Ingredients
- Raccoon Stew
- 1 brined raccoon, cut into pieces (brine recipe here)
- 1 cup carrots
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 tart apple, diced
- 1 ½ cups mushrooms
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 bottle stout beer
- 1 1/2 tbsp flour
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 10 sprigs thyme
- small bunch parsley
- Sweet Potato, Apple, and Bacon Hash
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 6 strip streaky bacon, diced into lardoons
- 1 granny smith apple diced
- 1 honey crisp apple, diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 8 sprigs thyme
- ½ cup pepitos
- 5 scallions sliced thin
- olive oil
- 1-2 tbsp whiskey
Directions
braised-raccoon-prep
Remove the quarters from the brine and break down into workable parts. I have left the meat bone-in.
braised-raccoon-prep
Quickly brown all sides in some olive oil. You do not want to cook through. That will be accomplished in the braising. I like browning on a cast iron skillet heated to smoking on a hot grill.
braised-raccoon-prep
After searing the raccoon will have nice brown bits that will add richness to the stew.
sauted-veggies
Sauté the vegetables in a Dutch oven, pour in the imperial stout, and toss in the fresh herbs.
browned raccoon meat
Add in the browned raccoon and vegetable or chicken stock.
braised-raccoon-meat
Cover and simmer until the raccoon is falling off the bone. 1½ -2 hours
braised-raccoon-prep
While the raccoon is braising to it’s tender and moist perfection, go ahead and prepare the ingredients for the sweet potato hash.
sweet-potatoes
When you are about 30 minutes from serving the braised raccoon, toss the diced sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, some sprigs of thyme and pop in a 400-degree oven. Roast until tender, but not mushy. Remove and set aside.
bacon-lardoons
Sauté the bacon lardoons rendering some of the fat before adding diced onion and apple. Cook until tender. Toss on the sliced green onion, and hit with a drizzle of whiskey if you are so inclined. Add in the reserved roasted sweet potatoes and sprinkle with pepitos.