I Love West Virginia
I LOVE WEST VIRGINIA, it’s the most beautiful state in the lower 48. And professionally, because of the state’s topography, makes it the most obvious example of Darwin’s Island Theory. Tiny little hamlets and towns comprise West Virginia and the pockets of culture preserved by its steep hillsides are legendary, especially when it comes to music, but also when it comes to food.
The story below I wrote originally for a friend’s anthology called Chewed. I was sent a half-eaten squirrel chew toy, purportedly mangled by someone’s dog, and was told to give them 700 words of backstory. I did, and inspired by my many trips to WV, it feels right to share with you in this format. Best of all, it has a great squirrel recipe included, enjoy.
Squirrel: A Cautionary Tale
I knew I wanted to eat it. Why wouldn’t I? I had joyfully devoured this primeval delicacy years before, in the hollers of West Virginia and yeah, it was really good. Never shy away from a plump squirrel, that’s my motto.
I know what you’re thinking. And to answer your question, this squirrel has nothing in common with a NYC Central Park squirrel. Those little bastards are vicious and Lord only knows what they are eating, or what squirrel-borne pathogens they could pass my way. This squirrel was different. This squirrel was local… born, raised, fed and eventually taking the long dirt nap, all in the backyard of my house in Minnesota. He ate apples I tossed him in the winter, berries from my garden in summer. Diet dictates flavor!
So one day in late October, small game license in hand, when preparation met with opportunity, I culled the herd and dispatched the biggest fattest sweetest, fruit-and-nut fed squirrel of them all. This was locavorism of the highest order. Zero mile dieting more or less. I skinned and butchered him, roasted the head in the fireplace, engaging the most far reaching places of my lizardy consciousness as I cracked the skull and prized out the brain, splashed it with sea salt and a squeeze of lemon and enjoyed every blissfully creamy, meat buttery moment. The rest of him? Well, fried squirrel is something my friends at the Snowshoe Lodge and Adventures at The Gorge gave me a lust for, so lunch was a no-brainer. Pun intended. Weeks later a treat arrived in the mail from the local taxidermist, so up on the shelf went my little squirrel. In full view through the glass enclosed porch of all the other critters in the woods. Top of the food chain baby! But my delightfully articulated symbolic gesture was short lived. The pooch, drawn to the latest incarnation as much as I was to the first, somehow got him down. And yes, the dog clearly enjoyed his chew toy as much as I enjoyed his warm blooded doppelganger.
Fried Squirrel
Serves 1
Take your squirrel and skin it, clean it, rinse it in several changes of cold water and pat it dry. Cut it into fifths (two front quarters, two rear quarters and one central piece of the saddle).
Let it soak in a cup or more of buttermilk for as little as 2 hours or as much as 24.
Remove the squirrel from the buttermilk and let it drip dry for a moment, then season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Dredge it in flour lightly seasoned with salt and pepper and place pieces on a piece of wax paper.
Place a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and add rendered fresh lard (vegetable oil will do in a pinch), to fill to a depth of about a half inch.
Heat the fat to 375 degrees, or until a piece of squirrel sizzles well when it’s slipped into the pan.
Fry pieces for 5-6 minutes, until walnut brown, drain on paper towel, season, allow fried squirrel to rest a few minutes and enjoy.
I'm tempted!
I have several squirrels in the freezer as I write…usually, I boil them down, de-bone, and make stew…but not this time…always thought they were too tough to fry, but the buttermilk bath will soften them up for sure. I'll fry those babies this weekend! Want some?
Walnut brown. Nice little hint of irony…
Andrew, thank you for your kind words on West Virginia. We appreciate you showing our beloved state in a fun, positive light. There is a slogan, "Almost Heaven, West Virginia." Some of us, however, prefer, "Heaven, Almost West Virginia!" At any rate, I enjoyed the show and hope that you will visit us again and again. We are happy to call you "friend."
i have never eaten squirrel..although i have enjoyed most of the wildlife surrounding our little valley, duck, goose, pheasant rattlesnake, quail, sage grouse(by far the very best bird there is), turkey, porcupine ( yes yes!), bullfrog, various species of fish, and last but not least..rattlesnake …( not much to them..really)..but squirrel has somehow eluded our dinnertable and I am very glad you included a recipe along with your great white hunt story…lol Andrew…I gotta tell ya..you are so fun and funny..I( love your show and I love your stories..Keepem comin..:o) Cheppy Paulus -Sprague Letha, Idaho
Thanks for the Darwin shout out!
