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Pizza with shredded meat, artichoke hearts and greens; slice lifted by hand, glass of white wine

Squirrel and Bacon Pizza

  • Course

    Main

  • Duration

    1.5 hours

  • Serves

    4
Chef’s notes

It’s hard to argue with the versatility of an old-fashioned pot hunt. The meat from small game is tasty, easy to process, and can be used in a variety of preparations. While it might not be commonplace to work forest critters into weeknight meals, I feel that’s where they’re best suited.

The mild flavor and approachable size make them great substitutes for white meat in your favorite dishes. That’s exactly what I did here. And if you like the combination of wild game and pie, then check out our recipe for venison deep dish pizza.

Ingredients

  • 1 squirrel
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • ½ cup canned artichoke hearts, chopped
  • ½ cup bacon, cooked and chopped
  • 10 oz. mozzarella, grated
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Dough

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup lukewarm water
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp. dry yeast

Also works with

Wild turkey, pheasant, rabbit

Special equipment

Pressure cooker

Preparation

  1. Activate yeast by placing it in lukewarm water (below 110° F) for 5 minutes. Then combine it with all-purpose flour and salt in a bowl. Stir with a spoon until it starts to form a dough, then place it on a clean/floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. Once kneaded, place dough into an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 1 hour.
  2. Sear the bone-in squirrel sections in a hot, oiled skillet. Place the lightly browned sections into a pressure cooker, cover with chicken stock, and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. This makes the meat very tender and easy to shred. Remove the squirrel from the stock and shred the meat from the bones.
  3. Take risen dough and place it onto a clean and floured workspace. Gently work the dough into a 12-inch circle, keeping a slightly thicker edge for a good crust. Place onto a pie pan or pizza stone.
  4. Spread olive oil and minced garlic onto the pizza crust for the sauce, then evenly layer the cheese, spinach, squirrel, artichokes, and bacon.
  5. Place in a 500° F oven for about 8 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned. Be sure to keep an eye on it at this temperature. Let the pizza set for 5 minutes before serving.

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Squirrel and Bacon Pizza

Recipe by: Michael Vialpando
Pizza with shredded meat, artichoke hearts and greens; slice lifted by hand, glass of white wine

  • Course

    Main

  • Duration

    1.5 hours

  • Serves

    4
Chef’s notes

It’s hard to argue with the versatility of an old-fashioned pot hunt. The meat from small game is tasty, easy to process, and can be used in a variety of preparations. While it might not be commonplace to work forest critters into weeknight meals, I feel that’s where they’re best suited.

The mild flavor and approachable size make them great substitutes for white meat in your favorite dishes. That’s exactly what I did here. And if you like the combination of wild game and pie, then check out our recipe for venison deep dish pizza.

Ingredients

  • 1 squirrel
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • ½ cup canned artichoke hearts, chopped
  • ½ cup bacon, cooked and chopped
  • 10 oz. mozzarella, grated
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Dough

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup lukewarm water
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp. dry yeast

Also works with

Wild turkey, pheasant, rabbit

Special equipment

Pressure cooker

Preparation

  1. Activate yeast by placing it in lukewarm water (below 110° F) for 5 minutes. Then combine it with all-purpose flour and salt in a bowl. Stir with a spoon until it starts to form a dough, then place it on a clean/floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. Once kneaded, place dough into an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 1 hour.
  2. Sear the bone-in squirrel sections in a hot, oiled skillet. Place the lightly browned sections into a pressure cooker, cover with chicken stock, and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. This makes the meat very tender and easy to shred. Remove the squirrel from the stock and shred the meat from the bones.
  3. Take risen dough and place it onto a clean and floured workspace. Gently work the dough into a 12-inch circle, keeping a slightly thicker edge for a good crust. Place onto a pie pan or pizza stone.
  4. Spread olive oil and minced garlic onto the pizza crust for the sauce, then evenly layer the cheese, spinach, squirrel, artichokes, and bacon.
  5. Place in a 500° F oven for about 8 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned. Be sure to keep an eye on it at this temperature. Let the pizza set for 5 minutes before serving.