Stuffed Roast Opossum

stonekeeper's Note:

"Not tried this one yet"! It came from Cooking for American Homemakers (Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook..1910, from the 1948 copy. (If you con get one of these cook books get it it has a lot of weird but good recipes in it).

• Total Time: 4 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 3 hrs
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

• 1 opossum
• 1 cup salt

Opossum Stuffing

• 1 large onion , chopped fine
• 1 tablespoon fat
• opossum liver (optional)
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• chopped red pepper
• 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
• 1 hard-boiled egg , chopped fine
• salt , to taste

Directions:

1. Roast Opossum:.
2. The opossum is a very fat animal with a peculiarly flavored meat.
3. It is dressed much as one would dress a suckling pig, removing the entrails, and if desired, the head and tail.
4. After it is dressed, wash thoroughly inside and out with hot water.
5. Cover with cold water to which has been added 1 cup of salt.
6. Allow to stand overnight. In morning, drain off the salted water and rinse well with clear water.
7. Stuff opossum with opossum stuffing (stuffing recipes next); sew opening or fasten with skewers.
8. Place in roaster, add 2 tablespoons water and roast in moderate oven (350°F) until tender and richly browned, about one and one half hours.
9. Baste every 15 minutes with drippings.
10. Remove skewers or stitches, and place on heated platter.
11. Skim fat from gravy remaining in pan.
12. Opossum Stuffing:.
13. Brown onion in fat.
14. Add finely chopped opossum liver and cook until liver is tender.
15. Add crumbs, a little red pepper, Worcestershire sauce, egg, salt and water to moisten.

Reviews

[Molly53]

This is the same recipe in the Southern chapter of the United States Regional Cookbook, Culinary Arts Institute of Chicago, 1947. It is recommended to served with baked yams or sweet potatoes and if head has been left intact, stuff with a red apple in the mouth.

[MedicineWoman]

I served this to my ex mother-in-law for her birthday dinner and she loved it! The only suggestion I would make would be to cook it in a pressure cooker because it was a little tough every place there were tire marks...