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at Raccoon? Absolutely | MeatEater Wild Foods

Wade Truong
Can You Eat Raccoon? Absolutely

The first time I ate a raccoon was about 11 years ago. Some were raiding the chicken coop where we lived, so my roommate and I were charged with dispatching. We trapped one in a Hav-a-Hart, killed it, and being equal parts curious and broke, we cooked it.

We braised the first raccoon with a bunch of chili peppers, aromatics, and stock. I was honestly conflicted about the whole ordeal. On the one hand, it smelled damn good as it was cooking. On the other hand, I had a mental block on raccoon as a food.

I was brought up to view raccoons as a pest, nuisance, or varmint—never as table fare. I see city raccoons rummaging through trash cans eating pizza, French fries, and who knows what else. Despite what my nose was telling me, I wanted to not like the raccoon. It would be an easy out. If it wasn’t good, it would affirm my preconceived notions, and I would be exonerated from having any nagging moral issues with dispatching it and not eating it.

It turned out that it was pretty good. I actually remember being disappointed that it was so good. This was a mental hurdle—if this is good, what else have I been missing out on? Do I have to eat a bunch of raccoons now? Do I want to be the guy living in a basement apartment, killing and eating raccoons?

Since my roommate and I had already become the guys living in a basement trapping and eating raccoons, we decided to embrace that fact ended up killing and eating a few more raccoons before they got wise to the traps.

Food bias is just like any other bias: it exists and we all have some. Certain ones are easier to overcome than others, but if you think you’re bias-free, you are wrong. Raccoons represent a food bias that intertwines with many other cultural and class-based biases. They’ve been a food item much longer than they have not, but even when they were common table fare, they were a food associated with subsistence, poverty, and lack of opportunity. Well-to-do people ate beef or pork, not varmints.

As Americans shifted their lifestyles and cultural preferences away from traditional foodways and into a more commodified, uniform diet, the bias against eating varmint (and most other wild game) shifted. All of a sudden, eating game at all was weird. Varmint was almost unthinkable. Today, I’d wager that a lot of folks don’t even know a person who’s eaten raccoon, much less liked it. This bias against a particular food grows in strength over generations—the less you know about something, the stranger it seems. And if you’ve never met someone who has eaten a raccoon, it becomes a lot easier to confirm that bias.

I had that bias and still do to some degree. As much as I enjoy smoked and braised raccoon, a part of me wants to not like it. Part of me feels weird for liking it, and part of me doesn’t want to write this and tell you that I’ve eaten it. It’s hard to shake the mental conjuring of the type of person who eats raccoons, and that’s coming from someone who has done it a bunch of times. I feel self-conscious about a lot of the things I do, not because of any moral or ethical reasons, but because of how I felt about some of those things before I experienced them. If I felt that strongly about something I knew nothing about, do others feel the same way?

It’s a weird place to be, a representative of a self-created stereotype. I’m staring at my own bias, and it looks like me.

What’s the best way to confront this bias? Intellectually, I know where it comes from—generations of sentiment against poor folks who were exploited to the point that their only living came from the land and the “waste” creatures that the wealthy didn’t have an interest in. I don’t want to perpetuate that ugly mindset: disdain for the working class and wanton waste of trapped or hunted animals should simply be things of the past. All that being said, a whole head-on raccoon coming out of a crockpot still doesn’t sound appealing to me.

But shredded, braised meat on crispy tortillas with fresh cilantro does. For me, overcoming this food bias is about dressing it up, and making sure that the meals I make with the meat are appealing in a general sense and fit my palate. Maybe this isn’t a traditional preparation, but I’m not exactly the traditional demographic for “frequent consumers of raccoon,” either.

I’ve eaten enough raccoons to have an opinion on them. They’re damn good. And if you need a qualifier, I was a chef for nine years and have worked in restaurants for more than 20. I’ve eaten just about anything you can buy and a pile of things you can’t. I’ve tasted more wine than most people will ever see. I love caviar, Wagyu, Iberico, bluefin, Chateauneuf-du-Papes, and cheap ramen. Raccoons taste good; younger ones are the best.

