BEAVER Information
Beaver
is a fine textured red meat. Fat deposits are found outside or between muscles,
much like venison. While the meat will not dry out while cooking as fast as
venison it will dry out faster than most lean cuts of beef. Unlike venison, the
fat is not as likely to become rancid. Removal is however recommended,
especially deposits inside both the front and rear legs which contain glands.
The castor glands are found in the lower abdominal cavity. As with other
internal organs, fluids escaping will give the meat an off or bitter flavor.
Castor glands should be frozen and sold or given to a trapper who can in turn
sell the glands to be used by the perfume industry.
Also
unlike deer, beaver needs to be soaked overnight in salt water to remove blood
from the meat. Trapped beaver do not have a chance to bleed out.
Cutting
up a dressed beaver requires special attention to bone structure or most meat
will end up on soup bones. Meat tends to cut easier when it contains some ice
crystals. Most of the best meat on the beaver will be found on the hams and
along the back bone. The larger muscles attest to the powerful back legs and
tail. The tender loin or back strap found along both sides of the top of the
back is wider at the shoulders and tapers to a point near the hams. The tender
loin is found inside the body cavity at about the middle of and to either side
of the back. Steaks are difficult to cut from the ham area. Most meat will be
chunks or strips. The flanks, between ribs and the hams, are often strong
tasting either by nature or contamination by body fluids.
Many of your favorite venison recipes will probably work with beaver.
Fried Beaver
·
1 small
beaver (20 lbs.), cleaned and skinned, cut into serving pieces, strips or cubes
·
6
slices bacon
·
1
tsp. seasoning salt
Remove
fat from beaver and soak overnight in cold water. Drain. Cook in small amount
of water until tender, then fry with bacon and seasoning salt. Variation:
substitute hickory-smoked seasoning salt for plain seasoning salt.
Beaver Tail
Hold
over open flame until rough skin blisters. Remove from heat. When cool, peel off
skin. Roast over coals or simmer until tender.
Beaver Stew
·
2-3
lbs 1 inch cubes beaver
·
Bacon
grease
·
2
cups flour
·
1 tsp
salt
·
1 tsp
pepper
·
2
medium onions
·
1/2
lb carrots
·
6
medium potatoes
·
2
stalks celery
Combine
flour, salt and pepper in a closable bag or 2 quart closable plastic container
and shake until mixed. Add beaver and shake until well coated.
Dice
onions. Melt enough bacon grease in the bottom of a fry pan to saute onions and
beaver. Saute onions and floured beaver in bacon grease, adding more grease as
needed. Place sauted cubes and onions in a 4 quart pot with enough water to
cover. Add water to fry pan to remove the remainder of the bacon grease and
flour. Add this pan gravy to your stew.
Slice
carrots and dice celery. Add carrots and celery to your stew and simmer until
beaver is somewhat tender (about 30 minutes). Taste broth and add salt or pepper
to taste. Cut potatoes into 1 inch cubes and add enough water to just cover the
meat and vegetables. Simmer until potatoes are done (about 30 minutes).
Country Style Beaver
·
2-3
lbs beaver steaks 1/2 inch thick
·
Bacon
grease
·
2
cups flour
·
1 tsp
salt
·
1 tsp
pepper
·
2
medium onions
·
1 can
cream of mushroom soup
·
1 can
or 1/2 lb mushrooms
Combine
flour, salt and pepper in a closable bag or 2 quart closable plastic container
and shake until mixed. Add beaver and shake until well coated. Save remaining
flour. Dice onions. Melt enough bacon grease in the bottom of a fry pan to
saute onions and beaver. Saute onions and floured beaver in bacon grease,
adding more grease as needed. Place beaver aside.
Combine
soup and mushrooms in frying pan. Dissolve 2 to 3 heaping tbsp of seasoned
flour in 2 cups cold water. Add to soup mix and simmer 5 minutes. Add beaver
and onions to mix and simmer covered for 30 minutes.
Beaver Tail Beans
·
1
Beaver tail
·
1
Onion, chopped
·
Salt
& Pepper
·
Pot
of beans
Blister
tail over fire until skin loosens (or dip into boiling water for a couple
minutes). Pull of skin. Cut up meat and boil with a pot of beans. Add salt and
pepper to taste. Add chopped onions to enhance flavor. Beaver tail is also good
roasted over a campfire or in the oven.
Roasted Beaver
·
1
small or medium size beaver, cleaned and skinned
·
Baking
soda
·
Sliced
onions
·
Bacon
Remove
all surface fat. Cover meat with a weak solution of soda and water (1 tsp soda to
1 qt water). Boil 10 minutes and drain. Cover beaver with bacon and onions and
roast until tender. This will taste like roast goose and will fool anybody.
Roast Beaver
·
1 md
Beaver, about 8 lbs
·
1/2 c
Vinegar
·
1 tb
Salt
·
2 ts
Soda
·
1 md
Onion; sliced
·
4
Strips bacon or salt pork
·
1/2
ts Salt
·
1/4
ts Pepper
Wash
beaver thoroughly with salt water then let soak overnight in enough cold water
to cover. Add 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 tb salt to the water.
The
next day, remove the beaver from the brine, wash and cover with a solution of 2
ts soda to 2 quarts water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
Drain,
then place beaver in roasting pan. Cover with sliced onions and bacon; season
with salt and pepper. Place lid on roaster and bake at 375 until tender. Serve
with a tart jelly.