# Anyone here eat groundhogs?



## Guest (Oct 26, 2005)

I know where one lives and have been thinking about giving it a try. I was deer hunting the other day and saw one lounging on a big rock in the sun. His den was nearby. I've never eaten groundhogs before but I have some wild game recipe books that have recipes for groundhogs. I have been thinking about grinding him up and making groundhog sausage. Anybody want to join me for breakfast?


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## uncle Will in In. (May 11, 2002)

Seasoned sausage would disguise what you are eating. After that you can bake them in the oven. Very tasty and grabbing a drumstick don't really taste like chicken.


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## Ken Scharabok (May 11, 2002)

I have had roasted groundhog and rather liked it. Just be sure it is fully cooked.


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## foxtrapper (Dec 23, 2003)

I pretty regularly eat groundhog. It's one under appreciated meat! Hadn't thought of making a sausage from one. Gonna have to try that.

I like it best in stews and the like. Mild flavor, mm, roughly akin to lamb. The meat is lean, but the animal is very fat. Tends to be on the tough side, which makes stewing work well. If you make a sandwich with it, you're going to do a lot of chewing.


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## buddyboat (Sep 22, 2005)

We tried Groundhog (Woodchuck to us) and hated it. The fibers of the meat seemed to have fat in them, very chewy. Yuck !
Now, our favorite varmint is Squirrel. You should par-boil the meat before you oven or pan cook. Very tender and yummy ! 
Good luck, Buddyboat


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## silentcrow (Mar 15, 2005)

Never tried it myself, but my brother did (unknowingly at first). My dad had shot one that was raiding his garden, so he dressed it, cut some up and cooked it in teriaki sauce (home made). My brother loved teriaki, and was used to my dad cooking beef, chicken or hot dogs like that. Never asked, just ate it. My dad told him afterwards what it was  He liked it, though.


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## FolioMark (May 10, 2002)

The Caruthersville Baptist Ladies Aid Cookbook from 1912 has a nice recipe for groundhog. Its done just like a pot roast with potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic and celery and savoury herbs. Sounds mighty yummy to me. Ive noticed a big old woodchuck sunning himself in the little grassy plot between the rail road tracks down the street from my house. I see him most mornings when I walk to the bus stop. That little grassy plot, bordered on one side by a drainage ditch, attracts all kinds of critters. Ive often seen the woodchuck, a couple of possums and a whole family of rabbits taking the morning air before the traffic
gets too busy not to mention all kinds of birds. I think they are attracted partly by the grain that falls out of the passing grain cars that pass over two sets of points there on the way to the elevator on the far side of town. :sing:


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## MELOC (Sep 26, 2005)

i have heard some folk say that the young ones are good.

i ate raccoon once and it was not bad. my dad was a **** hunter and was cooking one on the woodstove inside to use as dog food. it smelled pretty good so i tried it. i pulled some off the backstrap and it tasted like beef. a little tough but definately "beefy".

i bet groundhog jerky would be good.


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## Quint (Nov 12, 2004)

A danged tasty rodent! I like them roasted with onions and potatoes or BBQ over a hickory fire. Very under appreciated victuals. I have a time cleaning them. Extremely tough skin and I've never quite got the hang of dressing one. I'd cook him up like you would a nice roast just so you fully experience the meat at least once before getting one to grind up for sausage. Groundhog sausage is a neat concept. If you make it be sure to tell us how it works.


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## edcopp (Oct 9, 2004)

buddyboat said:


> We tried Groundhog (Woodchuck to us) and hated it. The fibers of the meat seemed to have fat in them, very chewy. Yuck !
> Now, our favorite varmint is Squirrel. You should par-boil the meat before you oven or pan cook. Very tender and yummy !
> Good luck, Buddyboat


Like most wildlife the younger the better. Try a small one in the spring, and cook it like you do squirrel. You might change your mind. :1pig:


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## Paula (Jun 3, 2002)

DH says the hillbilly way to cook groundhog is to boil it in salted water till the bones almost turn loose, then put it on a pan, sprinkle some pepper on it and bake in the oven long enough to get it dried off on the outside. 
He also said don't eat too much at one setting unless you want to spend some time in the outhouse, for some reason it has a laxative effect.