This past winter I trapped a few raccoons, and after skinning them, I saved the hindquarters. I lightly smoked and then braised some legs using my barbacoa recipe. It’s a method that will make anything worth eating tasty. The tender raccoon meat tastes somewhere between goose and venison. No off-flavors, nothing weird, and in all honesty, it would be hard to tell what it was if I hadn’t known. I cooked two sets of hindquarters, one from a larger boar and one from a much smaller raccoon. There’s a distinct difference between the two. While both were tasty, the younger of the two, as you would expect, was much more tender and mild. It had a lighter color to it as well, a dark pink tone versus the deep red of the boar.

I plan on cooking the rest of the raccoon meat using methods that will impart fewer flavors to get a better idea of how this meat tastes on its own. Slowly, I’m changing my own bias.

Please note: Raccoons can be a vector for trichinosis as well as some other pathogens. You need to handle the meat with care and cook it to an appropriate temperature. Since the majority of the meat on a raccoon is in the hindquarters, which are dense, most slow–and-low cooking methods will get the meat to a safe temperature, but do be sure that the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit at some point.

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Extra Information About is raccoon meat healthy to eat That You May Find Interested

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Can You Eat Raccoon? Absolutely | MeatEater Wild Foods

Can You Eat Raccoon? Absolutely | MeatEater Wild Foods

  • Author: themeateater.com

  • Rating: 5⭐ (949689 rating)

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  • Lowest Rate: 3⭐

  • Sumary: The first time I ate a raccoon was about 11 years ago. Some were raiding the chicken coop where we lived, so my roommate and I were charged with…

  • Matching Result: Since the majority of the meat on a raccoon is in the hindquarters, which are dense, most slow–and-low cooking methods will get the meat to a …

  • Intro: Can You Eat Raccoon? Absolutely | MeatEater Wild Foods The first time I ate a raccoon was about 11 years ago. Some were raiding the chicken coop where we lived, so my roommate and I were charged with dispatching. We trapped one in a Hav-a-Hart, killed it, and being equal…

  • Source: https://www.themeateater.com/cook/cooking-techniques/can-you-eat-raccoon-absolutely

Is raccoon meat healthy to eat? – Daily Delish

Is raccoon meat healthy to eat? - Daily Delish

  • Author: dailydelish.us

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  • Highest Rate: 5⭐

  • Lowest Rate: 3⭐

  • Sumary: ..Advertisements.. CONTINUE READING BELOW The calorie in the meat of a raccoon is low as compared to other sources of meat. They are rich in vitamins and minerals like potassium as well. It…

  • Matching Result: The calorie in the meat of a raccoon is low as compared to other sources of meat. They are rich in vitamins and minerals like potassium as well.

  • Intro: Is raccoon meat healthy to eat? ..Advertisements.. CONTINUE READING BELOW The calorie in the meat of a raccoon is low as compared to other sources of meat. They are rich in vitamins and minerals like potassium as well. It is also a good source of protein, but it also contains…

  • Source: https://dailydelish.us/faq/is-raccoon-meat-healthy-to-eat/

What Does Raccoon Taste Like? Does … – Eatdelights

What Does Raccoon Taste Like? Does ... - Eatdelights

  • Author: eatdelights.com

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  • Sumary: Raccoons are adorable creatures that have been around for about 40,000 years!

  • Matching Result: Is It Safe to Eat Raccoon Meat? … Technically the answer would have to be yes. Historically, baked raccoon was once a treasured holiday treat …

  • Intro: What Does Raccoon Taste Like? Does Raccoon Taste Good? | EatDelights Jump to RecipeRaccoons are adorable creatures that have been around for about 40,000 years! They are small creatures with sensitive hands and eat about anything they find. The raccoon capital of the world is Toronto. Raccoons are brilliant and…

  • Source: https://eatdelights.com/raccoon-taste/

How to Cook Raccoon: A Forgotten Delicacy

How to Cook Raccoon: A Forgotten Delicacy

  • Author: grandviewoutdoors.com

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  • Sumary: Ever wonder how to cook raccoon? Our editor shows you to how to prepare this once a common menu item.

