1324. BAKED STUFFED MUSKRAT with BACON and CARROTS

serves four


1 muskrat
3 medium potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried summer savory
1 cup finely chopped celery
2 large carrots
3 slices bacon

Clean and soak muskrat overnight in salted water (1 tbsp. salt to 1 qt. water). Cook potatoes and mash potatoes with the butter, season with 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, savory, and celery. Fill the muskrat with this stuffing and sew it up. Rub muskrat with 1 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Place on a rack in a roasting pan with the legs tied under the body. Place two large quartered carrots on the rack beside the muskrat. Place bacon on the back. Bake in a hot oven (400 degrees F).

After 10 minutes, pour two cups of hot water over the body and continue cooking for 45 minutes. Remove bacon the last 10 minutes to brown the back.


courtesy of: Desley A. Whisson, Extension Wildlife Specialist, Vertebrate Pest Ecology, Wildlife, Fish & Conservation Biology, UC-Davis