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## silverbackMP (Dec 4, 2005)

I don't know that I could bring myself to kill one--I kinda like watching them and they aren't that common (but not rare) in Missouri. Which is odd cause I've splattered a many Prarie Dog in South Dakota. I wouldn't hesitate to eat one though. **** is pretty good--you just have to parboil it before you barbecue it. I imagine ground hog may be the same way.


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2005)

Well I haven't gotten around to catching that critter yet, but I haven't forgotten about him. I've been spending most of my time trying to catch a deer but just about everytime I go out I stop by his den to see if he is still using it, and he is. Gun season is over now and if I can ever get caught up on processing my 3 deer I've quartered up and get caught up on my Honey Do list, then maybe I can go back after him and his close cousins the squirrels. Everyday I go out deer hunting I would see what seems like a hundred squirrels running around everywhere. I also know where a racoon den tree is, but I won't eat a racoon unless he has been pinned up for a few weeks and I know what he has been eating.


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## rabbitgal (Feb 12, 2005)

Hey, if it eats vegetables, it's probably ok, right? Rabbit tastes pretty good. People eat bear and pork without getting sick.


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## cowboy joe (Sep 14, 2003)

Most wild meats are an acquired taste due to the sometimes gamey taste. Typically, the older the gamier. The young ones are tender if cooked right. A slow cooker or stew is usually a good option. I grind them if they seem like they are going to be tough, then mix with pork, beef, venison or whatever else I have available. Sausage is a great idea...might have to try that. I have to agree with buddyboat on the squirrel being the best of the wild varmits.


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## MELOC (Sep 26, 2005)

deer, rabbit and grouse are my favorites. when i think of squirels i think...TREE RATS!


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## placidscene (Aug 15, 2014)

just finished getting one in the pot. Havn't tried it before. Doing a type of "beef" stew with it. We'll see what my wife thinks! she's the real critic when it comes to wild game.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I didn't realize this was an old thread until I read the post from silentcrow. I wonder how he's doing.

I keep saying I'm going to try groundhog in the crockpot but seems when I get one I never have the time to clean and prepare it.


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## Oggie (May 29, 2003)

When I was growing up out in southwestern Kansas, church groups used to raise money through groundhog suppers.

But, they served pork sausage and pancakes.


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Oggie, when my grandfather was still alive, he used to love asking a visitor if they'd eaten this or that wild meat. Then he'd ask if they'd had ground hog. When they were a little shocked and disgusted, Papa would give a big smile and say "What? You've never eaten sausage?" Thanks for reminding me of his sense of humor. Loved my grandpa whose been gone over 40 years now.

Saw a groundhog coming home from Columbia last week. He was on the right hand side of eastbound I-70, right close to Bourne Feed for all the Boone County folks. Inside the city limits, he's probably pretty safe from everything but fast moving vehicles. We had a groundhog under the back porch until until our dearly departed Pyr Tasha tangled with him. Man, those critters can be wicked fighters but I think he took the worse beating. We couldn't find a source of the blood on Tasha's muzzle, either on her muzzle or in her mouth.


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## mwilken03 (Oct 13, 2013)

MOgal said:


> Oggie, when my grandfather was still alive, he used to love asking a visitor if they'd eaten this or that wild meat. Then he'd ask if they'd had ground hog. When they were a little shocked and disgusted, Papa would give a big smile and say "What? You've never eaten sausage?" Thanks for reminding me of his sense of humor. Loved my grandpa whose been gone over 40 years now.
> 
> Saw a groundhog coming home from Columbia last week. He was on the right hand side of eastbound I-70, right close to Bourne Feed for all the Boone County folks. Inside the city limits, he's probably pretty safe from everything but fast moving vehicles. We had a groundhog under the back porch until until our dearly departed Pyr Tasha tangled with him. Man, those critters can be wicked fighters but I think he took the worse beating. We couldn't find a source of the blood on Tasha's muzzle, either on her muzzle or in her mouth.


My grandpa would do the same thing!


Farm junkie


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Paula said:


> DH says the hillbilly way to cook groundhog is to boil it in salted water till the bones almost turn loose, then put it on a pan, sprinkle some pepper on it and bake in the oven long enough to get it dried off on the outside.
> He also said don't eat too much at one setting unless you want to spend some time in the outhouse, for some reason it has a laxative effect.


I've ate many like this but I season with Sage, Salt and Pepper.

One time I ate 5 young ones fried up in one setting, and yes it seemed to have a Laxative effect.




big rockpile


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## Silvercreek Farmer (Oct 13, 2005)

Keep wanting to try one, but haven't had one wander in front of my rifle yet.


