Squirrel au Vin
Squirrel au Vin
30 Min
Prep Time
150 Min
Cook Time
5-7
Servings
Medium
Difficulty
What happens when classic French Cuisine meets a redneck kid with a passion for squirrel hunting? Squirrel au Vin, or simply, Squirrel with Wine. The recipe first became popular in the French countryside as a tasty way to use up tough old roosters that were no longer needed. Old rooster, old squirrel, there isn't much difference in the tenderness department.
The cooking process isn't all that complicated. This is another one-pot meal that can be started on the stovetop and finished low and slow in the oven. Perhaps the most complicated part of the recipe is peeling the pearl onions. A handy trick is to drop the onions in pot of boiling water for one to two minutes, then scoop them out and drop them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. The quick blanch will loosen the skin so that it slips right off the tiny onion.
Ingredients
1/2 lb bacon slices, diced
20 pearl onions, peeled, or 1 large yellow onion, sliced
3 squirrels, quartered
6 garlic cloves, peeled
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups red wine
2 bay leaves
Several fresh thyme sprigs
Several fresh parsley sprigs
1/2 lb button mushrooms, trimmed and roughly chopped
4 Tbsp butter
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Marinade
1 cup red wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Cooking Instructions
Place the squirrel into a glass or plastic container or zip-style bag. Mix the marinade ingredients and pour over the squirrel meat. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
Brown bacon on medium-high heat in a Dutch oven big enough to hold the squirrel, about 10 minutes. Remove the cooked bacon, set aside. Keep the bacon fat in the pan. Add onions to the pan.
