Christmas Possum

 

GLENNIE NELL'S ROAST CHRISTMAS POSSUM
From The Treasury of White Trash Cooking by Ernest and Trisha Mickler.

Ingredients:

• 1 possum, corn and milk-fed
  for one month prior, cleaned and dressed


• ½ cup vinegar


• Kitchen Bouqet™


• Persimmons jam


• 5-6 slices bacon


• 8-10 medium sweet potatoes


• Salt and pepper

Preparation:

Immerse the cleaned and dressed possum in an enamel dishpan or basin, making sure it's completely covered. Add an half cup of vinegar and let soak in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, drain the water and cut the possum into pieces. Boil the pieces in salted water until done, but not falling off the bone (1-2 hours, depending upon the size and the age of the possum). When done, remove the pieces from water and allow to drain in a colander. This part of the process will remove most of the fat.

After the meat cools, rub the pieces generously with salt and black pepper. Then prepare a mixture of 1/2 jar of persimmons jam (any light-tasting jam may be substituted) mixed with two teaspoons of Kitchen Bouqet.™ Thoroughly coat possum pieces with mixture. Transfer pieces to large roasting pan.

Lay 5 or 6 strips of thick-sliced bacon or salt pork across the glazed possum meat, and surround with the sweet potatoes, which have been peeled and rubbed with oil or Crisco.

Put in preheated 350° F. oven and roast, covered, for 30 minutes. Then uncover and cook until well-browned, but not burned (approx. 30 minutes longer). Baste with drippings every few minutes during this phase of the cooking.

Afterremoving from oven, test the sweet potatoes for doneness with a fork. If not yet completely cooked, transfer them to a lightly buttered casserole dish and finish them off in 350° F. oven.