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## Benny b (Jan 14, 2013)

I think young ground hog is rather good. Slow cook it in a stew or we used it a lot in spaghetti sauce. Racoon tastes about the same. Both need to be slow cooked. Or boil until falling off the bone then pull it a part and add BBQ sauce. Don't be afraid to give it a try. Big ones ( **** or g hog ) are very tough. I also think I might depend on what ya grew up eating.lol


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

My grandma could take a nice juicy steak and turn it into shoe leather. You had to cut it into small pieces to be able to chew it. You learn to cut tough meat into little pieces early that way.

Of course running the meat through a meat grinder would probably help it a lot. I wonder if canning it would help make it tender.


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## Tabitha (Apr 10, 2006)

My dear Mother in law grew up eating ground hog, ****, squirrel and possum. 
Ground hog is supposed to be good. I have only tried possum, barbecued. the sauce was too sweet and the meet was kind of slick, very greasy. Kind of icky.


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## Old John (May 27, 2004)

Benny b said:


> I think young ground hog is rather good. Slow cook it in a stew or we used it a lot in spaghetti sauce. Racoon tastes about the same. Both need to be slow cooked. Or boil until falling off the bone then pull it a part and add BBQ sauce. Don't be afraid to give it a try. Big ones ( **** or g hog ) are very tough. I also think I might depend on what ya grew up eating. lol


Yeah I've eaten several Groundhogs, or Whistle pigs, over the years. We hunted them once in a while. And I use to live up the road from a guy that did a lot of "night hunting" with **** hounds. I went a few times with him & his hounds. He and his wife about always had raccoon, in the freezer, and or cooked & on the table. 
But, it was hard, trying to stay up with them, hounds, getting all muddy, running in the dark, over hills & fences and hollers. A few times were enough for me. The first time or two was good fun, though.
I worked for him some around the Farm. And they'd often invite me to stay for a dinner of raccoon or sometimes a groundhog. I'd never eat a possum, though. They are too nasty.
But squirrels, rabbits and groundhogs.....Forgot T add... and an occasional raccoon, are all pretty goo eating.


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## placidscene (Aug 15, 2014)

Well my stewed ground hog turned out pretty good, I thought.
No one else would eat it. Tasted just like beef stew the way I made it. The meat was fall off the bone tender. My wife and I have been married 8 years, and she still doesn't know what happened! Guess I fooled her! 
All kidding aside, she's great.
She said she'd eat it if there was nothing else, which I am preparing for. You never know.


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## just_sawing (Jan 15, 2006)

A ground Hog is one of the most important SHTF animals in the south. It is the only (Besides Bear) that has a fat that can be rendered. This means if you don't have lard biscuits can be made from groundhogs. It is also the only wild animal that will make decent shoe laces and soles.
Cooking it most people do parboil it because of the fat content. If you have a fairly young one parboil it for 5 minutes then take it season it, and put it in a bed of onions and peppers and bake at 225 for about four hours. add some water to the pan. Remove debone stir up and season to taste. This is as good of chili that you will get. Add beans if you like.


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

My great aunt made baked ground hog with potatoes and we thought it tasted better than baked possum.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

But is baked possum any good??????


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

silverbackMP said:


> I don't know that I could bring myself to kill one--I kinda like watching them and they aren't that common (but not rare) in Missouri. Which is odd cause I've splattered a many Prarie Dog in South Dakota. I wouldn't hesitate to eat one though. **** is pretty good--you just have to parboil it before you barbecue it. I imagine ground hog may be the same way.


When you have to put a cow down because they broke their leg by stepping in a woodchuck (groundhog, whistlepig) hole, it gets real easy.

The big thing is to get the scent glands out, they make the meat taste terrible if left in (yes, the voice of experience )

Here is a site with some recipes

http://www.wildliferecipes.net/game_recipes/small_game_recipes/Woodchuck_recipes/index.asp

I like the woodchuck pie (woodchuck and dumplings) best


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

Danaus29 said:


> But is baked possum any good??????


The issue I have with raccoon and possum is the location. Where I grew up, I would have no problem eating either, not a lot of garbage around. Here, no way would I eat either, too many people around (a lot of 3-5 acre parcels, where I grew up 4 houses in a 1 mile stretch  ) and 3 different garbage days.

Since they are both opportunistic omnivores, they take the easiest meals they can, be it chickens or chicken bones in your garbage bag....


