Rex Trulove
Porcupines are well-known for their sharp quills and the enormous damage they can do in a forest. Many people don’t realize that these rodents are also edible and good tasting. Particularly from mid-summer until late fall, they have a layer of fat that makes them excellent when cooked into stews. The fat produces rich broth.
Some people might wonder how a person can go about skinning a porcupine. The obvious answer is, “Carefully”. A more practical answer is that the belly doesn’t have quills. An incision is made just through the skin of the belly and the hide is rolled back while gently cutting between the skin and the meat. By rolling the hide, the quills are kept inside the hide, so it protects your hands during the skinning.
Have you ever eaten porcupine? Would you eat it if you had the chance?
Can’t say I have.. I would try it.
I really love stew made out of these. If they’ve been eating pine trees, they tend to have sort of a pine flavor, though.