"WHAT'S ON THE SPIT?"

[Ron LaClair]

"Grown particular?"  

If you haven't eaten porcupine, you may have missed out on one of Natures finest meals.

I ate my first porky when I was about 15. I lived with my grandma in Northern Michigan for a couple years when I was 15-16. Grandma used to cook in the lumber camps  when she was younger and later cooked for the High School in the small town of Ellsworth.

Anyway at that time I had a single shot .22 rifle and a single shot 12ga shotgun and I'd slip off to the woods behind the house every time I could and hunt for anything that was in season. I brought my game home to grandama, rabbits, squirrels, partridges, raccoon and porcupines and she was glad to get any and all meat for the table. The coons and porkies she roasted in the over until the dark rich meat was tender then she's coat it with barbecue sauce the last 10 minutes of cooking, it was mighty tasty hot or cold.

Since those days I've sat down to many a meal of coon and porky.

the picture is of a friend of mine some years back skinning a porky that I had killed and brought to camp. The question is always, "How do you skin a porcupine." the answer? "Very carefully"

   

[wooddamon1]

I shot one last fall scouting/small game hunting because a buddy and his Dad always told me it was good eatin'. They baked it and pulled the meat with some home made BBQ sauce and we put it on some toasted rolls. I left the skinning to those guys.

[Doc Nock]

Interesting.  Loggers down East here always said they tasted like boiled pine bark! They surely are destructive li'l pikers!

[NOMAD88]

I wouldn't mind giving it a try  

[Ron LaClair]

As ole Jeremiah use to say..."Meats meat when yer in the mountains"

 

[mmgrode]

Cool post, Ron!  Shot one a couple years back for eatin'.  Never got the chance though.  Had him cleaned up and in the freezer. Unfortunately a power outage doomed that frozen porcupine to the garbage bin. As I remember, there's a lot of guts to them.  Not a ton of meat for how big they look.  Thanks for bring back the thought.

Cheers, Matt

[joe ashton]

PASS

[Mike Vines]

I shot one a few years ago with my Wesley Special to see what it tasted like and because I was small game hunting. I tried a recipe I found online.  My oldest son, Nick, 4 at the time (He's the one who walked up to you at Marshall this Spring Ron), wanted to be the first to try it.  So I cut off the best looking piece and immediately once he got about 3 or 4 chews done, he stated "Is that the butt, because it tastes really bad!"  I have not shot another one since.  I'm thinking I need to try a new recipe.  

[Ron LaClair]

"Is that the butt, because it tastes really bad!"  

That doesn't say much for your cooking Mike...
 

[Angus]

Gotta be better than "creamed chipped beef on toast", right guys?

[joe skipp]

Italians...well...we'll eat almost anything that crawls or walks across the back yard....but I will draw the line on Porky Pines...

[frassettor]

I always enjoy reading your posts Ron!  Never tried porky, but wouldn't mind if I knew someone who was experienced In making it.    

[nineworlds9]

Can't say I've ever tried armadillo but porky's gotta be better!  

[T-Bowhunter]

Ron that was funny.        

[Mike Vines]

Originally posted by Ron LaClair:
 

"Is that the butt, because it tastes really bad!"  

That doesn't say much for your cooking Mike...
     [/b]

Why do you think I'm REALLY happy Roger will be with me in Wyoming.    

[Mudd]

I'm sure it has to taste better than grits...lol So, yes I'd give it a go.

God bless,Mudd

[Bob Abeln]

No way No how Yuck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ron LaClair]

One fall back in the late 90's in deer camp, I was telling the "Shrew Crew" about how good porcupines were to eat. Of coarse they didn't believe me and to a man said, "NO WAY"    

I made a lucky shot throw the shoulders and when the porkie hit the ground the cedar arrow was sticking straight up unbroken. I put the arrow back in my quiver, skinned him out and slung the spinney hide back up in the branches of the tree so it wouldn't harm an unsuspecting scavenger.

I slipped a stick through the gambles and carried my prize back to camp. After trimming off all of the fat that I could and removing the glands under the arm's, seasoning with salt and pepper he was ready for the roasting pan. I fixed him just like grandma used to with the final barbecue at the end of cooking and let the boys have at it. There was not a morsel left and they sucked the bones to get the last of the flavor    :D   .... try it, you might like it...    

 

[Izzy]

Boy do they stink but I guess hogs and rutting bucks do too and they're good vittles.

[Ron LaClair]

I forgot to mention to soak the meat in salt water for a couple hours then rinse before you season it. It helps to "freshen" it.