Of course! Porcupine meat is safe to eat when cooked, fried, roasted, and some people eat them raw. Porcupines are easy to catch and super easy to club. Porcupine meat tastes fatty, mild, and tender. The meat usually tastes like the type of tree they’ve been eating.
Note: Porcupines are also easily flammable because of the gas that inflates their quills.
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How to Hunt Porcupine?
Porcupines are slow-moving animals that heavily rely on their quills for protection. This makes them easy to hunt in a survival situation.
You can get them with a big stick, a piece of stone or a club. If on a tree, you can humanely hunt them with a .22 caliber rifle.
Porcupines are almost everywhere in the Western (and Northern US), Canada, Mexico, Africa, Asia, etc.
How Do You Prepare Porcupine Meat?
The simplest method of preparing porcupine meat is by roasting them, but if an open fire isn’t readily available then I’d recommend you use a Dutch oven to boil the meat over a low flame very slowly for some hours or until it is tender.
See also Can Porcupines Float and Swim? ANSWER HERE!
Note: Take out the bones before attempting to boil.
What Dishes Can You Make with Porcupines?
This small game can be prepared in a variety of ways, and we are sharing two yummy dishes you can prepare using porcupines today:
You’ll need:
- 1 kg of freshly prepared porcupine meat
- Pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, butter, sour cream, canola oil, brown sugar, tomatoes, and Worcestershire sauce.
Directions:
Put your animal meat and spices into a large bowl, mix well and mash into small balls.
Place the pan on the stove, then add chicken fat and canola oil with chopped tomatoes.
Add in brown sugar, butter, and Worcestershire sauce to make the sauce richer.
Cook the meatballs over low heat until cooked. This recipe also works for a meat pie.
You’ll need
- Chopped porcupine meat
- Spices such as onions, ½ teaspoon garlic, curry leaves, or rosemary. Besides, a little olive oil, chili, and spices such as sugar, salt, and pepper are also necessary.
Directions:
Add the chopped meat to a bowl and season with spices such as pepper, curry sauce, and salt.
Next, add rosemary leaves, chili butter to the pan and stir, and sweep over the meat to add color to the dish.
Let it simmer for about 10 minutes to half an hour for the spices to be evenly absorbed into the meat.
Lastly, add the marinated porcupine meat on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes on each side.
See also Can Porcupines Climb Trees + How to Stop Them!
Remember to turn the meat over regularly and add a little extra olive oil or chicken fat to the meat to reduce scorching. And your roasted porcupine is ready to be served.
Where to Catch Porcupine
Look for forest edges or clearings near heavy vegetation. They’re usually found there or check open woods, along fencerows, at the edges of fields where shrubs are present, and anywhere else where they may have lots of covers to hide in.
Before picking a target, check to see if it is healthy. A good way to do this is to check the skin around its eyes. If they are free of any discharge and clear, then you can be pretty sure that your prey is good and safe to eat.
Again, because these animals are slow-moving, it is easy to catch them, hunting one or more using a stick or any other object before skinning them.
The Benefits of Eating Porcupine Meat
Porcupine meat:
- Is very rich in protein and low in fat
- Has thiamin (vitamin B), which keeps the nervous system healthy;
- niacin (B-3), which promotes good circulation;
- iron, which produces the red blood cells that carry oxygen to the cells; and phosphorus, calcium, sodium, and potassium, which are all essential for maintaining good health.
- An excellent source of zinc that helps to keep the immune system working properly.
Can You Eat Porcupine with Tularemia?
No! No human should consume porcupine meat infected with tularemia. It is not just worth it.
Can You Eat Porcupine Fish?
Also known as tagotongan, the porcupine fish is safe to eat and is considered an exotic delicacy in parts of Cebu, Philippines, where they are called tagotongan.
See also Can Porcupine Quills Kill A Human or Pets?!
Can You Eat Porcupine with Spots on Liver?
Small, white spots on the liver are a sign of tularemia; a bacterial infection. So, no, avoid eating porcupine meat with tularemia.
Can You Eat Porcupine Quills?
No! You’ll suffer lots of internal bleeding.
Can you eat a diseased porcupine?
Unless you killed it yourself after making sure it was healthy, I would avoid eating an already deceased porcupine and suggest you do the same.
Can You Cook Porcupine Meatballs In The Oven?
Absolutely! It tastes great! Try it.
Can You Buy Porcupine Meat?
Sure, why not? Just make sure you’re buying safe meat.
Can You Make Porcupine Meatballs?
Yes! We shared a recipe on how to do that in this article.
Can You Hunt Porcupine in Ontario?
Yes, you can.
Can You Hunt Porcupine in Colorado?
Yes, you can.
Can You Hunt Porcupine in California?
Yes, you can.
Can You Hunt Porcupine In Bc?
Yes, you can.
Can You Hunt Porcupine in Manitoba?
Yes, you can.
Can You Shoot Porcupine In Pa?
Yes, you can.
Can You Hunt Porcupine In Mn?
Yes, you can.
Can You Shoot Porcupines In Alberta?
Yes, you can.
Can You Sell Porcupine Quills?
Yes, you can. If you’ve got the patience, quill-craft can fetch a pretty penny.
Can a Porcupine Turn into A Ball?
No, they don’t. Only hedgehogs are able to do that.
Can You eat a Diseased Porcupine?
Small, white spots on the liver are a sign of tularemia; a bacterial infection. So, no, avoid eating porcupine meat with tularemia.
With over 5+ years of experience in pest control and a PhD in Entomology, our author brings a blend of scientific knowledge and practical expertise to Pestifier.com. Passionate about creating pest-free environments, they provide effective tips and strategies for managing and preventing pest infestations. Connect on Facebook for the latest updates and insights.