces of squirrel in a flavorful red gravy until they’re tender enough to fall from the bone.

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This cajun inspired stew makes even the toughest squirrel fall-off-the-bone tender and delicious. Images by author

The flavor gets another kick from sliced smoked sausage, one of our favorite ingredients for just about everything. Worcestershire Sauce, red wine, diced tomatoes and beef broth make up the liquid portion of the recipe.

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Tomatoes, red wine and rich beef stock make up the liquid portion of the stew.

Quarter the squirrels and remove the ribs. There isn’t a ton of meat on them anyway, and they tend to fall off and float around in the finished dish. They don’t hurt anything, but picking them out takes time and slows down the eating. Something you won’t want to happen once you taste this one.

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Quarter the squirrels and remove the rib sections before cooking.

Heat a quarter inch of vegetable oil in a heavy Dutch oven. Salt and pepper the squirrel pieces heavily. Brown the squirrel in the hot oil for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the squirrel from the pan and add the diced vegetables and garlic. Stir well and sauté until the onions and peppers are soft. Add the flour and stir well to coat the vegetables. Add the sausage to the pan and return the squirrel pieces.

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Season and brown the squirrel meat in hot oil.

Add the tomatoes, beef broth, red wine, and Worcestershire Sauce. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer. Add the Cajun seasoning and stir well. Cover the pot and simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours or until the squirrel is fully tender. Serve over white rice.

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