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

big rockpile said:


> I've ate many like this but I season with Sage, Salt and Pepper.
> 
> One time I ate 5 young ones fried up in one setting, and yes it seemed to have a Laxative effect.
> 
> ...


Gettin' ready for a sammich? :happy2:


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## Conhntr (Aug 7, 2010)

just_sawing said:


> A ground Hog is one of the most important SHTF animals in the south. It is the only (Besides Bear) that has a fat that can be rendered. This means if you don't have lard biscuits can be made from groundhogs. It is also the only wild animal that will make decent shoe laces and soles.


interesting did not know that! I have eaten "whistle pig" and found it to be tasty


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

Roommate years ago was a trapper and he left a note to "Cook the roast". He meant deer roast but I cooked a beaver roast that was also in the refrigerator. Tasted a bit like popples! Beaver meat needs to be parboiled first - the ingrained fat is then removed. I had beaver pot pie once and it was good, but it was prepared correctly.


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## placidscene (Aug 15, 2014)

I have yet to try beaver, I've killed a couple, but they were in the water, and I haven't been able to recover them. A couple others, I trapped, but then they can't be bled properly because they were dead for hours before I recovered them.
The 2 animals do seem very similar to each other as far as anatomy (besides webbed feet and a flat tail.)


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## FireMaker (Apr 3, 2014)

We like beaver but never parboiled it. Roasted it over the fire or charcoal grill. Have also made some great stew. It is one of our favorite meats. Introduced some folks to the treat of roasted tail. Some were not too sure, others said no way. Wash off the tail and throw it on the coals. Skin will burn off one side, flip and burn off the other. It's now nice and hot and tasty. Lots of calories for hard working winter days.


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## placidscene (Aug 15, 2014)

You wouldn't see me turnin' it down. 
Y'er makin me hungry! haha


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## JoePa (Mar 14, 2013)

I watch some of those Alaska outdoor TV shows - man they eat everything - beaver tails, inside organ meats - moose head soup - nothing goes to waste - I guess its what you are used to and how you prepare it -


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Paula said:


> DH says the hillbilly way to cook groundhog is to boil it in salted water till the bones almost turn loose, then put it on a pan, sprinkle some pepper on it and bake in the oven long enough to get it dried off on the outside.
> He also said don't eat too much at one setting unless you want to spend some time in the outhouse, for some reason it has a laxative effect.


 Found this out the hard way after eating 5 young ones Fried up then taking a long trip.

Yes I like Groundhog.




big rockpile


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## blanket (May 28, 2013)

grind them up and make chili out of them


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

If it happens to be a sunny day in the forecast 3 days from now, you should strive to bag your groundhog for the eatin' early, before the sun comes up.


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

If that's what was served, I would eat it. Dark gravy on mashed potatoes and I'm there.


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## dltasig7 (Feb 5, 2015)

just_sawing said:


> A ground Hog is one of the most important SHTF animals in the south. It is the only (Besides Bear) that has a fat that can be rendered. This means if you don't have lard biscuits can be made from groundhogs. It is also the only wild animal that will make decent shoe laces and soles.
> Cooking it most people do parboil it because of the fat content. If you have a fairly young one parboil it for 5 minutes then take it season it, and put it in a bed of onions and peppers and bake at 225 for about four hours. add some water to the pan. Remove debone stir up and season to taste. This is as good of chili that you will get. Add beans if you like.


Good to know about their fat (knew about bear fat.) Thanks!


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## dltasig7 (Feb 5, 2015)

Only had it on one occasion, but I have to agree with all the stew it and crock pot comments. When I had it, it was slow cooked that way, and I wouldn't turn my nose up at it a second time.


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## JoePa (Mar 14, 2013)

Last week I watched a program on the Sportsman channel - it was a series that lasted for 2 hours - this guy went around the country and got local people to trap, shoot or catch animals, birds and fish that are not generally eaten by a lot of people - it was a very interesting show - really enjoyed it - he and the locals got and ate - crows, beaver, muskrats, coots, squirrels, Canadian and snow geese - rattlesnake - paddle fish, suckers, and other creatures - it all boiled down as to how you prepared it - watching that program tells you that you never have to go hungry if you live in the country - the guy thought that beaver was especially good - and a lot of the wild birds need to be treated more like beef than chicken when prepared -


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

We don't have them here and I have never eaten one. For you that have eaten them and raccoon, is there much difference? I think raccoon tastes like bear. Raccoons have grease that can be rendered, much like bear fat. I like to put young raccoons in the smokehouse and hot smoke them, let the grease run off. Makes great chili, also makes hams, bacon and sausage, not as good as pork, but it'll do....James


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## GeneMO (Dec 8, 2014)

No, but I would try it.

