On Mon, 14 Feb 2000 Tony Hitsman writes:
Well, Andrew... Hope, when you cook the muskrat, you remember to remove the musk glands first...

Dear Tony, my family on my father's side is mixed Miscogee Creek and Cajun. The Cajun part brought the disgusting habit of eating muskrat with them from Canada. I can assure you I know how to clean them, and their bigger, less tasty cousins from S. America, Nutria.

Would you like a nice recipe for Muskrat Loaf?

As for the beaver, I just did what the natives showed me, prepare it the usual way, then throw it in the oven (no quartering needed)
boom boom+, who found both equally disgusting and preferred bear steak anyway - chew it for a while, then spit it out...

Tony+, that's not the fault of the Beaver <donning flame- proof undies> that's just the way most Canadian cooking tastes... <quiet everyone, incline your ears to the north and you will hear a sound not unlike the squeal of a pig or an oxen gored>

As I was told, the first time I saw one of the animals: "Everyone should taste beaver tail before they die."

Beaver Tails in Sauce:
Printer version of this recipe

2 beaver tail
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
salt, pepper, garlic powder, worcestershire sauce
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp dry mustard (see a pattern here?)
1 tsp sugar

Skin the beaver tails, cover and wash in cold water, rinse, cover with cold water, w/vinegar & 1 tsp salt, soak overnight.

Drain and place in pot, cover with water and add baking soda.
Cover and bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Drain.

Combine flour, salt and pepper; dredge tails in the flour and saute over low flame until tender.

Combine vinegar, mustard, sugar, garlic & worchestershire sauce, add to skillet and simmer covered for additional 20 minutes, basting often.