Squirrel Stew (Appalachian)
intro
A rustic, hearty mountain staple from the Appalachian region, slow-simmered with tender wild squirrel, root vegetables, and herbs for deep, old-fashioned comfort.
Ingredients
Steps
Coat the squirrel pieces
In a shallow dish, mix 60g all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, all the black pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder until evenly combined. Dredge each patted-dry squirrel piece in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess coating so only a thin, even layer remains on all surfaces.
Sear the squirrel pieces
Heat 45ml vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed 5L Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers (approximately 175°C). Working in 2 batches to avoid crowding the pot, sear squirrel pieces for 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden brown on all surfaces. Transfer seared pieces to a clean plate and set aside.
Saute the aromatic base
Reduce stovetop heat to medium, leaving 1 tablespoon of rendered oil in the Dutch oven. Add diced onion, chopped celery, and minced garlic, cooking for 5 minutes and stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and turn translucent, scraping up any browned fond bits from the pot bottom as you stir.
Slow simmer the squirrel
Return seared squirrel pieces to the Dutch oven, pour in 1L chicken broth, add dried thyme and the whole bay leaf, and stir to combine. Bring the liquid to a gentle rolling boil, then reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes, until squirrel meat is nearly tender and pulls easily from the bone but does not fall off completely.
Add root vegetables
Uncover the pot, stir in the cut carrot and potato chunks, pushing them down to submerge fully in the broth. Return the lid to the pot, continue simmering on low heat for 25 minutes, until potatoes and carrots are fork-tender but not mushy.
Finish and season the stew
Stir in frozen corn, frozen lima beans, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, simmering uncovered for 10 minutes until beans and corn are heated through. Turn off the heat, remove and discard the bay leaf, stir in 15ml apple cider vinegar, and taste to adjust salt and pepper if needed before serving.
Tips
2.Avoid simmering the stew at a high, rolling boil for extended periods, as this will make squirrel meat tough and stringy rather than fall-off-the-bone tender.
3.The tablespoon of apple cider vinegar added at the end cuts through the richness of the meat and starchy root vegetables, brightening the stew’s deep, savory flavor—do not skip this step.
OMG, I grew up eating my papaw’s squirrel stew every fall and this recipe is dead on! Used 3 gray squirrels we got on our last hunt out in the hills, added a little extra diced russet potato like we always do, and the whole family fought over seconds at our Sunday dinner. SO good, took me right back to sitting on his porch after a morning hunt. 10/10 will make again once squirrel season opens back up next month!
Tried this for our annual hunting camp potluck last weekend and it was a total hit! I was a little nervous because half the guys there swear by their own family recipes, but even the oldest guy in camp asked for the recipe. Cooked it over the campfire in a cast iron Dutch oven for an extra 30 minutes so the meat was fall-off-the-bone tender, absolute game changer.
I know squirrel sounds wild to folks who didn’t grow up with wild game, but I promise if you give this a shot it’s so similar to a really rich, tender chicken stew! I got pre-dressed squirrel from a local wild game butcher here in town so I didn’t have to deal with cleaning them, super easy even for a weeknight meal if you prep the veggies ahead.
Made this for my grandkids last night and even my pickiest eater who turns his nose up at anything “different” had two bowls! I left out the lima beans because none of us like them, swapped in extra corn and okra, and it turned out perfect. The seasoning ratio is spot on, not too heavy, just that cozy comfort food vibe we love.
Meal prepped a big batch of this on Sunday and it’s held up perfectly all week for lunches! The flavors get even better after sitting in the fridge for a day or two, honestly. I portioned it out with a side of cornbread muffins and it’s been the best work lunch I’ve had all month. Will be adding this to my regular wild game rotation for sure.
Okay, total newbie here—this was my first time ever cooking squirrel after getting two on my first ever hunt last weekend. I followed the recipe exactly, was panicking I’d mess it up, but it turned out incredible? My roommate said it’s better than the beef stew his mom makes, which is the highest compliment possible. Quick question though, can you freeze the leftovers?
Solid medium difficulty recipe, wasn’t too fussy even for someone who doesn’t make stew that often. I did mess up and over-brown the onions at the start, but it just added a nice deep caramelized flavor that worked really well. Used a mix of gray and fox squirrels, didn’t notice any difference in taste. Served with buttermilk biscuits, chef’s kiss.
Y’all, I’ve been making squirrel stew for 20 years and I can’t believe I never thought to add a bay leaf and a pinch of paprika like this recipe says. That little addition took my regular stew from good to “my husband asked if I hid a secret ingredient” good. Can’t believe how much depth that adds! Total game changer.
Brought this to our neighborhood fall block party and people were lined up for seconds! A bunch of people had never tried squirrel before and were super skeptical at first, but by the end of the night the pot was completely empty. I did add a can of diced tomatoes like my mom always does, but otherwise stuck to the recipe exactly. Will be making this every fall from now on.
Wild game is such an affordable way to feed a big family if you hunt, and this recipe makes enough to feed 6 people easily with just a couple squirrels. I fed my family of 5 for under $5 total (since we hunted the squirrels ourselves and all the veggies came from our garden) and everyone left full and happy. Can’t beat that price for comfort food!
Made this after a 3 day backpacking trip in the Smokies, used a couple squirrels we harvested on the trail, dried veggies we packed in, and cooked it over my backpacking stove. It was the best backcountry meal I’ve ever had, hit so different after days of energy bars and freeze dried food. 10/10 for backcountry cooking if you plan ahead.
So happy this recipe is naturally gluten free if you skip the flour thickener! I used a little cornstarch slurry to thicken it up instead and it turned out perfect, no weird texture, no gluten, and my whole family (even the non-gluten free folks) loved it. Great cozy meal for cold rainy fall days.
Now let me tell ya, most online squirrel stew recipes are all wrong, too many fancy spices, not enough of that simple mountain flavor. But this one? This is the real deal. Tastes just like what my momma made back in the holler when I was a kid. The only thing I did different was add a handful of drop dumplings on top the last 15 minutes of cooking, just like she did.
Added a diced jalapeño and a dash of cayenne to give it a little kick, and wow that was the move. It cuts through the richness of the meat and potatoes perfectly, adds just a little heat without overpowering that classic stew flavor. If you like spicy food I highly recommend giving that a shot, you won’t regret it.
Help! I tried making this last night and the meat was really tough? I cooked it for the full 2 hours like the recipe said, did I do something wrong? I used two squirrels I got from the butcher, maybe they were older? Really want to get this right because the flavor was amazing even with the tough meat.
Made this for the first cold night of the year last week and it was the coziest meal ever. The house smelled amazing for hours while it simmered, even my neighbor knocked on the door asking what I was cooking because it smelled so good. Served with a side of apple butter slathered cornbread and it was the perfect fall dinner. 10/10 will be a seasonal staple in our house.