What Does Squirrel Taste Like
What Does Squirrel Taste Like
Squirrel is a wild game alternative to the usual animals harvested for meat. It can be found on restaurant menus across the country, from pasta dishes to game fries. Squirrel has been spotted on menus at restaurants such as The Waffle House and even served in beer at a Milwaukee brewery. Most squirrel meat comes from the tail and hind legs, which are dark and slightly gamey but not as much as venison or rabbit.
Squirrels have become a wild game alternative to the usual animals harvested for meat.
Squirrels are a popular game animal and have become an alternative to the usual animals harvested for meat.
- Squirrels are a good source of protein, fat, and iron.
- A squirrel’s meat has a similar taste to chicken or duck.
- Squirrel has been compared to pork in terms of flavor and texture (though squirrel is leaner).
Squirrel has been found on restaurant menus across the country, from pasta dishes to game fries.
Squirrel is a unique form of meat that has become popular in recent years due to its versatility and distinct flavor. Squirrel meat can be used in everything from pasta dishes to game fries, making it an excellent alternative to venison and rabbit. The fact that it’s considered a wild game delicacy only adds to its appeal—it’s often sought after by hunters who prefer their meals organic and healthful.
To understand why this furry little creature has been so well received by chefs (and diners), let’s take a closer look at what makes squirrel taste so good.
Most squirrel meat comes from the tail and hind legs.
Most squirrel meat comes from the tail and hind legs. Squirrels are also known to have a pungent, gamey flavor similar to rabbit, but not as strong.
Squirrels that are plumpest in the autumn months tend to offer better-quality meat than those that have been feeding on nuts or seeds during the summer months. If you decide to go hunting for your own, check out our guide on how to prepare wild squirrels for cooking so you get the best results possible when preparing them for a meal!
Because of their smaller size and lower fat content, squirrels require less time preheating than your average chicken or turkey would when roasted in an oven.[3] However, because they’re small animals with high water content (approximately 75% moisture) they’ll need more time than larger animals such as beef cows or pigs.[4]
Wild squirrel meat is dark and slightly gamey, but not as much as venison or rabbit.
Squirrel is a dark meat, similar to rabbit and venison in color. Unlike chicken or turkey, which are both white meat, squirrel is darker than either of those two. The taste is not as strong as that of venison, but you will still find it has a slightly gamey flavor. If you’re like me and tend to enjoy wild game meats over their farmed counterparts, then you may appreciate this characteristic of squirrel meat!
Squirrel can also be prepared on the grill or in a smoker like other barbecue meats.
- Smoke flavor
- Grill flavor
- Can be prepared in a variety of ways
Squirrel tastes similar to rabbit, especially when fried or prepared in a stew.
If you’ve ever had rabbit, then you already know that squirrel meat is similar to it. Squirrel meat is dark and slightly gamey, but not as gamy as venison or rabbit. The dark color of the meat might make some people think it’s undercooked, but it’s just the way the animal was raised and its diet. It can be prepared in a stew or on the grill like other barbecue meats.
There are endless ways to prepare squirrel.
Squirrel is a versatile meat that can be prepared in countless ways. You’re not limited to simply roasting it, frying it, or grilling it—you can also smoke, stew, and make all sorts of other dishes with the meat. Squirrel can be eaten as an appetizer or snack raw and served on toothpicks, or added to soups and salads. It can even be used as an ingredient in pasta dishes!
If you ever wondered what squirrel tastes like, now you know!
- Squirrel is a good source of protein.
- Per 3 ounces (the size of a deck of cards), squirrel contains 10 grams of protein—more than chicken and turkey (about 7 grams per 3 ounces) and beef (6 grams).
- Squirrel is also an excellent source of iron, zinc and vitamin B1.
- One serving has more iron than your recommended daily value! That’s thanks to the heme iron found in animal products like red meat, poultry and fish. Heme iron is easier for your body to absorb than non-heme varieties like spinach or nuts—and it works even better when paired with vitamin C-rich foods like citrus fruits or tomatoes.
We hope this has answered your question of what does squirrel taste like! If you have never tried it before, now is the time. Squirrel meat is similar to rabbit and other game meats, but with a little more flavor than chicken or beef. If you want even more ideas on how to prepare squirrel, check out our blog post here where we share some recipes with step-by-step instructions on how they are made.