  • Matching Result: All in all, raccoon is totally edible, and I would not hesitate to eat it again. However, it’s the quality of the meat that would keep me from …

  • Intro: How to Cook Raccoon: A Forgotten Delicacy | Grand View Outdoors As a young boy, I would sit in motionless suspense as my grandpa Varney replayed the memories of his youth through storytelling. My mind could see the cascading streams and rugged mountains that he painted of his Appalachian home…

  • Source: https://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/predator-hunting/forgotten-delicacy-raccoon

Is Racoon Good to Eat – PawsGeek

Is Racoon Good to Eat - PawsGeek

  • Author: pawsgeek.com

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  • Sumary: There are many different animals that people eat around the world. In North America, one animal that is commonly eaten is the raccoon. Raccoons are found in wooded areas and can be hunted or trapped. They are also…

  • Matching Result: Raccoons are generally considered to be good to eat. They are a source of lean, hearty meat that can be cooked in a variety of ways. Raccoon meat is often …

  • Intro: Is Racoon Good to Eat – PawsGeekIntroductionThere are many different animals that people eat around the world. In North America, one animal that is commonly eaten is the raccoon. Raccoons are found in wooded areas and can be hunted or trapped. They are also sometimes seen as pests because they…

  • Source: https://www.pawsgeek.com/is-racoon-good-to-eat/

Down South: How to Cook a Raccoon – Serious Eats

Down South: How to Cook a Raccoon - Serious Eats

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  • Sumary: Despite what you might think, raccoon tastes pretty good when cleaned and cooked properly. Like dark-meat chicken or turkey, though it is greasier and more tender than either.

  • Matching Result: Despite what you might think, raccoon tastes pretty good when cleaned and cooked properly. Like dark-meat chicken or turkey, though it is greasier and more …

  • Intro: Down South: How to Cook a Raccoon WARNING: This slideshow contains graphic images. Click with caution. “Big George” Drayton comes by his nickname honestly. He is a stone pillar of a man. I remember him standing at the doors to Sea Island’s Cloister hotelbuilt by my great-grandfather’s brother in 1928back…

  • Source: https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-cook-a-raccoon-the-south

Frequently Asked Questions About is raccoon meat healthy to eat

If you have questions that need to be answered about the topic is raccoon meat healthy to eat, then this section may help you solve it.

Can you eat raccoon meat?

Where can you find a raccoon to cook? If you live in the country, you might be able to buy one from a friend or neighbor. Contrary to popular belief, raccoon tastes pretty good when cleaned and cooked properly, like dark-meat chicken or turkey, though it is greasier and more tender than either.

Is eating raccoons healthy?

Please take care when handling the meat and cook it to the proper temperature because raccoons can carry various pathogens, including trichinosis.

Can eating a raccoon make you sick?

There is one thing we should be concerned about when eating raccoon, and that would be raccoon roundworm, a disease that is caused by a parasite, a roundworm called Baylisascaris procyonis. Rabies is not nearly as big of a concern as the fear of it would lead one to think.

How should raccoon be cooked?

Trichinella. Trichinella nematodes, acquired through eating tainted undercooked meat, particularly game meat from carnivores, cause trichinellosis. The parasite Trichinella has been found in raccoons, but it has not been demonstrated that it makes them sick.

Do parasites exist in racoon meat?

Overall, raccoon is perfectly edible, and I wouldn’t think twice about eating it again. However, the toughness of the meat, similar to that of squirrel, would deter me from cooking it more frequently.

Can you eat wild racoons?

Hawks, owls, and humans are the main predators, and young raccoons may be eaten by snakes. Raccoons stay in their dens during the day to avoid being preyed upon and are capable of being aggressive toward potential predators.

