Coon (Raccoon)
intro
Tender, rich slow-braised wild game rooted in rural Southern US hunting tradition, cooked with warm spices and root vegetables for deep, savory comfort.
Ingredients
Steps
Brine the raccoon meat
In a large non-reactive stockpot, combine 2L cold water, 120g kosher salt, and 240ml apple cider vinegar, stirring until salt fully dissolves. Submerge the cut raccoon pieces fully in the brine, cover, and refrigerate for 12 hours to draw out gamey blood and tenderize the meat. Remove from brine, rinse thoroughly under cold running water, and pat completely dry with paper towels.
Sear the meat pieces
Heat 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter in a heavy-bottomed 5.5L Dutch oven over medium-high heat (190°C / 375°F). Season dried raccoon pieces evenly with 1 tablespoon (7g) smoked paprika. Work in 2 batches to avoid crowding the pot, searing each piece 4-5 minutes per side until deep golden brown on all surfaces. Transfer seared meat to a clean plate and set aside.
Sauté the aromatic vegetables
Reduce stovetop heat to medium (165°C / 325°F). Add quartered onions, carrot chunks, celery chunks, and crushed garlic to the remaining butter and meat drippings in the Dutch oven. Sauté for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and develop light caramelized edges. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon (7g) smoked paprika, dried sage, whole black peppercorns, and bay leaves, cooking for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Slow braise the coon
Return seared raccoon pieces to the Dutch oven, nestling them into the bed of cooked aromatics. Pour in 720ml (3 cups) low-sodium chicken broth, bringing the liquid to a gentle simmer (small bubbles breaking the surface every 2-3 seconds). Cover with a tight-fitting lid, transfer to a preheated 160°C (325°F) oven, and cook for 2 hours 45 minutes until meat is fork-tender and pulls easily away from the bone.
Thicken the braising gravy
Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven, transfer tender raccoon pieces and cooked vegetables to a warm serving platter, and cover loosely with aluminum foil to rest for 10 minutes. Place the Dutch oven back on the stovetop over medium heat, whisk 2 tablespoons (16g) all-purpose flour into the remaining braising liquid, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until gravy thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Adjust seasoning with extra salt and pepper if desired.
Plate and serve hot
Place one piece of braised raccoon and a 120g (½ cup) scoop of cooked root vegetables on each of 4 warm dinner plates. Ladle 60ml (¼ cup) of thickened gravy over each serving, and serve immediately while hot.
Tips
2.Trim every bit of visible silver skin and excess fat from the raccoon before brining, as the fat and connective tissue hold most of the strong, gamey musk that many first-time eaters find off-putting.
3.For a classic traditional Southern pairing, serve this braised coon with baked sweet potatoes, stewed collard greens, and crumbly buttermilk cornbread to soak up the rich, savory gravy.
OMG y'all, I was so nervous to cook raccoon for our annual fall hunting camp potluck but this recipe was a GAME CHANGER! The slow braise made it so fall-off-the-bone tender, no weird gamey taste at all thanks to that pre-soak tip. My cousins went back for thirds, even the picky teen who turns his nose up at anything that isn't fast food.
I made this for Sunday family dinner last week and my kids loved it! I was worried they'd think it was weird to eat raccoon but once I told them it was "special slow cooked pork" at first they ate two helpings each, then thought it was cool when I told them what it actually was. The braising liquid with onions and bell pepper smelled so good the whole house smelled amazing for hours. Only note: I added a little extra hot sauce at the end, per my family's preference. SO good, will make again.
Wait, people actually eat raccoon? I grew up in the Chicago suburbs and had no idea this was a thing. The recipe looks really well written, and it being medium difficulty makes sense for something I've never cooked before. Maybe I'll try it if my hunting buddy brings one over this deer season, seems like it'd be a fun weekend experiment.
Cooked this up last night with a coon my neighbor trapped out by his chicken coop. Followed the recipe exactly, 3 hours 20 minutes cook time was spot on, didn't rush the braise. Served it up with collard greens and cornbread, just like my granddaddy used to make. Tasted exactly like I remembered from childhood, no notes. 10/10.
