Do you really eat Coon? (Houston, Dallas: purchase, license, best)

[neddy]

Well I have some relatives in East Texas and they used ti eat coon and I have had it thru them. Don't think they eat it now days maybe their kids hunt it since the local stores don't carry it in the meat dept.! I do have an old recipe for it that came out of LA from the Lake Ponchatrain River Road Ladies Society from about 1900.

[High_Plains_Retired]

I grew up in deeeeep east Texas during the 1950s and 1960s but I've only only been offered coon (BBQ'ed) while working in New Orleans as a young man and that was by a native there. I can however tell you that squirrels in the Pineywoods of deep Texas in the 1960s could smell a 410 shotgun and a skillet.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by High_Plains_Retired

I grew up in deeeeep east Texas during the 1950s and 1960s but I've only only been offered coon (BBQ'ed) while working in New Orleans as a young man and that was by a native there. I can however tell you that squirrels in the Pineywoods of deep Texas in the 1960s could smell a 410 shotgun and a skillet.

I had forgotten about this old thread...and went back and re-read it. Like most on here, I figure the OP was just being put on.

I never had possum either, but my grandparents all did back when they were growing up and all said while it wasn't BAD...it was still very greasy meat and not something they would make a point to feature when the preacher came to visit! LOL

MMmmmmm...though. Fried squirrel! Love it. But havent had it in....welllll, a "coons age"

[BobTex]

Don't know how I missed this thread originally. Maybe I was on hiatus from C-D, self imposed of course.


We baked coon with sweet potatoes, carrots, and white potatoes in a big magnalite roaster. I never really cared for it too much (nor squirrel). I've eaten a lot of squirrel! I loved hunting the little rodents and have had them fried (young ones only for this method), fried and smothered in gravy, and with dumplings. My grandfather and aunt (she has a PhD) required us to leave the head on when dressing them ... they liked the brain.

On the coon, I see them as only a small bear with similar habits but downsized. They are omniviores. Clean animals (don't eat carrion). Many folks up north eat bear (which will eat carrion).


Saw on the Food Network the other night the host of one of the shows eat armadillo on the half shell! Hmmmmm ... he said it tastes like ... chicken!


I've eaten plenty of frog, tons of crawfish, most kinds of fish (including gar balls ... gar filet rolled up and baked), squirrel and coon. Never had possum, diller, or snake (wanna try the snake though, not the others).

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by BobTex

Don't know how I missed this thread originally. Maybe I was on hiatus from C-D, self imposed of course.


We baked coon with sweet potatoes, carrots, and white potatoes in a big magnalite roaster. I never really cared for it too much (nor squirrel). I've eaten a lot of squirrel! I loved hunting the little rodents and have had them fried (young ones only for this method), fried and smothered in gravy, and with dumplings. My grandfather and aunt (she has a PhD) required us to leave the head on when dressing them ... they liked the brain.

On the coon, I see them as only a small bear with similar habits but downsized. They are omniviores. Clean animals (don't eat carrion). Many folks up north eat bear (which will eat carrion).


Saw on the Food Network the other night the host of one of the shows eat armadillo on the half shell! Hmmmmm ... he said it tastes like ... chicken!


I've eaten plenty of frog, tons of crawfish, most kinds of fish (including gar balls ... gar filet rolled up and baked), squirrel and coon. Never had possum, diller, or snake (wanna try the snake though, not the others).

How about 'gator, Bob? LOL

As I am sure you know, it is not hard to find, and especially in East Texas. We spend as much time as we can out in the Caddo Lake area, but really, the first time I ever had it was at some "sports bar and grill" (aptly named "Gators.") in the DFW area. A year or so later, we hooked up with some internet friends/couple who lived in those parts and while at the same bar, I ordered some "fried gator toes" as a snack.

The female half of the couple asked me what they tasted like before trying them. I replied "wellll, to be honest, something like spicy chicken."

She rolled her eyes and rejoined "Oh c'mon, Randy...EVERYTHING tastes like chicken..."

She had a good point, but I wasn't going to argue (for one, my beer needed replinished) so I just requested she try them for herself. She did.

"Now then, what do they taste like?"

"Ok...chicken."

[txstate]

They must be from West Louisiana or East Texas cause Coon WTF is that?

[Synopsis]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

No...........

Ditto. Never heard of anyone in Texas eating racoon.

[High_Plains_Retired]

Now I do recall that I had a friend in east Texas in the 1960s who hunted coons, field dressed them, then sold them to the local black folks in and around Lufkin. They required that he leave the head on the carcass so they could be sure it was a coon. He once talked me and my brother into going coon hunting with him. Note that I said ONCE. Never again would I ever stand in a pitch black thicket in the middle of the night with the dogs running "something" toward me in the brush, even if I'm armed.

[BobTex]

Originally Posted by High_Plains_Retired

Now I do recall that I had a friend in east Texas in the 1960s who hunted coons, field dressed them, then sold them to the local black folks in and around Lufkin. They required that he leave the head on the carcass so they could be sure it was a coon. He once talked me and my brother into going coon hunting with him. Note that I said ONCE. Never again would I ever stand in a pitch black thicket in the middle of the night with the dogs running "something" toward me in the brush, even if I'm armed.

I heard they wants a foot left on (to make sure they weren't getting a cat).

I have family in east Tennessee that are crazy about coon hunting. I never specifically targeted coons but they were "incidental findings" from time to time.

Randy, I forgot to mentioned gator ... but yeah. Having grown up around Sabine lake and in the marshes and ricefields of SE Texas I've caught a few and ate a few.

[Cowboybootnut]

My dad coon-hunted when I was about 3 years old, and yes he skinned them, dressed them and mom cooked them. I don't remember what they tasted like, it was just food to me. We were living in southern West Virginia at the time, and it was common back then for the country people.