West Virginia Squirrel Tomato Stew

Tomato, onion, and stock make a gentle stew that works especially well when the animal is young and the weather is not yet bitter.

Recipe Details

• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Cook time: 1 hour
• Servings: 4
• Difficulty: Moderate

Ingredients

• 1 whole rabbit or 4 squirrels, cut up
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups stock
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Fresh herbs

Instructions

1. Brown the meat in oil and remove it from the pot.
2. Cook the onion, then add tomatoes, stock, paprika, and the browned meat.
3. Simmer gently until tender and the broth thickens slightly.
4. Finish with herbs and serve over grits or rice.

Why It Works Here

This recipe uses the pantry logic of West Virginia: smoke, heat, and long-simmered aromatics. That keeps the meal rooted in place instead of treating wild food like a generic protein.