Raccoon Stew

In February, this article in the Charleston City Paper had lots of people stewing.  Check it out. 

Are you brave enough to try the recipe?
Raccoon Stew Recipe

• 2 raccoons, deboned (should be about 5 lbs.)
• ½ lb. fatback or salt pork, cut into ½-inch cubes
• ½ cup flour
• 1 bag baby carrots
• 2 bags peeled pearl onions
• 1 lb. white mushroom caps

For the marinade:

• 1 bottle good Burgundy
• 1 large finely chopped onion
• 3 finely chopped carrots
• 4 cloves of finely chopped garlic
• 5 sprigs of parsley
• 4 stems of thyme
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 6 whole black peppercorns

Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Put the cut raccoon meat in the marinade and mix together by hand. Cover and put in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
For the stew: Strain the raccoon from the marinade in a colander, reserving the liquid and thoroughly dry the raccoon meat out on paper towels. (If the meat is wet, it will not brown.) Fry out (brown and crispy) in a big skillet at medium heat fat back or salt pork (minus the skin). Set aside on paper towels. Drain off some of the fat and hold in reserve if needed.
In manageable doses, salt and pepper and then add the raccoon meat to the fat and brown all over at medium heat. Set aside on paper towels until all is done. Add more fat if necessary. When finished, add flour to the pan and stir until flour has browned. Add a little more fat to this if necessary. When flour has browned, add the strained marinade and stir well. Add the browned raccoon meat and browned fat back. Reduce heat to medium low to low, cover and cook until tender (about 3–4 hours.) Then add carrots, pearl onions, and white mushroom caps, and cook for a half hour longer at medium heat. Serve over rice.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder. ~~Unknown~~