Okay all- I'm including this whacko recipe in my annual Christmas Card Newsletter this year. Check it out for a chuckle!
Now, Christmas possum is differnt from all other possum. It’s got to be caught- not killed, two weeks to a month before the cookin day. That’s right around late November. You can catchem in the hen house or up a ‘simmon tree, or in a trap. It don’t make no never mind, long as he’s caught live, ‘cause they got to be penned up so’s you can cleanem out. Feedem nothin but cornbread and milk. That’ll fixem up, fattenem out, and get rid of all them no good flavors. This makes possum as good as corn-fed pig. Then, when the time comes, killem quick, skin the rascal and git shed of all the insides.
Now you got a possum ready for cookin’. Sinkem in a ‘namel dish pan o’water and make sure he’s good and covered. Then add a half cup of vinegar and soak it in the icebox overnight. In the mornin drain off all the water and cut up the possum into rabbit pieces. Thata way the city folk’ll never know they eatin possum. An I’ma tellin ya it works. Boil the possum pieces in enough salted water ‘til it’s done, but not fallin off the bone. The timin depends on the age o’ the possum. Sometimes it’s ready in an hour- sometimes it’ll take two. When it’s done, fish out the pieces and drainem. That’ll git rid o’ just about all the possum grease. When it’s cool so you can handle it, rub the rabbit sized possum pieces with lotsa salt and pepper. Plenty. Then make a paste outta some Kitchen Bouquet and a jar a persimmon jam. I always make my jam just after the first frost ‘cause it’s sweeter that way- that is, if’n the possums ain’t got’em all. Just a teaspoon or two of Kitchen Bouquet stirred into the jam. Now, ifn you ain’t got ‘simmon jam, any light tastin one’ll do. Smear the stuff all over the pieces until you’ve gotem coated good. Lay on 5 or 6 slices salt pork or bacon and surround it with ya greased sweet potaters. Put in a hot oven and roast, covered for thirty minutes. Then uncover it and cook until it’s sizzlin browned but never burned (bout ‘nother thirty minutes). Spoon the juice up on it ever few minutes while it’s uncovered. I don’t think I know a soul that don’t surround their possum with sweet potaters, ‘cause it takes a good hour for’em to bake. Be extry shore ya possum is done. They ain’t nuthin worst than bein accused a serving half-baked possum!
Miss Ruby-Claudetta’s Christmas Possum
Recipe taken from “Treasury of White Trash Cooking”
by: Ernest Matthew Mickler and Trisha Mickler
1 live possum
½ c. vinegar
Kitchen Bouquet
small jar persimmon jam
5 or 6 slices bacon
salt & pepper to taste
8-10 medium sweet potaters
Recipe taken from “Treasury of White Trash Cooking”
by: Ernest Matthew Mickler and Trisha Mickler
1 live possum
½ c. vinegar
Kitchen Bouquet
small jar persimmon jam
5 or 6 slices bacon
salt & pepper to taste
8-10 medium sweet potaters
Now, Christmas possum is differnt from all other possum. It’s got to be caught- not killed, two weeks to a month before the cookin day. That’s right around late November. You can catchem in the hen house or up a ‘simmon tree, or in a trap. It don’t make no never mind, long as he’s caught live, ‘cause they got to be penned up so’s you can cleanem out. Feedem nothin but cornbread and milk. That’ll fixem up, fattenem out, and get rid of all them no good flavors. This makes possum as good as corn-fed pig. Then, when the time comes, killem quick, skin the rascal and git shed of all the insides.
Now you got a possum ready for cookin’. Sinkem in a ‘namel dish pan o’water and make sure he’s good and covered. Then add a half cup of vinegar and soak it in the icebox overnight. In the mornin drain off all the water and cut up the possum into rabbit pieces. Thata way the city folk’ll never know they eatin possum. An I’ma tellin ya it works. Boil the possum pieces in enough salted water ‘til it’s done, but not fallin off the bone. The timin depends on the age o’ the possum. Sometimes it’s ready in an hour- sometimes it’ll take two. When it’s done, fish out the pieces and drainem. That’ll git rid o’ just about all the possum grease. When it’s cool so you can handle it, rub the rabbit sized possum pieces with lotsa salt and pepper. Plenty. Then make a paste outta some Kitchen Bouquet and a jar a persimmon jam. I always make my jam just after the first frost ‘cause it’s sweeter that way- that is, if’n the possums ain’t got’em all. Just a teaspoon or two of Kitchen Bouquet stirred into the jam. Now, ifn you ain’t got ‘simmon jam, any light tastin one’ll do. Smear the stuff all over the pieces until you’ve gotem coated good. Lay on 5 or 6 slices salt pork or bacon and surround it with ya greased sweet potaters. Put in a hot oven and roast, covered for thirty minutes. Then uncover it and cook until it’s sizzlin browned but never burned (bout ‘nother thirty minutes). Spoon the juice up on it ever few minutes while it’s uncovered. I don’t think I know a soul that don’t surround their possum with sweet potaters, ‘cause it takes a good hour for’em to bake. Be extry shore ya possum is done. They ain’t nuthin worst than bein accused a serving half-baked possum!
Mama Mangia wrote: