Photo by Brad Fitzpatrick
October 23, 2021
By Scott Leysath
Scott Leysath, aka the Sporting Chef, is the host of The Sportsman’s Channel’s Dead Meat and the author of two The Sporting Chef’s Wild Game Recipes cookbooks. His personal recipe for squirrel pot pie is sure to please even the pickiest eater in your home.
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Serves: 4-6 Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 2-3 hours
Braise Ingredients:
3 squirrels, quartered 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons bacon grease 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil 1 1/2 cups each carrot, celery and onion, roughly chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup dry red wine Chicken, beef or game stock Braise Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. Dust squirrel pieces with the seasoned flour. Heat a large frying pan and melt the butter and bacon grease. Lightly brown the squirrel pieces evenly on all sides and transfer to a lightly greased casserole or baking dish. Add carrot, celery, onion and garlic. Add wine and enough stock to cover the lower half of the squirrel pieces. Cover with a lid and place in the preheated oven for 2 to 3 hours or until the meat can be easily pulled off the bones. After an hour in the oven, check every 30 minutes to make sure there’s at least a half inch of liquid in the dish. Once done, allow to cool and remove cooked meat from the bones.
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Pot Pie Ingredients:
14 ounces basic pastry dough divided in half and rolled into two 12-inch circles 3 tablespoons butter 1/4 cup each carrot, celery and onion, diced 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup half-and-half Shredded squirrel meat from the braise above 6 strips cooked bacon, crumbled 1 1/2 cups artichoke hearts, quartered 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper 4 ounces chredded jack cheese 1 egg mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cold water Pot Pie Directions:
Heat butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add carrot, celery and onion and sauté 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook for 2 to 3 minutes while stirring. Stir in a few tablespoons of half-and-half and repeat until all is incorporated and mixture is smooth. Allow to cool. Place one of the pastry circles in the bottom of a lightly greased pie pan. Combine cooked squirrel, bacon, artichoke hearts, salt and pepper. Arrange mixture over pastry in pie pan. Sprinkle cheese over. Pour cooled sauce over and top with second pastry circle. Crimp top edges together, trim and discard excess pastry. Brush top with egg mixture. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is golden brown and sauce is bubbly. Allow to cool for 3 to 4 minutes before serving. For more wild game recipes, click here .
