As you all already know, Punxsutawney Phil has spoken. And I’m not very happy with the results. I’m sick of this winter s!#@.
“Speaking” to his select group of human handlers, known as the Inner Circle, in Groundhogese, Punxsutawney Phil indicated that he had seen his shadow after emerging from his temporary burrow – a simulated tree stump at the rural site of Gobbler’s Knob in the small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.
“Phil saw his shadow, so it’s six more weeks of winter,” said Richard Bonds, director of social media for visitpa.com, Pennsylvania’s official tourism Web site.
Well, I’m not very happy with that news Phil! So I’m going to steal a quote from the movie Groundhog Day to say just how I feel about it, “This is pitiful. A thousand people freezing their butts off waiting to worship a rat. What a hype. Groundhog Day used to mean something in this town. They used to pull the hog out, and they used to eat it. You’re hypocrites, all of you!”
So, in keeping with what folks USED to do with that there groundhog (sorry PETA folks) here’s a recipe for..
How to Cook a Groundhog
I’m not endorsing eating Phil of course, but if you happen to wanna find one of his cousins and give it a shot…go for it. It just may be delicious!
from ehow.com
If you’re tired of succulent rib eye steaks topped with caramelized onions, grilled lobster with drawn butter, and if you have to taste shrimp scampi at another five-star restaurant, you’ll simply scream. Try cooking something out of the ordinary–your family will be surprised at how good it tastes!
Cut off the head, tail, and feet. Skin and remove the insides. Make sure you remove the scent glands. You’ll find them around the top of the groundhog’s front legs and the lower back, in the small of it.
Rinse the inside of the groundhog thoroughly with water and then the outside, and then cure groundhog three to four days.
Cut the groundhog into sections. You decide how many.
Fill a pot with enough cold water to cover the animal, usually two quarts. Add ½ cup vinegar and 1 to 1½ tbs. salt. Add a slice of onion, if you’d like. Place the groundhog in the vinegar and salt brine and cover. Leave it in the pot for 8 to 12 hours. Decide what recipe you’ll use after the groundhog has soaked in the brine. I’ve decided for groundhog stew. Pour off brine, thoroughly rinse, and pat dry.
Boil the groundhog in 2 quarts of water for 20 minutes. If foamy water rises to the top, skim it away. Afterwards slice into 1 to 1½ inch pieces.
Chop 1 onion, 1 celery stalk, 2 garlic cloves, 6 to 8 carrots, and 4 to 6 potatoes. Lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until fork tender.
Mix ½ cup of cool water with 1 tbs. flour. Mix until the flour blends without lumps. Add to stew to thicken the broth. Once it’s done, salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
