MUSKRATS.... Recipes
Muskrats are also known as "marsh rabbits" and may be eaten if prepared properly. Muskrat flesh is fine-grained, dark red, and tender. Most connoisseurs agree that the flavor is improved by soaking overnight in a solution of 1 tbsp. salt to 1 qt. water. If the gamy taste is objectionable, soaking in the salt solution or in a weak vinegar solution--1 cup vinegar to 1 qt.water-will reduce the intensity of the taste.
I recently hosted a muskrat supper myself and served up baked stuffed muskrat (minus the carrots), spicy rat BBQ, smothered muskrat and onions, and Fred's muskrat. I asked my guests to rate each of the dishes served and have included their evaluations here to help you choose and perhaps modify a recipe that is to your taste. All agreed that it was a wonderful evening. I've included those and other tempting(?) recipes here...
Baked Stuffed Muskrat with Carrots
(2½ stars)
Spicy Rat BBQ (1½ stars)
Smothered Muskrat and Onions
(2½ stars)
FRED'S MUSKRAT
(Muskrat roasted in
tomato sauce) (4 stars)
Musk glands must be removed first. Then remove all the fat (this is important) and cut into small chunks. Soak in salt water overnight. Roll in flour seasoned with salt and pepper, or flour and corn meal mixed and fry in hot lard until browned. Add 1/2 cup of water, cover and simmer until done. Meat may be covered with onions, tomatoes or mixed vegetables before simmering process.
Fried Muskrat
1 muskrat
Water
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 med. sliced onion
1/2 cup fat
1 cup tomato catsup
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
Soak muskrat overnight in salted water (1 tbsp. salt to 1 qt. water). Drain, disjoint, and cut into desired pieces. Place in a deep pan and add 1 quart water, salt, pepper, and onion. Cook about 1 hour. Melt fat in skillet and fry meat to brown on one side. Turn and immediately pour catsup and Worcestershire Sauce over the meat. Almost cover with water (about 1 cup) and let simmer until gravy is thick enough to serve (about 30 minutes).
Muskrat Meat Loaf
1 1/2 lbs. ground muskrat
Water
1/4 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. salt
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1/3 cup dry crumbs
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup evaporated milk
1/4 minced or grated onion
Soak muskrat overnight in salted water (1 tbsp. salt to 1 qt. water). Drain, remove meat from bones, and grind. Mix ground meat thoroughly with other ingredients. Place in meat loaf dish. Place dish in pan containing hot water. Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) for 1 1/4 - 2 hours. Serves 6-8.
Baked Stuffed Muskrat with Carrots
1 muskrat
3 med. potatoes
2 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. dried summer savory
1 cup finely chopped celery
2 large carrots
3 slices bacon
Clean and soak muskrat overnight in salted water (1 tbsp. salt to 1 qt. water). Cook potatoes and mash potatoes with the butter, season with 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, savory, and celery. Fill the muskrat with this stuffing and sew it up. Rub muskrat with 1 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Place on a rack in a roasting pan with the legs tied under the body. Place two large quartered carrots on the rack beside the muskrat. Place bacon on the back. Bake in a hot oven (400 degrees F).
After 10 minutes, pour two cups of hot water over the body and continue cooking for 45 minutes. Remove bacon the last 10 minutes to brown the back. Serves 4.
Comments from my guests:
Hard to cut.
Stuffing yummy. Couldn't get much meat. Cutting
straight into stomach for stuffing kind of new experience.
1 Healthy Muskrat
Water & Salt for brine
1/4 cup Chili powder
1/4 cup Paprika
1 cup Tomato puree
1/2 cup Molasses
1/2 cup Onion, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
Cut muskrat into serving pieces and soak overnight in 1 gallon water and 1/2 cup
salt.
Drain and dry. Spread to cover with mixture of paprika and chili powder. Place
on grill over coals with a drip pan underneath. Mix remaining ingredients for basting sauce.
Baste meat frequently and turn often until tender. Serves 1.
Comments from my guests:
Great sauce and marinade.
Tasty, but maybe marinate a lot longer (like 3 days)
Marinate longer with
spices. Game flavor kind of overtook meat.
Eating it off the bone was
too scary.
A bit too gamey.
