Ground Hog

[WRideout]

I have never actually hunted ground hogs, but now that I live in PA they are abundant, and one of the few things that can be hunted in the summer. I might get out my .223 Rem bolt rifle and try for some. I don't care to kill animals and leave them to rot, but I'm not sure about eating ground hog (some people call them woodchucks.) Does anyone have experience with cooking them? I have it on good authority from certified farm people that they are actually pretty good. Thanks.

Wayne

[lup]

No personal experience eating them but I'm told that they are very greasy. I've skinned them before and they do have a ton of fat.

[Petrol & Powder]

They make the best catfish bait you'll ever find but that's about all they're good for.

[CastingFool]

They are good to eat, the meat just has a different texture. For years, I would shoot them and let them rot, just wanted to get rid of them. One day, my oldest son, asked me to shoot one for him. I did, and gave it to him. He cooked it and gave me a bowl to try. It really wasn't bad at all. I have not cooked one, but I think most recipes call to start by parboiling them to get rid of the fat, but I'm not sure. I would just quarter them and throw the pieces in a crockpot, with spices and a little water, for 4-6 hrs. (That's my recipe, works on chicken, beef, and venison. should work on woodchuck, too.)

[wch]

I had a neighbor who told me to cook a 'chuck like I'd cook a rabbit; made sense since they eat the same diet.

[Zymurgy50]

The young ones are ok, but the big old mommas tend to get a bit stringy.
On the other hand, their hides can be sold/traded to fly fishermen or fly tying shops.

[NSB]

I've tried them a half dozen times or so over the years, all cooked different ways. I never thought it was very good but it was edible. It's stringy and a bit greasy, kind of like the cheapest chuck roast you could ever find. Unless I was really hungry, living off the grid, or homeless, I think I'd pass on trying it again.

[RickinTN]

I've never cooked nor had groundhog but many years ago when I was young my family would have an occasional delicasy (?) of Possum. I understand they are very similar. Very greasy, so boil it then boil it some more. This will help remove the grease and tenderize as well. My grandmother would then oven bake/barbeque slowly with her homemade barbeque sauce, usually surrounded by a couple of rabbits and a few quartered sweet potatoes. I'm thinking a store-bought barbeque sauce would probably work as well. Cook long and slow. The sweet potatoes actually absorb the sauce and are pretty good too.
Good luck,
Rick

[aspangler]

Get the "kernal" out of their front legs ( sent gland) boil hard for about 1 hour. Cut into fryin' size pieces, roll in flour with salt and pepper, fry slow in about 1/2" of melted butter. Turn often. Take it out and make gravy with the leaven's. Serve with mashed potatos and homemade biscuits. UMMM-UMMM good!

[Hickok]

For their size, they are an extremely tough and strong animal. Make sure to hit' em good and solid.

I always loved to hunt groundhogs, but now that the yotes' have moved in, they are getting scarce!

[JWFilips]

I posted my favorite recipe awhile back I think it was the cookbook thread Have no idea how to search for it here now

[Petrol & Powder]

Seems a bit like the old carp recipe.
Place carp on brine soaked pine board, cook for one hour over low fire, throw carp away and eat pine board.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Shot and ate a few in late 60's when I lived in eastern PA. The 'kernels' under the front legs were always removed. Like most game and other meat, the young ones are tender, the older tougher. Pan fried or pot roasted as I recall.

[WRideout]

Thanks, everybody. I am truly surprised by the number of responses. When I lived out West, I would occasionally cook a jackrabbit. Even though everyone seems to think it should taste like chicken, it was about the closest to beef I had ever found. Teriyaki marinade on the barbecue works well on those.

Wayne

[JWFilips]

Found it:
Here is one I used for years ..Not sure who's it is but I have used it for 40 years ( but not so much now because my old nose doesn't like the smell of cleaning a ground hog anymore) Now if only I can teach a young one how to clean the little bugger I would be eating good again. I do remember serving up some to my son 25 years ago (He was 5 at the time) I asked him what part of the groundhog he wanted .........He said " I'll have the face, Dad" !


1 Groundhog, skinned & cleaned
3/4 cup Vinegar
2 tablespoon Salt
2 quarts Water
1/2 cup Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Allspice
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4 cup Bacon fat
3 Large yellow onions
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup Water
1 cup Sour cream

Skin and clean the groundhog. Wash and put into a stainless steel pot or plastic bowl. Cover with water and 3/4 cup of vinegar and 1 T. of salt.
Let stand in a cool place overnight. In the morning, remove from liquid, wash well and pat dry with paper towels. Place in large stewing pot with 2 quarts of water & bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, removing the scum on the surface. Drain and rinse the groundhog and cut meat into serving pieces. Combine the flour, 1 Tbs salt, allspice and Black Pepper Then dredge the pieces of meat in the mixture. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Melt the bacon fat in a heavy iron frying pan on stove until smoking. Quickly Brown meat on all sides. Transfer the browned meat into a greased 4 qt. Cast Iron Dutch oven.
Place sliced onions on top, add water, cover and bake in a
preheated oven for 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Transfer the meat to a platter & keep warm. Put the Dutch Oven on top of the stove over medium heat and spoon in the sour cream stirring constantly. Let the sauce just come to a boil. Put the meat back
into the Dutch Oven and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Great with Crusty Bread!

[Teddy (punchie)]

aspangler your right on about the glands. Missing the other four, these are like mucus looking tan to brown, there are 6 that need to be cut out, two more around the belly side from kidney area, and in each hind leg.

Other things is soak in salt water over night in the refrigerator. Boil until scum comes to top of pot change water and boil until done. After boiled can be fry like or used like chicken would be used.

Get the "kernal" out of their front legs ( sent gland) boil hard for about 1 hour. Cut into fryin' size pieces, roll in flour with salt and pepper, fry slow in about 1/2" of melted butter. Turn often. Take it out and make gravy with the leaven's. Serve with mashed potatos and homemade biscuits. UMMM-UMMM good!

[trapper9260]

The young ones are ok, but the big old mommas tend to get a bit stringy.
On the other hand, their hides can be sold/traded to fly fishermen or fly tying shops.

You are right on it all because I sell the skins.I put them up myself and only eat the fresh ones because of I trap them.I have a fur buyer that buys the fur from me .

[mikeym1a]

Momma always cooked them in her pressure cooker for about 1/2 hr, and then floured them, and fried them like chicken. We raised our own rabbits, and the groundhog she prepared compared favorably with the rabbits. But then, Momma was a really good cook. Wild game was a staple of her family when she was growing up, so she knew how to cook it.

[WRideout]

Thanks, everybody. I knew there would be a wealth of knowledge on this subject.

Wayne

[wrenchman5]

My grandfather used to trap them to get them out of his fields. He generally just killed them and pitched to the fence line. I asked him about eating them one day and he said sure. So the next one we trapped, he skinned and my grandmother cooked it up for supper. I was just a kid and honestly don't recall how it tasted, but I have eaten it.