Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss Babies

Call me stupid, I am from Oklahoma, but what are those Groundhogs?

How much blank coulda blank, blank, blank, if a blank, blank could blank blank?

mmmmm...veal...

.22 would solve that in a hurry! Dang things are cute though! Since the coyotes spread into our neck of the woods and got thick, the groundhog/woodchuck population has plummeted!

Dingos ate my baby

Thems would be purty tender. Too bad you can't train them to only eat the dandelions, and not to dig under the barn.

What are they?

My dog loves them - he's killed 3 so far.

Groundhogs, woodchucks, whistlepigs - Marmota monax.

One tends to forget they are members of the squirrel family, until you shoot one out of a tree.

I wonder if catmandoo has a recipe...

I bet they would be good in a crockpot with potatoes, onions and carrots.

That is the recipe!!! Cook it just like a roast.

I second that recipe... Actually they taste darn good! I mean when you think about it, all they eat is the tasty stuff, so why wouldn't they taste good. A number of studies done on Eastern Woodland Indians show that groundhog was very common in their diet.

Do I have a recipe?! I saw this link just a little too late, otherwise I’d have some good photos of prepping a groundhog. The only photo I have shows what I'm about to eat as soon as I post this. This is tonight’s dinner for me (Lynda is out of town).



This recipe works well for FRESH (no roadkill, no matter how fresh) groundhog, woodchuck, or even regular hog. If you are a little squeamish, and want to try this recipe before trying it with groundhog, you can use a small Boston butt or 3-4 pound pork roast. Just cut the pieces into about 2 or 3 inch chunks. You won’t have to brine pork.

I use an 8 quart pressure cooker, but I guess you could use a crockpot and cook it all day.

For a groundhog, skin it first. Before gutting, make sure to remove the scent glands from under the forearms and from the back. Then remove the head, gut, and hose out. Quarter the critter.

Prepare a soaking brine with 6-8 cups of water and a half cup of salt. Stir until the salt has dissolved. It helps to heat it, and then cool it with ice cubes. Soak the quarters at least 12 hours in a non-aluminum container in the refrigerator.

Mix up a dry rub:
1 tablespoon of kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of paprika
1 heaping teaspoon of garlic powder
1 heaping teaspoon of dry mustard

Dry the quarters, and place them in the bottom of the pressure cooker. Sprinkle about half the dry rub on top of the quarters. Turn the pieces over, and sprinkle the rest of the rub over the meat and bones.

Pour in a half bottle of Coglin’s liquid smoke.

Put the cover on the pressure cooker, and set for 15 lbs. of pressure. Let cook for 45-60 minutes after it reaches pressure. Let it cool.

Pull the quarters out. Shred the meat by hand while pulling the meat off the bones. Throw away the bones.

Load the shredded meat onto hamburger buns. Sprinkle with your favorite hot sauce or BBQ sauce. Add your favorite condiments, like pickles or cole slaw. Serve with potato chips and cold dark beer.

As far as I'm concerned, this could even be enjoyed by vegetarians, as it came right out of my garden!

Now, that’s good eatn’.
Ken

I have one groundhog prep tip.

Never, ever clean a groundhog on a 90 degree day around a wife who is 3 months pregnant and prone to nausea at the time.