Makes me think of the piece
of shoe leather missing from my shoe.... but, not bad.
A little muskrat goes a
long way. Livery tasting.
Provocative.
OK... strong
flavored. Could use some more spice (dry seasoning). Serve with Delicato
Shiraz 2000.
Odor poor.
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1 Muskrat
1 tbsp Salt
1 quart Water
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Paprika
1/2 cup Flour
3 tbsp Fat
3 large onions; sliced
1 cup Sour cream
Skin and clean the muskrat, remove fat, scent glands and white tissue inside
each leg. Soak muskrat overnight in a weak brine solution of 1 Tbsp salt to 1
quart water. Drain, disjoint and cut up. Put flour, salt & paprika in a
paper bag. Add muskrat pieces and shake until each piece is well coated. Melt
fat in heavy fry pan, add the muskrat pieces and saute slowly until browned.
When meat is browned, cover with onions, sprinkle with salt and pepper and pour
the cream over. Cover fry pan and simmer for 1 hour. Serves 4.
Source: The Northern Cookbook from the Ministry of Indian
Affairs, Ottawa, Canada, edited by Eleanor A. Ellis
Comments from my guests (BTW, I pulled the meat
off the bones before serving):
Very tender. Could use more spices.
Very tasty although I'm not a big onion fan.
Nice. Perhaps some
oregano or thyme would add a nice touch.
Good, but more muskrat is
always a good thing.
Good sauce. Couldn't
find any muskrat though.
Strange taste.
A bit bland.
Nice balance of onions with
a mild white sauce. Match with a Central California Coast Pinot Noir.
Bland with unusual taste.
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FRED'S MUSKRAT (Muskrat roasted in tomato sauce)
Apparently, in northwestern Ohio and downriver Detroit, "muskrat suppers" are popular in the winter. They are sponsored by churches and volunteer fire departments to raise money. Legend has it that during the depression, the Bishop of Detroit declared muskrats to be fish (since they live in the water), so they could be eaten by Catholics on Fridays.
3-4 muskrats (all fat and glands removed)
1/2 lb bacon
1/2 bunch celery, chopped
4 onions, chopped
1/2 lb oleo
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
salt
pepper
21 oz canned tomato soup (2 standard cans)
Saute bacon, celery, onions, oleo, and cayenne pepper together for 10 minutes. Put rats in bottom of a pan you can cover tightly (my (Fred's) mother makes a double batch and uses the roaster she cooks turkey in). Pour sauteed mixture over the rats, and then cover with tomato soup (Don't add water to the soup). Bake, covered, for 2 1/2 hours at or until done. 30 minutes preparation, 3 hours cooking.
Comments from my guests:
Best. Watch out for bones.
Excellent blend of spices. Very tender. I'll
make this one myself. Can I have the recipe?
Definitely restaurant
quality.
Might be nice with juniper
berries.
Soon to be all the rage in
restuarants in Davis.
Very tender. Game
flavor nicely hidden. If I didn't know this was a rat.....
Not my favorite.
Tasty. Good sauce but
had crunches (bones?) that I could do without.
This was great. I am
sure it would be a best seller.
The best! On the way to
being a good chili. Eat with a good ale.
1 muskrat cut into pieces
flour
salt and pepper
2 1/2 Tb. butter
7 cups boiling water
1 tsp. thyme
1 cup corn
3 potatoes, cubed
1/4 tsp. cayenne
3 medium onions, sliced
2 cups canned tomatoes with juice
Roll the muskrat pieces in flour, salt, and pepper. Brown in butter. Add muskrat
and all other ingredients, (with the exception of the tomatoes), to
the boiling water, cover, and simmer for 1/2 to 2 hours. Add the tomatoes and continue to simmer another hour.
Serves 4
5 Tb. butter Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in casserole and
brown the muskrat pieces lightly in it. Mix the cream, vinegar, scallions, salt,
pepper, herbs and butter to the ingredients. Pour half the cream mixture over
the muskrat. Cover casserole and simmer over very low heat for an hour. Be
careful not to burn the mixture. Skim off the butter and add remaining cream
mixture. Heat gently for 10 minutes until sauce thickens. Serves 6
2 muskrats
cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups. thick cream
1/3 cup vinegar
5 scallions diced
salt
and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. thyme