Possum and Sweet Potatoes
intro
A hearty rustic Southern Appalachian staple of slow-braised tender possum paired with spiced, caramelized sweet potatoes, balancing deep savory and warm sweet flavors.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep and cure possum
Rinse the dressed possum thoroughly under cold running water, then pat completely dry with paper towels. Rub the entire exterior and cavity with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt and all 60 ml of apple cider vinegar. Set the possum on a wire rack over a baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour to draw out gamey residual blood.
Sear possum until golden
Preheat your oven to 160°C (325°F). Heat 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter in a 5.5L heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high stovetop heat (190°C). Once the butter foams and the foam subsides, place the possum in the pot, searing 4 minutes per side on all exposed surfaces until deep, even golden brown. Transfer seared possum to a clean plate and set aside.
Sauté aromatic base
Reduce stovetop heat to medium (175°C). Add the 200g diced yellow onion to the remaining fat in the Dutch oven, cooking for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the 12g minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried sage, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper, cooking for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the 240ml chicken broth, scraping all browned fond bits from the pot bottom with a wooden spoon.
Slow braise the possum
Return the seared possum to the Dutch oven, nestling it into the broth and onion mixture. Seal the pot tightly with its lid, then transfer to the preheated 160°C (325°F) oven. Braise for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the possum meat is tender when pierced with a fork but not yet falling off the bone.
Layer in sweet potatoes
Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven using heat-resistant oven mitts, then lift off the lid. Arrange the 900g of cut sweet potato rounds in a single even layer around and partially over the possum. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of packed brown sugar evenly over the sweet potatoes, then dot the potato surfaces with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cut butter. Replace the lid tightly.
Finish cooking and rest
Return the covered Dutch oven to the 160°C (325°F) oven, cooking for an additional 40 minutes until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender with caramelized edges, and the possum meat pulls easily from the bone. Remove the pot from the oven, and let it rest, covered, for 15 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute evenly through the meat.
Tips
2.If young, properly dressed possum is unavailable, substitute 1.2 kg of bone-in pork shoulder for a similar rich, fatty texture, though the final flavor will be milder than traditional wild game.
3.For an authentic Appalachian twist, add 1 sliced tart green apple (150g, cored) in with the sweet potatoes to add a bright, fruity balance to the rich meat and sweet potatoes.
Y’all, I grew up eating possum at my granddaddy’s Sunday suppers and haven’t had it in 20 years since he passed. Followed this recipe exact, slow braised it just like he used to, paired with those tender sweet potatoes? OMG it tasted exactly like I remembered. My whole family went back for seconds, even my picky teen who turns his nose up at anything that isn’t fast food. Total game changer for our fall dinner rotation!
I’ll be honest, I was super skeptical about cooking possum! I saw this recipe pop up and decided to give it a go when my local exotic meat market had frozen possum in stock. The braising liquid with the onions and herbs made the meat so flavorful, the sweet potatoes soaked up all that delicious gravy perfectly. Only knock is I wish the recipe noted how much fat to trim off first, I had to guess a little! Definitely would make again for a quirky dinner party dish.
Brought this to my neighborhood fall potluck and people were losing their minds! I was worried no one would try it, but by the end of the night the pan was completely scraped clean. The sweet potatoes get so caramelized in that braising liquid, they’re honestly my favorite part. SO good, already got three people asking me for the recipe link!
My husband comes home from hunting trips with all kinds of wild game I never know how to cook, and possum used to be my least favorite to prep because it always turned out tough and gamey. This recipe? *Chef’s kiss* The low and slow braise makes the meat fall right off the bone, and the sweet potato balance is perfect. My kids loved it, they thought it was fancy pulled pork at first! No more tossing the possums he brings home, that’s for sure.
Tried this for a wild game themed dinner club, flavor was great but my cook time was way off? After 2 hours 45 minutes the meat was still pretty tough, I had to leave it in for another full hour before it was tender enough to pull. Wondering if maybe the size of the possum matters here? I used a pretty big one, probably close to 8 pounds.
I collect vintage Appalachian and Southern recipes and this is hands down one of the best traditional preparations I’ve ever tested. The balance of savory braising liquid with the sweet, creamy sweet potatoes is exactly what all those old community cookbooks describe but never quite get the seasoning right for. 10/10, will be making this every fall from now on.