So happy to find a wild game recipe that's naturally gluten free! I swapped the regular soy sauce for tamari like I do for all my braises, and it turned out perfect. Served it over roasted sweet potatoes for my weekly meal prep, and the leftovers held up amazing all week for lunches. Will definitely be adding this to my regular rotation during hunting season.
Okay, full transparency: this was my first time ever cooking any kind of wild game, period. I was so intimidated, but the step by step instructions were so easy to follow, even for a total newbie. The only mistake I made was cutting the braise short by 20 minutes because I was hungry, so a couple pieces were a little tougher than they should've been, but even then it was still really tasty. Next time I'll be patient and let it go the full time!
I upped the cayenne and added a couple tablespoons of my homemade BBQ rub to the braising liquid, and it slapped. If you like a little more heat, don't be scared to tweak the seasoning to your taste. The base recipe is solid, it can handle whatever add-ins you throw at it.
Brought this to my office potluck yesterday and people were losing their minds! Half the people had never tried raccoon before and were asking for the recipe before they even finished their first bite. I did the pre-soak overnight instead of for 4 hours like the recipe says because I had time, and I swear the meat was even more mild than pot roast. 10/10, will be making this for every fall gathering from now on.
Ain't no coon recipe better than a slow braised one, I've been cooking em for 50 years and this recipe is as close to my pap's as I've found online. Only thing I do different is throw in a couple bay leaves and a splash of Worcestershire, but that's just old habit. Real solid recipe, good for folks learning how to cook coon the right way, no fancy nonsense.
Made this on a lazy Saturday after my kid's soccer game. Let me tell you, after running around all morning to practices and errands, coming home to that smell in the house was unbeatable. We ate it with mac and cheese and green beans, classic Southern comfort food. The only con? It made so many leftovers that we're still eating it, but that's not really a con, that's meal prep winning!
I don't even eat meat but I showed this recipe to my partner who hunts, and he's obsessed. He's made it twice already and says it's the best wild game recipe he's ever tried. He keeps trying to get me to take a bite, maybe one of these days! The instructions look really clear even from a non-meat eater's perspective.
I smoked the coon for an hour first before braising it like the recipe said, just to add a little extra smoke flavor, and holy cow it was incredible. The smoke cut through the richness of the braise perfectly, paired so well with the onion and pepper gravy it makes. Highly recommend adding that smoke step if you have a smoker, it's a total game changer.
Wild game is such a budget friendly way to feed a crowd, and this recipe doesn't require any fancy expensive ingredients! I already had all the veggies, seasonings, and broth in my pantry, so all I needed was the raccoon which my brother gave me for free from his hunting trip. Fed 6 people for under $10 total, you can't beat that. Way better than expensive takeout, that's for sure.
I was fully expecting to hate this, my cousin made me try it at our family Labor Day cookout. I'm the pickiest eater on the planet, I basically only eat chicken nuggets, pizza, and mac and cheese normally. Shockingly? It was really good! Tasted a lot like really tender dark turkey meat almost, and the onion and pepper gravy was chef's kiss. I might even make it myself someday, never thought I'd say that out loud.
I've been making slow braised coon for decades, and I have to say this recipe's ratio of aromatics to broth is perfect. I used to just eyeball everything, but following the exact measurements here made it turn out even better than my usual version. My husband said it's the best I've ever made, which is high praise coming from a man who's been eating coon since he was a kid. Served it with black-eyed peas and buttermilk biscuits, true Southern Sunday supper.
My roommates and I found an old animal trap our landlord left in the basement of our rental, caught a raccoon behind the house, and decided to look up a recipe on a total whim. We had no clue what we were doing, but this recipe was so easy to follow even for a bunch of sleep-deprived college kids with barely any cooking skills. It turned out way better than we expected, we demolished the whole thing in like 15 minutes. 10/10, would cook random backyard wild game again with this recipe. Wait, is that safe? Eh, we didn't get sick so I think we're fine.
Perfect low carb, high protein meal! No weird added sugars, just meat, veggies, and broth. I ate it with cauliflower mash instead of potatoes to keep it low carb, and it was so satisfying. Great for anyone on a keto or low carb diet who's tired of eating chicken and beef every week. Great way to switch up the protein rotation.