How to Skin a Rabbit/Squirrel
To learn how to skin a rabbit/squirrell, you first need to know how to take the skin from the animal. Its meat is softer than rabbit’s and has a rich flavor. Moreover, you can also cure or cook it using bacon fat. If you have a small garden, a rabbit or a squirrel makes a great addition to your vegetable garden.
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Squirrel meat is softer than rabbit meat
Though squirrels are often compared to rabbits, their meat is a bit softer. Rabbits’ hides are easily removed, while the skin of a squirrel is more tightly attached to the muscle tissues. To skin a squirrel, start by pinching the fur on the back of the animal until a gap is created. Then, using a sharp knife, split the skin down the back in two directions. Once you’ve sliced the skin, remove the organs, and clean out the rest of the animal.
If you’re looking for a meaty game dinner, squirrel is an excellent choice. While young squirrel meat is tender, older squirrel meat is slightly darker and may need marinating and long cooking. To cook squirrel meat, soak the animal overnight in salt water. Then, cut it into bite-size pieces and fry it in a skillet. Parboiling is similar to frying and you can add seasonings just like you would with rabbit meat.
It has a rich flavor
There are several ways to cook the rabbit meat. While it’s not as popular in the United States as chicken, the meat has a rich flavor. Many ethnic markets sell rabbit, and a few chefs have begun bringing the meat to the U.S. market. The meat from rabbit is surprisingly good and tastes better than chicken. To prepare rabbit meat, you should brine it first in a covered bowl of water for 24 hours.
The rabbit is usually joined into five parts: the saddle, two hind legs, two front legs, rib cage, and spleen. This rich flavor of rabbit meat has led to it being referred to as chicken meat. The rabbit is typically made into meat by soaking it overnight in a salty bath. Salting the meat overnight helps to eliminate its gamey taste.
It can be cooked in bacon fat
Skinning a rabbit/squirl in the bacon fat is a delicious way to prepare it for dinner. The rabbit’s meat is tender and juicy, and the bacon fat is a natural degreaser. Moreover, it keeps the meat moist and fresh for a long time. This recipe freezes well. To make rabbit stew, you will need rabbit meat, bacon fat, brown bean kernels, bones, and water. Bone broth is a good option for making rabbit stew.
First, you must gut the rabbit. To do so, cut a horizontal slit across the belly without piercing the intestines. Next, separate the rabbit’s heart and lungs. Remove the intestines. After that, cut the skin off. Now, you’re ready to cook the rabbit. If you’ve got time, add some bacon fat to it.
It can be cured
There are several ways to cure rabbit/squirrels’ skin. Salt and air can help the hide soften, but these methods aren’t effective for softer animals. To cure rabbit/squirrel skin, make sure you first prepare the animal’s skin by washing it thoroughly. Then, apply a liberal amount of salt to the skin. Be sure to cover all folds and edges, including the head and tail. Repeat this process once the first application of salt is saturated. It can take two to four days to cure a rabbit/squirrel hide, and ten to fourteen days for smaller animals.
It can be gutted
To gut a rabbit or squirrel, you first have to kill it. It’s easy to do this by cutting off the tail, as close to the body as possible. Then, simply split the rabbit in half from the head to the tail and remove the back legs. The legs are then removed from the body by scraping them off the skin. You can then use your kitchen scissors to remove the innards.
Once the animal is dead, it’s time to prep it. Male squirrels require extra prep work. Remove the penis and gonads. Cut a vertical slit and insert your fingers. Run the knife between your fingers until it reaches the innards. Remove the entrails before gutting a female. Make sure that you don’t puncture any guts when skinning a female squirrel.
What tools do you need to skin a rabbit or squirrel?
All you need is a sharp knife.
How do you remove the skin from a rabbit or squirrel?
Make a cut around the leg at the base of the foot and peel the skin up to the body.
Then make a cut along the belly from the anus to the base of the neck and peel the skin off in one piece.
How do you remove the head and feet from a skinned rabbit or squirrel?
Cut through the skin and flesh at the base of the neck and pull the head and feet off.
How do you remove the entrails from a skinned rabbit or squirrel?
Make a cut along the underside of the animal from the anus to the base of the neck.
Then reach in and pull the entrails out.
How do you remove the liver heart and lungs from a skinned rabbit or squirrel?
Cut through the diaphragm and pull out the organs.
How do you remove the kidneys from a skinned rabbit or squirrel?
Lift up the loin muscles and cut around the kidney to remove it.
How do you remove the pelt from a skinned rabbit or squirrel?
Cut through the flesh and skin around the neck and hind legs.
Then peel the pelt off in one piece starting at the hind legs and working your way up to the neck.
How do you remove the tail from a skinned rabbit or squirrel?
Cut through the flesh and skin at the base of the tail and pull it off.
How do you remove the eyes from a skinned rabbit or squirrel?
Cut through the flesh and skin around the eyes and pull them out.
How do you remove the ears from a skinned rabbit or squirrel?
Cut through the flesh and skin at the base of the ears and pull them off.
How do you remove the hair from a skinned rabbit or squirrel?
Use a sharp knife to scrape the hair off in the direction it grows.
How do you remove the brain from a skinned rabbit or squirrel?
Cut through the flesh and skin at the base of the skull and pull the brain out.
How do you remove the blood from a skinned rabbit or squirrel?
Rinse the carcass in cold water and then soak it in a solution of 1 part vinegar to 10 parts water.
How do you remove the scent glands from a skinned rabbit or squirrel?
Cut through the flesh and skin around the scent glands and remove them.
How do you flay a skinned rabbit or squirrel?
Cut through the flesh and skin around the neck hind legs and tail.
Then peel the skin off in one piece starting at the hind legs and working your way up to the neck.
Jessica Watson is a PHD holder from the University of Washington. She studied behavior and interaction between squirrels and has presented her research in several wildlife conferences including TWS Annual Conference in Winnipeg.