Gene


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## Cygnet (Sep 13, 2004)

JoePa said:


> Last week I watched a program on the Sportsman channel - it was a series that lasted for 2 hours - this guy went around the country and got local people to trap, shoot or catch animals, birds and fish that are not generally eaten by a lot of people - it was a very interesting show - really enjoyed it - he and the locals got and ate - crows, beaver, muskrats, coots, squirrels, Canadian and snow geese - rattlesnake - paddle fish, suckers, and other creatures - it all boiled down as to how you prepared it - watching that program tells you that you never have to go hungry if you live in the country - the guy thought that beaver was especially good - and a lot of the wild birds need to be treated more like beef than chicken when prepared -


I'm always surprised suckers are not considered a good eating fish. They're a great sport fish, easy to catch, lots of fight, will take a lure or bait, and the meat is white and flaky and mild. Very, very good. There are a lot of bones, but trout have a lot of bones too. :happy2:

Rattlesnake has too many bones, but otherwise, it's okay. Reminds me of frog legs. A really big fat rattlesnake is several pounds of meat, and they're easy enough to kill, so I'd consider it a good SHTF protein source. 

I've never eaten muskrat, but I'd certainly try it if it was offered. They don't live around here, however.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

Cygnet said:


> I'm always surprised suckers are not considered a good eating fish. They're a great sport fish, easy to catch, lots of fight, will take a lure or bait, and the meat is white and flaky and mild. Very, very good. There are a lot of bones, but trout have a lot of bones too. :happy2:


Yes, they are good fish. Just too darned bony. But we have had them smoked or we pickled them so the bones were not a factor.


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Take Suckers, Scale, Fillet, Score from inside out, don't go through the skin. Mix up Cornmeal, Salt and Pepper. Work Cornmeal into each Score, Deep Fry.

You will have very few Bones if any and Best eating fish a Person could have.

Isn't too many Fish, Beast or Birds that I can't make very Good. Only thing I can think of is a Old Wild Ram, Dogs ate very Good.

Video Cleaning Buffalo also very good eating.




big rockpile


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

big rockpile said:


> Take Suckers, Scale, Fillet, Score from inside out, don't go through the skin. Mix up Cornmeal, Salt and Pepper. Work Cornmeal into each Score, Deep Fry.
> 
> You will have very few Bones if any and Best eating fish a Person could have.
> 
> big rockpile


So how close together do you score? I am assuming that doing this allows the bones to get crisp so you don't bother taking them out because they are crispy? How hot is the oil?

I tried something like this years back on suckers. Maybe not enough scoring and no cornmeal. I can easily catch some good quality redhorse suckers from Lake Superior - would not mind giving this a try on them.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

An update: Tried the suckers now twice, once with cornmeal and once with flour. Was fantastic both times! I scaled, fileted but left skin on, and then scored about every 1/4" cutting across down to the skin (but not through).


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## termite76 (Apr 3, 2015)

Never eaten one but there is a huge one down the road that I almost hit with the truck. I thought he was a beaver at first.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Dogs treed a groundhog the other day; and when I knocked it out of the tree, they helped me kill it. The thing looked quite young; and had I known it was something that could be eaten, I would have made an attempt to skin it and throw it in a pot. If I didn't like it, the dogs would get it.  As it was, I through it out aways and the dogs would go around and sniff but were quite content to just let it rot! (I've noticed the fowl are now over there quite a bit.)


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## Jimoutside (Jul 13, 2015)

My dad and I fried up some groundhog meat once and ate it-- it was fine fried. Tasted a lot like beef. We call them woodchucks in Maine, where I'm from originally.

I stayed for three months with farm friends in Pennsylvania when I was about 20. We were out haying in the field, taking a break, and saw a ground hog maybe thirty feet away. My friend said, "kill it!" because of course the holes damage farm equipment. I ran after it and chased it down and stomped on it and killed it. I was about as surprised as anyone--I never thought I'd outrun it, or that it wouldn't have a hole nearby to jump down.

:gaptooth:


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