Who consumes racoons?

Raccoons have five digits on each of their front and hind paws, and they have keen hearing, sight, and touch senses, but less developed taste and smell senses.

Do parasites exist in racoon meat?

Raccoon roundworm is a common condition that affects 40–60% of adults and 90–95% of young raccoons. It starts when an adult worm living in the infected raccoon’s intestine deposits an egg.

Who consumes racoons?

Raccoons are hunted for sport, recreation, sustenance, financial gain, or just because people find them to be a nuisance.

Why are raccoons hunted by humans?

You may have noticed a pattern here: raccoon predators are typically large, which is necessary because raccoons are formidable targets. These natural predators include bobcats, coyotes, and the great horned owl.

Why are raccoons hunted by humans?

Despite the mischief this masked mammal can sometimes cause, raccoons play an important role in the ecosystem by serving as gardeners, pest control, and the “clean-up crew”, Raccoons are beneficial to ecosystems for the distribution of plant seeds.

Are raccoons useful in any way?

Raccoons will bond with their humans and many do become quite cuddly or playful at times, especially if raised in captivity from a young age, but they are also typically quick to bite, even their favorite people, when something annoys or scares them.

Do raccoons form attachments to people?

Other Diseases: Other bacterial illnesses (like Salmonella or E. Coli), fungus, and rare parasites can also pose a risk for illness in humans. Raccoons can shed Leptospirosis in their urine and secretions, and exposure of these excretions to open wounds or orally can cause infection in humans.

What illnesses can raccoons transmit?

Raccoons aren’t exactly the most hygienic animals; they frequently dip their food into the same body of water they use as a latrine (communal toilet). Raccoons are famous for their tendency to “wash” their food, but they’re actually not washing anything at all.

Raccoons are clean, right?

In one experiment, raccoons were consistently able to learn how to pick a complex lock in less than 10 attempts, demonstrating that they have a high IQ, frequently scoring nearly as high as monkeys on intelligence tests.

How sophisticated are raccoons?

Female raccoons are monogamous, which means they will only mate with one male and will not tolerate other males after mating, whereas male raccoons are polygamous, or will mate with several females in succession.

Do raccoons form attachments to people?

A nursery is a group of raccoons.

Do raccoons only ever mate once?

Raccoons and your butt A raccoon can fit through holes that are 6 inches or wider, so theoretically, a raccoon could fit up your arse. The human rectum can stretch up to 9 inches without rupturing.

Raccoons and humans – can they coexist?

Mammals are warm-blooded animals with fur, including people. Since birds, snakes, and fish are not mammals, they cannot contract rabies or transmit it to humans.

Which animal is immune to rabies?

In American history, there has only ever been one recognized case.

How frequently do racoons contract rabies?

The raccoon is a nocturnal mammal from the Procyonidae taxonomic family whereas cats are from the Felidae family and as this article show, the two species are biologically incapable of reproducing. However, a raccoon and a cat can mate but the pair can’t reproduce. Therefore, it is not possible for a cat to be part raccoon.

Can a raccoon get a cat pregnant?

All bites from such wildlife must be taken into consideration as a potential exposure to the rabies virus since raccoons, skunks, and foxes are the terrestrial animals most frequently infected with the disease in the United States.

How sophisticated is a raccoon?

Wild Animalsbr> br> Skunks (28, 12.4%), foxes (3, 1.3%), and raccoons (1, 0.4%) were the next most frequently reported rabid wild animals, followed by bats (194, 85.8%) and bats.

Which animal is immune to rabies?

The blood brain barrier is a membrane that prevents cells and large molecules from entering the brain. The rabies virus uses a variety of strategies to evade the immune system and hide from antiviral drugs, even using the blood brain barrier to protect itself once it has entered the brain.

Why can’t people defeat rabies?

Don’t skip the full vaccine; rabies can kill years later, say experts.

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