'Possum Supper and Squirrel with Cider Sauce

From: "Better Homes and Gardens Meat Cookbook." Des Moines: Meredith Corporation, 1977.

I remember somebody in my family (a cousin, an uncle, possibly my dad) hunting one time when I was young and bringing a squirrel or squirrels to my grandma (raised in the hills of Tennessee) to prepare. More than one family member sampled the finished product (not me, I promise) but I don't recall anyone's reaction.

Meat is meat, right? There's no difference between eating a cow, a rabbit or a possum. Or is there? Personally, if I think too much about any meat, I lean toward veganism very quickly. I'd like to think that if conditions became apocalyptic, I could get along just fine without being forced to kill an animal to survive. But you never know when a possum or squirrel recipe might come in handy.

The possum and squirrel recipes are my favorites from this cookbook only because of the sheer novelty of them being in a cookbook in the latter part of the twentieth century. And I only own a cookbook entirely devoted to meat because it was in an auction box lot. Otherwise, I probably eat less meat in a year than many Americans eat in a week.



'Possum Supper - "Opossum is often said to have a pork-like flavor"

1 1 1/2 - 2-pound opossum
2 medium sweet potatoes
Butter, melted
Cayenne

Wash opossum; trim off excess fat. Season cavity with salt and pepper; close with skewers. Tie legs together. Scrub sweet potatoes; do not peel. Place opossum and potatoes in shallow roasting pan. Add 1/2 cup water. Brush meat and potatoes with 1/4 cup melted butter. Sprinkle with cayenne and some salt. Bake, covered, in 350 degree oven about 1 1/4 hours or till meat and potatoes are tender; baste occasionally with melted butter. Uncover; bake 15 to 20 minutes more or till brown, basting often with butter. Serves 2.

Squirrel in Cider Sauce

2 1- to 2-pound squirrels, halved
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup apple cider or juice
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon honey
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon cold water
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Sprinkle squirrel halves with some salt and pepper. In medium skillet brown squirrels in butter. Add cider, onion, honey and bay leaf. Simmer, covered, about 1 hour or till tender. Remove meat to heated platter. Remove bay leaf. Blend cold water into cornstarch. Stir into pan juices. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Pass with meat. Serves 4.