Cookerati

Today was the day Punxsutawney Phil, and all of the other groundhogs or woodchucks came out saw their shadow and dove back underground.  According to tradition, that means 6 more weeks of winter.  If you ever saw the movie Groundhog day, you would roll your eyes at the whole process.  Really!  I don’t worry about whether or not he sees his shadow, because I don’t mind winter.  I’m not a happy hot and sweaty person. I can take a little bit of coolness much better, that’s not to say I want icy roads because I don’t wish that on anyone. 

Groundhogs themselves are not such cute things.  They dig up huge holes in my yard and kill my young trees, and drive my dog batty.  I never knew that groundhogs could climb trees, until my dog had one cornered.  It was holding on tight for dear life and didn’t leave for at least 2 days.  You’d think I was a sucker for a cute animal, but I tell you, my yard looks like land mines went off.  So today, in honor of Groundhog’s Day, I offer up Groundhog recipes.

According to a Anna Lee Robe-Terry who wrote – Bootstraps and Biscuits: 300 Wonderful Wild Food Recipes from the Hills of West Virginia (that I bought at the West Virginia Travel Center) this is how you prepare a Ground Hog:

When preparing, as with all small game animals, watch out for the scent glands.  They are kernel looking, somewhat like fat, under the front legs, thighs, between the shoulder blades and down the back.  Carefully remove these whole for the best flavored meat.  Remove any fat you can.  I like to soak this meat over night in vinegar water, about 1/4 to a gallon of water.  Some folks parboil before cooking but I don’t.  If you end up with an old animal, you probably will want to parboil, especially if this is your first try with this meat.  Any old animal I have ever cooked was just cooked in water with salt, pepper and an onion.  Cook till meat is very tender and will fall from the bones.  This was then mixed with BBQ sauce for sandwiches.

Wild Meat BBQ Sauce

• 1 cup chopped onion
• Olive Oil to fry
• 2 tsp mustard
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups celery finely chopped
• 8 ounces tomatoes
• 2 tbs honey
• 2 tbs vinegar
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 2 tbs chili powder or to taste
• Zest and juice of one lemon
• Salt, black pepper and hot sauce to taste
• 1 – 2 tbs Liquid Smoke or to taste
• 1- 4 cloves garlic minced (amount you desire)
• 1/2 cup wild onion tops finely chopped

Sauté the celery, add the onions. Cook till limp but not brown.  Add the other ingredients in order given.  Cook slowly – simmering for 4 hours –stir now and again.  This can be used either hot or cold. Most any meat will make BBQ.  I use this often with the woodchuck and bear for sandwiches. Place meat in the BBQ sauce and just heat, but don’t boil. It is equally good on ribs after they are cooked.  Using it cold, it goes well with hamburgers and cold turkey sandwiches.

Here’s a review of the book if you want to learn a little more about Anna Lee Robe-Terry.

And some more recipes for you to try out.

• Wild Game Recipes
• Brian’s Belly Groundhog Roundup
• Outdoor Michigan

And for fun, a groundhog cupcake.

By the way, I probably won’t eat a groundhog unless I have to. But it’s good to have the recipe just in case it’s needed – you know like if the zombies attack and we need to stay close to home. Do zombies eat groundhogs?