Salmonsmoker
09-12-2000, 06:23 AM
With all of this discussion in the General Hunting Forum about Woodchuck, it seems like a good time to post a recipe that will turn one of them into good food.
Yes. Woodchuck is eddible - the meat is dark and tastes somewhat like beaver meat (I had beaver meat one time, prepared by an old-timmer who knew what he was doing - it was good). Young (half grown) Chucks are much better - (mature Chucks tend to be extremely tough and strong flavored.) My first experience with cooking Chuck was with a mature one. It was not good. The second (and last) experience was with young ones. It was good, however, it takes a lot of time to make it that way.
Game care includes immediate skinning and dressing (being sure to remove the small (pea sized) glands on the inside of the front legs), sectioning and soaking all parts in a vinegar/salt water mixture for 4 hours (half cup of vinegar, 1/4 cup of salt per gallon of water.)
After soaking, remove the meat, dump the water and replace with plain water plus 1/4 c baking soda per gal. and soak meat for an additional 1/2 hour.
Finally, take each piece and rinse it well under running water, then pat dry with a paper towel.
(Indeed, this is a lot of work to do for one Chuck, but, it is good to experiment. If you have several young ones, - probably need one chuck per person being served - it will be enough to make a most-unique meal.)
Now, the meat is ready to cook.
In a pressure cooker, submerge meat in water.
Add 1/2 Cup of soy sauce per 2 qts of water. Add 2 cloves of Garlic crushed. Then put the lid on the cooker and cook at 15 lbs pressure for 20 to 30 minutes. Let the pressure drop slowly.
Next, rinse and dry the meat (discard the water). Place the meat in a open roaster. Add 1 Cup beef broth or boullion. Roast for 30 minutes - until nicely browned. Sprinkle the top with garlic powder, and serve.
The problem most people have with the more exotic game meats like Woodchuck is that they do not take the time to prepare it in a manner that produces good food.
Woodchuck can be made into a good meal. Is it worth the time it takes to do so? That is something that each one has to decide for themselves. For me it was an outdoor eating adventure - worth doing well - one time.
ss
Yes. Woodchuck is eddible - the meat is dark and tastes somewhat like beaver meat (I had beaver meat one time, prepared by an old-timmer who knew what he was doing - it was good). Young (half grown) Chucks are much better - (mature Chucks tend to be extremely tough and strong flavored.) My first experience with cooking Chuck was with a mature one. It was not good. The second (and last) experience was with young ones. It was good, however, it takes a lot of time to make it that way.
Game care includes immediate skinning and dressing (being sure to remove the small (pea sized) glands on the inside of the front legs), sectioning and soaking all parts in a vinegar/salt water mixture for 4 hours (half cup of vinegar, 1/4 cup of salt per gallon of water.)
After soaking, remove the meat, dump the water and replace with plain water plus 1/4 c baking soda per gal. and soak meat for an additional 1/2 hour.
Finally, take each piece and rinse it well under running water, then pat dry with a paper towel.
(Indeed, this is a lot of work to do for one Chuck, but, it is good to experiment. If you have several young ones, - probably need one chuck per person being served - it will be enough to make a most-unique meal.)
Now, the meat is ready to cook.
In a pressure cooker, submerge meat in water.
Add 1/2 Cup of soy sauce per 2 qts of water. Add 2 cloves of Garlic crushed. Then put the lid on the cooker and cook at 15 lbs pressure for 20 to 30 minutes. Let the pressure drop slowly.
Next, rinse and dry the meat (discard the water). Place the meat in a open roaster. Add 1 Cup beef broth or boullion. Roast for 30 minutes - until nicely browned. Sprinkle the top with garlic powder, and serve.
The problem most people have with the more exotic game meats like Woodchuck is that they do not take the time to prepare it in a manner that produces good food.
Woodchuck can be made into a good meal. Is it worth the time it takes to do so? That is something that each one has to decide for themselves. For me it was an outdoor eating adventure - worth doing well - one time.
ss