Baked Young Woodchuck In Sour Cream And Mustard

6 lb. Woodchuck; cut into serving pieces
flour
salt & freshly ground pepper
Dijon mustard
3 slabs bacon
1 onion, diced
1/4 C. carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 C. mushrooms, sliced
3 T. parsley, chopped
1 tsp. Harvey's sauce or Kitchen Bouquet
1 C. sour cream
1/2 C. sweet cream

Note: Recipe can be used for other small critters such as squirrel,
rabbit, or muskrat.

Soak the woodchuck pieces in salted water overnight or for several
hours, then rinse dry, roll in flour, salt and pepper, and sauté in
fat until nicely browned. When cool enough to handle, spread the
pieces generously on all sides with Dijon mustard. Place on strips of
bacon in a shallow baking dish.

Sauté the onion, carrots, and finally the mushrooms; add the parsley
and Harvey's sauce, check for salt and pepper, then, over low heat,
stir in the sour cream and the sweet cream, melding the two creams.

Pour over meat pieces and bake in a 350 F degree oven 40 to 50
minutes or until meat is tender (bake rabbit, squirrel, or muskrat 30
to 40 minutes). Check the dish once or twice and if it seems to need
moisture add cream.

from: L. L. Bean Game & Fish Cookbook
Angus Cameron & Judith Jones, 1983.
Random House. ISBN 0-394-51191-3.