Made this for Sunday dinner today! Flavor is incredible, the whole house smelled amazing while it was braising. Only thing is I didn’t have any fresh thyme so I used dried, and it still turned out great, just added a little extra. My 7 year old asked for thirds, which never happens with new recipes! Definitely a keeper.
Threw this on the smoker for the last 30 minutes after braising per the recipe and man oh man, that smoke level took it over the top. The sweet potatoes got that little smoky edge, the meat was so juicy. Served it with a side of collard greens and cornbread, best Saturday meal I’ve made all year.
Wait, I feel like I did something wrong? I followed the recipe step by step but the meat had a really weird, strong gamey taste that even the braising liquid couldn’t cover, and the sweet potatoes were mushy. Did I get a bad possum? I got mine from a guy selling wild game out of a cooler at the gas station, so maybe that was the issue.
Meal prepped this for the week and it holds up so good! Portioned it out into containers with a little extra braising gravy, reheated perfectly in the microwave for lunches all week. The flavor actually gets better after a day or two in the fridge, which is a win for meal prep. Only note is I added a little pinch of cayenne for heat, which paired amazing with the sweet potatoes.
My nana used to make braised possum every Thanksgiving as a joke side until everyone realized how good it was, and I’ve been trying to replicate her recipe for years. This is dead on. The touch of apple cider in the braising liquid is exactly what she used, I can’t believe I forgot that! Tasted like home, made me tear up a little when I took the first bite. Thank you so much for sharing this traditional recipe!
Made this for my guys’ weekend hunting trip and everyone thought I was a professional chef. We had caught a couple young possums on the property the day before, dressed em, threw em in the dutch oven per the recipe, and it was gone in 15 minutes. Served with cold beer, can’t beat it. 10/10, no notes.
So happy this recipe is naturally gluten free! I was worried I’d have to swap out a bunch of ingredients to make it work for my celiac, but the braise is just broth, veggies, herbs, and a little cider — no weird thickeners with wheat. Turned out perfect, didn’t even miss the flour gravy I usually put on braised meats. The whole family could eat it, which is such a win.
Made this for my Halloween themed dinner party and it was such a hit! Told everyone it was “witches’ stew mystery meat” at first and made them guess, no one could believe it was possum once I told them. The sweet potatoes were so sweet and tender, the meat was savory, everyone asked for the recipe. Such a fun, unexpected party dish.
Solid recipe, just like I learned growing up in East Texas. Only change I made was adding a handful of pecans to the sweet potatoes the last 20 minutes of cooking for a little crunch, that’s how my daddy always made it. Turned out real nice, even if I do say so myself. Would recommend this to any young folks wanting to learn real traditional country cooking.
First time ever cooking wild game, let alone possum! My roommate hunts and brought one home, found this recipe, and we made it in our beat up old dorm dutch oven. It actually turned out insane? Like better than the pot roast we made last month. Who knew possum could be so good? 10/10, no fancy equipment needed even.
I’ve tried possum at restaurants in the South before and loved it, so I was excited to make it at home. Flavor was great, but I found the recipe a little light on seasoning? I ended up adding extra salt, pepper, and a splash of hot sauce at the end to brighten it up. Maybe it’s just my taste preference, but I think next time I’ll add more herbs to the braising liquid too.
We raise a little bit of everything on our small homestead and recently had to cull a couple possums that were getting into the chicken coop, so I looked up a recipe to use the meat instead of wasting it. This was absolutely delicious! No waste, no fancy store bought ingredients, everything came right from our farm except the apple cider. Served it with green beans from the garden, perfect farm to table meal.
Hosted our extended family Sunday dinner last weekend and made this as the main dish, paired with mac and cheese, collards, cornbread, and apple pie for dessert. My uncle who says he “don’t eat no weird critters” had two full helpings and asked for the recipe before he left! That’s the highest possible compliment if you ask me. SO good, will be a regular at our family meals now.
First possum I ever caught on my first ever hunting trip, had no clue what to do with it so I looked up this recipe. It turned out way better than I thought it would! The only mistake I made was leaving the sweet potatoes in the whole time, they got a little too soft for my liking. Next time I’ll add them in the last 45 minutes like the recipe says, oops. Still ate every bite though!