Bandit Burrito Bowls with Raccoon Barbacoa

Rework any meat right into a scrumptious pot of shredded, saucy goodness prepared for quite a lot of preparations

I’ve been desirous to attempt cooking raccoon for fairly a while now, however I’ve been hampered by accessibility. Nobody I do know in my space coon hunts, and of these locations I may go and check out myself, there’s at all times one thing stopping me: close by dumps (no thanks), neighbors with rubbish or pet meals neglected (additionally nope), too-close taking pictures quarters (sorry for the outlet in your hat there, neighborino!), or just an absence of accessible raccoons after I present as much as hunt (how impolite!).

Not wanting to surrender, I’ve stored my eyes open for alternatives and let my hunting-friendly friends know that I used to be seeking to hunt raccoon or, on the very least, receive among the meat.

Fortunately, my calls had been answered when a buddy of mine despatched a photograph of some skinned raccoons in his processing room with a line of textual content that mentioned, “Need one?”

Boy howdy, certain do!

He assured me these raccoons had been from a clear, wild space and that he’d taken care to course of them cleanly, eradicating any fats and glands he’d discovered.

As a humorous aspect observe, this identical pal as soon as texted “me” an image of a legally trapped and skinned beaver with a textual content that mentioned, “Need this?”

The textual content he acquired again went one thing alongside the strains of, “WTF? Why would I ever need that?!!!?”

Feeling confused and barely harm (I by no means flip down something he affords me), he discarded the carcass and went on along with his day. When he acquired one other textual content asking, “Severely, why would you ship me that picture,” he turned suspicious. Trying again at his messages, he realized his mistake: he had texted the picture to a random acquaintance who was additionally named Adam, an Adam that clearly wasn’t as thrilled as I might be on the prospect of cooking a skinned beaver. Oops!

Anyway, this time round, I took him up on his provide, bringing dwelling my first complete raccoon.

The very first thing I did, as I at all times do upon arriving dwelling with a brand new sort of meat, was to fry up a bit of loin with nothing however a contact of salt and pepper. Not dangerous! No bizarre or off-taste, only a good, earthy, wild taste.

For my first recipe with raccoon, I figured I’d go approachable moderately than distinctive, fascinating, or fancy. My thoughts went to barbacoa, a Mexican preparation that’s good for just about any meat, reworking it from its doubtlessly alarming whole-animal state (not everybody needs to see a whole-roasted raccoon on a serving plate in the course of the desk) to a pot of luscious and saucy shredded meat.

Having a pot of barbacoa round is nice, as it may be used for a number of totally different functions; a burrito bowl is only one of them. Use any leftovers so as to add to sandwiches, sliders, nachos, breakfast hash, burritos, breakfast sandwiches, rice, noodles, and naturally tacos.

I offer you directions for making the barbacoa-inspired meat in both a Dutch oven or a sluggish cooker within the steps under.

Bandit Burrito Bowls with Raccoon Barbacoa

Shredded, slow-cooked raccoon meat makes a scrumptious topper to this burrito bowl

Course Fundamental Course

Delicacies American, Mexican

Key phrase barbacoa, Raccoon

Prep Time 1

Cook dinner Time 5

Whole Time 6

Servings

Creator Adam Berkelmans

Substances

For the Barbacoa

1 raccoon break up into 4 items (entrance legs, hind legs)1 tbsp lard or oil1 giant onion diced4 cloves garlic chopped3 chipotles in adobo sauce from can2 limes juiced2 tbsp apple cider vinegar2 tsp floor cumin1 tsp oregano1 tsp black pepper2 tsp kosher salt4 bay leaves¾ cup beef inventory or sport inventory

For the Pico de Gallo

2 ripe tomatoes diced½ tsp kosher salt¼ cup onion diced (pink or white)1 serrano or jalapeno pepper minced, seeds eliminated⅓ cup recent cilantro finely chopped1 lime juiced

For the Burrito Bowls

6 servings white or brown rice cooked (attempt cooking in hen inventory as an alternative of water)1 can candy corn drained1 can black beans drained and rinsed2 avocados sliced, cubed, or mashed2 limes reduce into wedges2 cups shredded cheesePico de Gallo see recipe aboveRaccoon Barbacoa see recipe above1 tub bitter creamCilantro for garnishScorching sauce

Directions

Dutch Oven Technique

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Add the oil to a Dutch oven over excessive warmth.

Add the raccoon quarters and sear on all sides till well-browned.

Cut back warmth to medium and add the remainder of the components, scraping up any bits caught to the underside of the pot.

Cook dinner for 4 hours or till the meat shreds simply.

Take away the raccoon and let it cool.

Put the Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-high warmth and scale back the liquid till thick and saucy.

Shred all the meat off the bones, discarding the bones once you’re executed. Shred the meat with two forks or together with your arms. Toss the meat within the diminished sauce and blend properly.

From right here, you’ll be able to add the saucy meat to a greased skillet over medium-high warmth and crisp it up, or simply serve as-is.

Gradual Cooker Technique

Add all the Raccoon Barbacoa components to a sluggish cooker, set to low, and let prepare dinner for 8 hours, or till the meat simply shreds off the bone. Take away the raccoon and let it cool.

In the meantime, both set the sluggish cooker to excessive and prepare dinner, uncovered, till the liquid reduces to a thick sauce, or switch the liquid to a pot and do the identical on the stovetop over excessive warmth.

Shred all the meat off the bones, discarding the bones once you’re executed. Shred the meat with two forks or together with your arms. Toss the meat within the diminished sauce and blend properly.

From right here, you’ll be able to add the saucy meat to a greased skillet over medium-high warmth and crisp it up, or simply serve as-is.

Placing it collectively

Combine the pico de gallo components in a bowl.

Break up the rice between 6 bowls. Add a heaping spoonful of raccoon barbacoa to every bowl. High the rice with even quantities of corn, beans, avocado, cheese, pico de gallo, and bitter cream. Garnish with cilantro, scorching sauce, and lime wedges. Take pleasure in!

The publish Bandit Burrito Bowls with Raccoon Barbacoa appeared first on Mission Upland.

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