Kain, Sounds like you have caught the Bug for sure, (now you can never go back.)
I caught my first Muskrat back in 1964 and I'm afraid the Disease will stick on you longer than a Deer Tick!
Congratulations and Good Luck cooking it up!
(This isn’t like bringing home meat from the grocery store. There is no stamp from the USDA, existing between you and this eviscerated animal carcass thawing in your kitchen.) Enjoy!
Bacon ‘Rat
12 slices bacon
1 14-ounce package smoked sausage or kielbasa
2 cups white mushrooms, sliced
2 bunches green onions, finely chopped
6 Italian sausages, removed from casings
1 ˝ cups Washington Muskrat, previously boiled and chopped
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
Assorted fresh herbs for garnish
1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
2. Stir hoisin sauce into muskrat. Set aside.
3. Weave bacon lattice (6 slices x 6 slices) and then dust generously with Old Bay.
4. Chop remaining bacon slices and fry in a sauté pan, then cook mushroom slices in bacon fat, seasoning with dash of salt and pepper. Set aside.
5. Press/spread layer of Italian sausages evenly over bacon lattice.
6. Press/spread layer of chopped bacon and mushrooms evenly over Italian sausages.
7. Press/spread layer of green onion evenly over chopped bacon and mushrooms.
8. Spread layer of Muskrat evenly over green onions.
9. Slice one smoked sausage in half lengthwise, and lay the halves diagonally across the bacon square, the second half hanging over the edge to form Tail. (Carve/twist second half for optimal tail-like aesthetics.)
10. Hold corner of bacon lattice, and roll the entire mat tightly. Fold over corner for face of Muskrat.
11. Place in baking dish and bake for 2 hours, basting periodically with maple bourbon glaze.
12. After removing from oven, stir heavy cream into the remaining bourbon glaze, and pour into the bottom of the baking dish. Garnish with assorted fresh herbs.
