Smoked Groundhog

bekellog81 · Mar 21, 2006

I was wondering if anyone had ever tried to smoke a Groundhog? My buddy and I had a guy tell us that they were really good to eat, so we tried one. I thought that the taste was alot like rabbit. It was pretty good, but now that i am smoking alot I wondered if anyone had any tried a ground hog? Can you smoke it like a rabbit? Just wondering, I do not want to ruin one. They are kind of hard to get.

bigdaddyviking67 · Mar 21, 2006

Man send Jethro up here to Minnesota, we have them things running around. I have never ate one, maybe I will have to catch on of them along with a muskrat and smoke them up to see what they taste like. I wonder if they are greasy like the beaver I ate...lol

Dutch · Mar 21, 2006

So that explains why it's supposed to be Spring and it's SNOWING outside!! You guy went and ate the groundhog~sheesh NO WONDER he didn't see his shadow!! :shock: :P :D

larry maddock · Mar 21, 2006

come and listen to the story of a man called Jed---
these are best served with possum shanks topped with gopher gravy.

if jl99 cooks it and you take the first bite-
count me in if you need another taster!!

this is serious---[does this place have spell check]
raccoons are great smoked then grilled for Que.

i have to forget about the ground hogs as my 30.06 vaporizes them.

bigdaddyviking67 · Mar 21, 2006

Hey it's not vaporizing, it's Ballistic Tip Processing.

bekellog81 · Mar 21, 2006

Real funny guys--Groundhogs really are good to eat, as funny as that may sound, I just wondered if anyone had tried to smoke one. Evidently no one has ever tried to eat one. Y'alls missing out-no joke!!! I will keep every one informed on how it turns out. Thanks for the comments I will have to tell my buddy what you all said--he'll get a kick out of them!!!!!

bigdaddyviking67 · Mar 21, 2006

Hey I really am going to track one down and clean it up and try it, but if it tastes like over grown rat, I know who to blame.

larry maddock · Mar 21, 2006

yo be81 dude,
i am serious about the raccoons.
i smoke/que 3 or 4 a yr.

they are little bandits and abscond with or tear up every thing
that is not locked up and protected at my friends
lake house.

as you can figure i visit there 3 0r 4 times a year.

for a couple of yrs i would clean the messes up.and fuss at the bold suckers.

i will not kill anything for convenience.

when a mutual friend said he would SHOW ME
[im from missouri also]
how to cook them.
and i seen him take the first bite and swallow .
they have been on my menu since.

anheuser busch makes several beverages that complement the experience.--[also a MO. company]

served with loaded potatoes [im a republican]
and sesame green beans , its a meal to remember.

ain't this place great!

bekellog81 · Mar 21, 2006

Hey Larry, I am very well aquainted with the beverages Anheuser-Busch makes, being a fellow Missourian I like to support the local brewery in STL. They make wonderful products. Anyway I was wondering if you could find out how he cooked those coons? I might want to have some of them someday. There is lots of those suckers around here in North Central Missouri.

bigdaddyviking67 · Mar 21, 2006

Hey Jeff I think you need to create another topic area called varmints.

jlloyd99 · Mar 21, 2006

Deer and Elk sure, Fish-Great!, Dove and Phesant? I say bring it on. I've even been know to salivate over freshly fried Rocky Mountin Oysters for goodness sake. But I'm just not sure about groundhogs, racoons, and rabbits. The thought gets me a little squimish. I suppose I can't knock it till I try it. I'm up for pretty much anything but just don't know if I'm game for this (pardon the pun). The boy just better not tell me what it is I'm cooking and eating till the whole meal is over and I've waxed poetic about the lovely spread we created.

dacdots · Mar 21, 2006

Never et a groundhog but I have experience with coon.They are best cooked in liquid like you would cook a beef roast with taters,carrots and such.I cook them for several hours in the oven in a big roaster pan then lay them in the smoker on cool smoke for a couple hours.Just enough time to set the smokey taste into them.Then return to that big ol pot of taters carrots onion and celery,there great.They have the texture of a tender beef roast,the meat kinda comes off in strings with a fork.Kinda reminds me of pulling pork.I will try a groundhog if I can keep my dog from getting to them first,he lives to kill groundhogs.

monty · Mar 22, 2006

In my neck of the woods they are called woodchucks. And they are DELICIOUS! I have never smoked one but I have spit roasted many. The biggie is to start them really slow, say at about 170F That's because of the great amount of fat on them, especially in late summer and fall. Refer to the thread on smoking bear roasts by Bigdaddyviking67 and that should give some good general guidelines for smoking the criiters we are talking about as well. Just remember to render out fat first. Don't even bother with flavorings at this point because they will end up in the fat pan. After the fat stops dripping remove and slather with yellow mustard, hit with your favorite rub and get on with the smoke. The meat is mildly flavored, not gamey at all and so I suggest you use a lighter smoke wood.
Hope this helps!
Cheers!
Monty

y2kpitt · Mar 22, 2006

Growing up on a farm in Iowa, 'coon stew was a regular winter feast at Grandma's kitchen table. Back when there was still a decent skin/fur market we use to hunt and trap those little bandits sell the skins and eat the meat. When we went out for morning chores, she would put the â€˜coon meat in the slow cooker along with some carrots, onions, potatoes and cover them with some water, or beef broth if she had it. Then by mid-afternoon the stew, and if we were real lucky some of her fresh bread was ready for eatin'. My mouth is watering just thinking about it

delaware smoker · Mar 22, 2006

Back home in NYC,they are called woodchucks.Here in Delaware,they are called ground hogs.Whatever you call them,they are good to eat.The farmers here will let you shoot all that you want.I've bbq them,never smoked them.I've found out the best time to get them,is in early spring.Right after they come out of their holes,from the winter.At this time they are not loaded with fat.
Bill

bigdaddyviking67 · Mar 22, 2006

I was talking about ground hogs at work and my cube neighboor told me that porcupines are even better. Man my wife is going to think I went damn insane when I start rounding up the local night critters for the next cookout.

Dutch · Mar 22, 2006

And who would of thought that this topic would run to TWO pages?? :shock: I will admit to having dined on porcupines (military survival training thing) a little salt and pepper and their not half bad!

bekellog81 · Mar 22, 2006

Thanks for the help. Now all I need is a nice jucy young tender groundhog. Man I'm getting hungry just talking about it!!! I can't wait. Will let you guys know how good it turns out. Thanks again

larry maddock · Mar 23, 2006

yo be81

see my coon cooking directions on raccoon thread

larry maddock · Apr 6, 2006

YO BEN,
i got this from the book,
HOME SAUSAGE MAKING.
BY CHARLES G REAVIS.

5 lbs ground hog or wood chuck cubed--
2 t salt
2 t black pepper-ground--
2 cloves minced garlic--
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 t rosemary -dried-crushed--
1/2 t sage--
1/2 t thyme--
2 tbl chopped parsley-

t=tea====tbl=table

course grind--
then smaller grind--
stuff into casings--
put in fridge overnight--

he recomends pan fry in oil.

you gotta tell me how this tastes!!

like ive said before----
if i watch someone cook it ---
then eat it ---
gimme some.

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