Groundhog Dinner Anyone?

[onelastshot]

I know if you search the internet, you will find opinions on virtually any topic and both sides will be covered. So, I decided to ask those who have had first hand experience with groundhogs as table fair. I love venison, squirrel stew, rabbit and a host of other game dishes. I have however never had groundhog. I'm one who believes that one should eat what they shoot when possible. Of the game I've had, Antelope is the only animal I had no use for.

My question is twofold; can groundhog be excellent table fair and if so, what is your preferred receipt? Possibly a stew? braised? sauteed?

Lastly, if they are in fact enjoyable table fair, does it matter what time of the year they are taken?

Thanks.

 

[jonbearman]

From what I have read they have glands that have to be removed and the younger the better.I have heard of barbeques of ground hogs similar to cooking chicken on the grill.I know you can crock pot anything and or stew.

 

[rogn]

What I remember was that the young of the year are out foraging for themselves about now. When theyre the size of a good rabbit they are about right. The adults in my memory were really pretty tough. This in the time before crock pots. From here anyway you want to cook them is OK. There are some nodules that I never found. as well as some "brown fat" between there shoulders. Ibelieve minimzing /trimming fat is a good idea. My favorite was stew or pot pie, slow cooked w/potatoes carrots, turnips. The really young can be fried like rabbit. Time of the year is dependent on the size you want. Spring and early summer; small and lean, later in the year bigger and fatter, and probably tougher.
Figure theyre eating clover, alfalfa,soybeans, corn sprouts, most young garden greens. AS a result they are pretty tasty. We unfortunately dont have any #s in this area yet.

 

[RJinTexas]

I heard that they tasty smoked on a cedar plank. Smoke at 225 for 4 hours. Remove from smoker throw the pig away and eat the cedar plank.

RJ

 

[MrMajestic]

We ate a lot of them at home when I was young. Dad was Depression Era and was raised to eat what he kills and said at times that is all they had. Mom parboiled them and then fried them like Rabbits. They stink when you clean them, stink when you soak them, stink when you cook them and stink when you eat them IMHO! Can you see the pattern? The young aren't quite as strong as was stated earlier. One local club has a fundraiser annually where members donate their kills(cleaned and frozen) and they smoke/grill them. I never went and told my Dad when he was still alive that when I got a job I was never eating another, I stuck to my word! Never could figure out how something that ate mainly grass could stink that bad! May have something to do with hibernating animals eating their own crap! ;D If I had to eat them to sustain life I guess I would but that's the only way!

 

[CaptainMal]

Ate some at different game feeds in Pennsylvania years ago. Thought they were awful.

Not sure if it's a mental thing, I mean it is like a rat. That might be the case as I could never make my palate "objective" while trying to sample hogs. Kept thinking of the dirt and bugs often found on their hair as I picked the bloody things up after shooting.

Talk was always to eat the young ones in the Spring. Don't know what I ate so no help there.

 

[Rustystud]

The piece I ate once just got bigger and bigger with every chew. It left a lasting impression with me. It reminds me of the snapping turtle my dad par boiled too long. I can still smell it and it has been 50 years ago.
Nat Lambeth

 

[K22]

Hind legs only.

Seasoning: A-1 steak sauce, oregano, pepper, a small strip of bacon then grilled over charcoal.

Several beers to make you so hungry you'll eat anything.

No bad once you get a slight "beer buzz" going.

 

[Ohio Varmint Shooter]

I have heard from several people that they're very greasy.

 

[Webster]

Maybe they taste bad because they are constipated 6 months of the year.

 

[K22]

I have heard from several people that they're very greasy.

Yes, the meat is marbled in fat - you can minimize the affect but boiling first and screening off the fat. The meat is dark also and doesn't look too good.

I never bothered with boiling them, I just seasoned them (hind legs) and charcoal grilled them. It was more of a novelty event than anything else. I'd save up the legs for entire season and when the wife went to visit her mother in Philadelphia I'd invite the boys over and we would have our annual Ground Hog Leg Roast supplemented with a heavy dose of beer. We'd take bets on who would "puke" first. If you can get over the thought of eating a rodent they are not half bad once you get a little "beer buzz" working for you.

Wife will not let me keep those "dirty legs" in her freezer anymore so the annual roast fell by the wayside. This change was all brought about when we move to a civilized part of the state 20 some years ago. I'm now civilized and only eat "game" animals.

 

[lpreddick]

a wise farmer gave me his secret recipe, so i'll share. carefully skin, gut and wash the ghog. place in a container and add garlic, onions, carrots, and celery. fill to cover with jack daniels and marinate overnight. in the morning THROW the thing away and filter the vegetables and DRINK the jack...not so tasty at first, but he said things got better in time...i'll pass.

 

[K22]

a wise farmer gave me his secret recipe, so i'll share. carefully skin, gut and wash the ghog. place in a container and add garlic, onions, carrots, and celery. fill to cover with jack daniels and marinate overnight. in the morning THROW the thing away and filter the vegetables and DRINK the jack...not so tasty at first, but he said things got better in time...i'll pass.

Love it - just love the idea! but where is your sense of adventure? As my Dad use to say, "If it doesn't kill you it will make you stronger!

 

[mikeinct]

I heard that they tasty smoked on a cedar plank. Smoke at 225 for 4 hours. Remove from smoker throw the pig away and eat the cedar plank.

RJ

OK this guy's opinion can't count...No GH's in TX..Them guys eat armidillos...So I'm told..Anyway yes Gh can be eaten...I've done 3 in my lifetime..First one was uncle Ed's favorite recipe ...Par boil a young of the year just a few mins...Brown gently w other meats going into real Italian Pasta sauce..Not bad..But w/ that treatment you could eat anything...Second one, we ate out of spite killed it w a pellet gun munching our garden vegi's...Took a few shots to finish him off Damn thing must have been over ten pounds...Similar treatment after skinning ..Par boil few mins roasted w other meats...He tasted Ok Like Beef but tough as all be damned...Tried one last time w a pair of july youngones..at most weighed a couple of pounds after skinning ...Par boiled grilled w some bacon strips...Not Horrible..But a lot of work cleaning the nasty things..They do smell some..It is beef like in texture, the taste althou not bad [if handled correctly] is not fine like a rabbit or squirrel..enough said ? Mike in Ct Who hunts in Pa & NH