Directions: |
Directions:Build a small cooking fire. Try to use dry wood from deciduous trees. Due to the nature of a beaver's habitat, it's safe to assume that more beaver tails have been roasted over fires made of aspen, willow and cottonwood than any other fuel source. You're looking for more than just a bed of coals, as a few flames are necessary to complete the cooking process.
As the fire builds up a hot bed of coals, pierce the base of the beaver tail with a knife and insert the sharpened end of the skewer in the slit. ow, position the beaver tail so tat it is close to the fire but not too close - look for a place were you can h old your hand for about 2 seconds before you have to pull it away. The tail can get licked by a flame or two but should not be engulfed. Imagine that you are trying to roast a marshmallow without letting it burn. You can use rocks and a forked stick to support the skewer, but don't wander off.
Within 5 or 6 minutes, the scaly skin of the beaver tail will begin to bubble and lift away from the fatty interior. Adjust the tail's position so that the blistering occurs evenly across the side of the tail that is facing the fire. Use the blade of the knife to test whether or not you can lift or scrape the skin away from the fat. Once that is done, rotate the tail on the skewer and repeat the process on the opposite side. Keep in mind that you are trying to cook the inside of the tail at the same time that you are bubbling the skin away, so don't rush it. If the entire process takes 15 minutes, you are in good shape.
Lay the cooked tail on a stump, rock or platter and let it cool enough so that you can begin peeling the skin away. What remains should look like fatty gristle from a beef steak with a tailbone running down the middle. That's mountain man gold. Slice as thin as possible, either lengthwise or crosswise, and sprinkle each slice with a big of salt. Enjoy the taste of history |
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