Restaurant Creates Stir By Adding Squirrel To Its Menu
If you’ve ever had Brunswick stew with your barbecue, it was probably made with chicken or pork. However, the classic southern hunters’ dish, which dates back to the 1800s, was traditionally made with squirrel as its primary protein. I don’t know anyone who eats squirrels now but that could change.
Fox News reports that a diner in the UK has sparked a social media frenzy after adding a squirrel dish to its menu. More specifically, they’re serving wild grey squirrels, which are the kind we see most often here in the Carolinas. The “crispy buttermilk wild grey squirrel” entree goes for almost $28 at Street Urchin in Manchester.
The restaurant’s owner is passionate about sustainable and ethical food sources and decided to serve squirrel meat as a way to promote the use of underutilized ingredients. Squirrel meat is high in protein and low in fat, but those facts don’t have everyone on social media convinced that this is a good idea.
Some people are supporting the idea of using alternative protein sources, while others don’t like the idea of eating the cute critters, with one saying, “I draw the line at creamy rodent stew.” But another customer compared the deep-fried squirrel to a more familiar food item, saying it “tastes like chicken thighs.”
If it does catch on, Street Urchin won’t have to worry about running out of ingredients anytime soon. There are roughly 2.5 million grey squirrels in the UK alone. That’s what I’d call sustainable. Would you give it a try? I have to admit, after reading the comparison the chicken thighs, I’m game. Pun intended.
Crispy buttermilk wild grey squirrel, creamy pulled ham hock cassoulet, hazelnut bread crouton, nettle pesto pic.twitter.com/dEWMPr551S
— Street Urchin (@StreetUrchin5) March 18, 2023
Two North Carolina Restaurants Featured In Yelp's Top 100 Places To Eat
