I wouldn't eat groundhogs if I were you..

 

My old neighbor loved them. He said the trick was getting young ones.

Tons of recipes out there for them. I wouldn't be too concerned about worms. Cook it well done if you do have a concern.

 

Groundhogs are okay to eat and as someone else suggested there are a lot of recipes out there. The major things, IMHO, about preparing them is to understand that skinning a groundhog is not for the feint of heart, and that you must immediately cut out the scent glands. After that it's all up to the cook. I have had some very good, and very bad, groundhog stew both made by my mother....

 

I wouldn't eat groundhogs if I were you..

Why not? There's nothing wrong with eating groundhogs. I love groundhog pot pie mmmm

 

HERE YOU GO...ENJOY

my favorite recipe

2 or 3 nice size woodchucks (groundhogs)

Salt and pepper (to taste)
Garlic powder (to taste)
Spices (whatever you like) Meat tenderizer, Italian flavored bread crumbs
3 eggs, milk, and of course some of your favorite oil for frying

Clean and skin the woodchuck, remove all the meat from the bones.

Cut meat into bite size chunks taking care to remove all the fat and glands (tiny round brown bumps)

Sprinkle chunks with meat tenderizer. Mix oil and spices into a bowl, stir well making sure everything is mixed together, add chunks, salt and pepper and garlic powder.

Place lid on bowl and shake well to ensure a fine mixture of ingredients. Place bowl in refrigerator 1 to 3 hours or until chilled.

Pour bread crumbs onto a plate or large bowl, mix eggs and milk in a separate bowl and place next to bread crumbs.

Remove the woodchuck chunks from the oil and spice mixture, dip them into the egg mixture and then place them into the bread crumbs and coat evenly with the bread crumbs.


Pour your favorite oil ( I like peanut oil) into a frying pan or deep fryer, heat to no more than 350 degrees, when the oil is hot enough add the woodchuck chunks and cook until a golden brown or approximately 5 to 10 minutes to ensure they are cooked all the way through.

When the woodchuck chunks are done, remove them from the oil and place on a plate with paper towels to drain off the excess oil.

Great for parties, just don’t tell your friends its woodchuck

Makes approximately 4 servings

 

Groundhogs are okay to eat and as someone else suggested there are a lot of recipes out there. The major things, IMHO, about preparing them is to understand that skinning a groundhog is not for the feint of heart, and that you must immediately cut out the scent glands.

I'll second that! When I was young, we moved to PA from NJ and did the green acres thing. I was a self taught hunter and my dad's #1 rule was eat what you shoot. (I've tempered that rule for my own use since!) I'll never forget that first attempt at skinning and eating a Groundhog. I didn't know about the scent glands but remember to this day my revulsion at the smell of skinning it!

 

Harvested 3 young ones a few weeks ago, skinned and quarted cooked in butter/olive oil with garlic and onions in a skillet. Seasoned with season all salt . Was very good. First time I tried it. All they eat is grass so not sure where a concern would be.

 

I wouldn't eat groundhogs if I were you..

Why not? There's nothing wrong with eating groundhogs. I love groundhog pot pie mmmm

Think I would save that for the Dog.
Yuck.

 

Don't knock it til you try it!

 

just an ugly version of a rabbit, they eat the same things.

 

Thanks everyone!

 

Killed and ate a ton of groundhogs when I was younger. Breaded and fried, cooked on the grill, pulled "pork", all delicious when properly prepared. Biggest trouble we had was the weather. It's usually downright hot during groundhog season, so cleaning them and getting them cooled down should be a priority. We always stopped hunting them around Labor day. They start feeding heavier in preparation of winter, and get greasier in the process.

 

Do they have scent glands - which you must avoid rupturing when cleaning them?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdqhTzPd4go

Check this out.

 

I like it a little bit better than possum

 

My FIL grew up in a family of mountain folk. He had 13 siblings. He said g-hog was a staple in their diet, as it was near just post-depression, and they had very little. He said they would try to seek out the young hogs, as they were the better eating.

 

i always wear rubber gloves when skinning any animal especially groundhogs. that fat will leave a smell on your hands that is really tough to wash off.

 

My mother cooked a ton of them when I was younger, aunt couldn't tell it wasn't rabbit and didn't believe it when told what it was! Only ate the young of the year.

 

the young are definitely the better choice. also the earlier in the year the better and less fat.

 

Use the old "How to cook a Carp" recipe....put them on a pine board in the smoker at 225 for about 10 hours......then take it out, let it cool.......throw the groundhog in the trash and eat the board........

 

Use the old "How to cook a Carp" recipe....put them on a pine board in the smoker at 225 for about 10 hours......then take it out, let it cool.......throw the groundhog in the trash and eat the board........

Have not heard that one in a while.

 

Use the old "How to cook a Carp" recipe....put them on a pine board in the smoker at 225 for about 10 hours......then take it out, let it cool.......throw the groundhog in the trash and eat the board........

Have not heard that one in a while.

i grilled some cedar plank salmon. i threw out the board and ate the fish

 

When I was a little kid my pap had to babysit me.. (probably a bad idea from the get go), but he left me shoot a ground hog when I was 5/6 yrs old.. he ended up skinning the ground hog, putting it on a tray in the oven and baked it.. ever since then I've shy away from eating ground hogs... bad memories