I grew up in very rural West Virginia, and I am so heartened to read positive comments about my home state from someone I respect as I do you, Andrew. I greatly appreciate you and your work!
It is, it is almost heaven, so beautiful, the place and folks. Iwant to go back and spent a lifetime there.
Andrew last nite show was very good and thru your work I have learned so many things about food and people, in my youth i did some traveling while in the Army and sample the food of many nations, but thru you I have learned more. I really enjoy your show Andrew both Bizarre Food and Bizarre America, Keep up the good show rolling
I too, want to thank you for casting WV in a postitive light. We didn't watch last night (but DID DVR it and hubby and I want to watch together), but we saw your first foray into The Mountain State. We are a proud, yet humble people. The people of WV have been the joke of the nation for as long as I can remember, but nowhere else will you find a people more giving, more hard-working, more self-sufficient, and less pretentious. Thank you, and again, thank you.
It’s not so much about the squirrels, mind you. In fact, I don’t believe I’ve had any. Don’t know that I could fry and pick the brains out of one I’ve fed apples and berries! But you get me to thinking about the mountains and New River.
Andrew; Great show on "West-By-God-Virginia". I wonder how many anti-gun and anti- hunting greenies were stroking out over your show about W.Va. I was impressed that you participated in the hunt. I'll be even more interested now in your shows. Al
Andrew, this is Chris Shuff from the show at AOTG. I just wanted to say that I agree with many of the other posta that WV is often betrayed in a negative light. You and your staff have done an amazing job on betraying this state in it's true nature. Thank You!!
Hi Andrew this is candyman from Chicago have you ever thought of inviting someone along like myself to come along as a great person of interest of food, I would be honored to tag a long.
vinision nothing any better if you if you soak in 1 forth vingar and 2 tables of salt and enough water to cover it soak for 1 half an hr. then rince real well roll in flour salt pepper annd onion powder and fry in oil that is 1 forth cup of vinegar yum yum
hey i love your show on west virginia. I was born and rasied in West Virginia and your show; showed us as great hospitable poeple which we are hope you come back to west virginia
Thank You Andrew !
your show was a tribute to us….
yall come back now,
ya hear???
Andrew…As per another post I am again thanking you for putting my beautiful state of WV in a positive light. WV is my birthplace and no matter where I may move in my lifetime nowhere will come close to the people and scenery of this beautiful place I am happy to call home. Please if you ever have the chance take more time to explore …you will find many more little treasures hidden back in these mountains. In ending please join in …."Country Roads..take me home…to the place…I belong…WV…Mountain Mama…take me home…country roads"
Andrew,
I am from Ohio and went to the Pass Chrisitian, MS Oyster Festival in January, 2012 to see you. When will this episode be on? Thank you
St. Lynn's Press has a new release hot off the press, RAMPS: Cooking with the Best Kept Secret of the Appalachian Trail! Whether you call them ramps or wild leeks, this wild-foraged spring delicacy is the newest celebrity on the food scene. If you’ve ever tasted this earthy delight at an Appalachian ramp festival or a fine restaurant in the city, you know what the buzz is about. And now, the ramp has its own cookbook. We would love you to review a copy of our new book!
Havilah Vitartas
havilahv@stlynnspress.com
Thank you, thank you, thank you. We are proud people, those of us who hail from the West Virginia mountains. We are quite often misunderstood. But your accurate, insightful, fun and intelligent look at our food and our culture was spot-on, and appreciated!
What a delight to see my cousins Joanne and Glen Hawkins and their son Dale on Bizarre Foods WV at Fish Hawk Acres. Bizarre Foods has always been a favorite show of mine and it warms my old country girl heart to know that a world traveler like Mr. Zimmern appreciates my beloved state of WV. Mr. Zimmern you might not know, but Dale was recently named WV Green Entrepeneur of the Year. Come back and visit soon.
Absolutely great show! I'm a displaced West Virginia girl residing in New Jersey. You'll literally never find more pleasant people and scenery. I can't wait to come home! I'm dreaming about ramp's n potatoes, and grilled squirrel!
I grew up in Bluefield West Virginia and squirrel was a favorite, especially squirrel gravy… As kids we would kill them by sling shot. At one point we raised them just so we could eat them, my grandpa was famous in his different kinds of recipes. Thanks Andrew for the appreciation to our state