Country-Fried Squirrel & Gravy

2–3 young squirrels, cut into pieces (check for shot)
1 onion, bay leaf, salt — for the parboil
1 cup flour · 1 tsp salt · 1 tsp pepper · ½ tsp paprika · pinch cayenne
1 egg + ¼ cup milk (egg wash) (optional, for a thicker crust)
oil or lard for frying
Milk gravy
3 Tbsp the frying drippings · 3 Tbsp flour · 2 cups milk · salt & lots of pepper

What you need

2–3 young squirrels, cut into pieces (check for shot)

1 onion, bay leaf, salt — for the parboil

1 cup flour · 1 tsp salt · 1 tsp pepper · ½ tsp paprika · pinch cayenne

1 egg + ¼ cup milk (egg wash) (optional, for a thicker crust)

oil or lard for frying

Milk gravy

3 Tbsp the frying drippings · 3 Tbsp flour · 2 cups milk · salt & lots of pepper

Parboil tender. Simmer the squirrel with the onion, bay, and salt in water until nearly tender, 45–60 min. Drain and pat very dry. This is the step that keeps it from frying up tough.
Dredge. Mix the flour with salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne. Dip the pieces in the egg wash if using, then coat well in the seasoned flour, pressing it on.
Fry crisp. Fry in ½″ of hot oil over medium-high, turning, until deep golden and crisp all over, 3–4 min a side (it's already cooked, you're just crisping). Drain.
Make the gravy. Pour off all but 3 Tbsp drippings; whisk in the flour and cook 1–2 min to a blond roux, then slowly whisk in the milk and simmer to a gravy. Season with lots of black pepper and salt.
Serve. Squirrel over biscuits or mashed potatoes, smothered in the pepper gravy.

Steps — tap one to keep your place

1. Parboil tender. Simmer the squirrel with the onion, bay, and salt in water until nearly tender, 45–60 min. Drain and pat very dry. This is the step that keeps it from frying up tough.

2. Dredge. Mix the flour with salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne. Dip the pieces in the egg wash if using, then coat well in the seasoned flour, pressing it on.

3. Fry crisp. Fry in ½″ of hot oil over medium-high, turning, until deep golden and crisp all over, 3–4 min a side (it's already cooked, you're just crisping). Drain.

4. Make the gravy. Pour off all but 3 Tbsp drippings; whisk in the flour and cook 1–2 min to a blond roux, then slowly whisk in the milk and simmer to a gravy. Season with lots of black pepper and salt.

5. Serve. Squirrel over biscuits or mashed potatoes, smothered in the pepper gravy.

✨ Untested — Claude drafted this one from scratch; it hasn't been cooked and amended in our kitchen yet, so treat the amounts as a starting point. Low salt — salt at the end and taste as you go; broth, cheese, and canned goods already bring salt.