Beaver tails

[Lemos]

I think I've bitten off more than I can chew. I just picked up 17 beaver tails thinking they skinned like snakes, boy was I wrong. They're almost a solid mass of white gristle and,holy heck does the skin ever cling to it. I've kinda tore one attempting to pull it off, so after searching the old threads and not getting much in the way of tips or tricks  anyone have any words of wisdom how to speed up the process? I vaguely remember a article in primitive archer magazine but I can't seem to find it in my stash. Any help would be appreciated thanks folks.

[Josh B]

I freeze em solid first. When I'm ready to skin em, I thaw at room temperature until the end of the tail is just starting to bend.  Then I use a filet knife and very carefully start at the cut end of the tail very gradually start slicing the skin loose and peeling it toward the thin end.  The blood vessels are the boundary between fat and skin.  If you try to remove the skin without the blood vessels showing on it, you will cut through the skin.  After the skins are removed, throw em back in the freezer for a bit.  This will solidify the fat and make it easier to scrape off.  Once its frozen,  nail it to a board and scrape the excess fat off.  Once again, the blood vessels will be showing on the flesh side of the skin.  Do not try to scrape them off.  Once you have it scraped, you can either roll em up and freeze em or nail flesh side up to a board and dry em like rawhide.  Josh

[sleek]

I bet that stuff is tuff. Whats it good for anyways?

[Pappy]

Handle wraps for one thing,and yes they are tought to skin them out,at least for me they are.
   Pappy

[Lemos]

Well I've got them in the freezer, so I'm going to try the filet method. I read something about a pressure washer method I'm guessing its done the same filet'em and tack'em then pressure wash them. Ill try a few this weekend, might even throw a couple up for trade if I don't totally botch the job.

[HoBow]

I've skinned a few and hate them.  They sure are tough!

[Fred Arnold]

 8)Send me the meat. Put it on dry ice and I'll pay the shipping. I've never had it but passed up a traditional Thanksgiving  beaver tail dinner when I lived in NE IN. But I was instucted on how to prepare it and I've always regretted missing that dinner.!

[JW_Halverson]

8)Send me the meat. Put it on dry ice and I'll pay the shipping. I've never had it but passed up a traditional Thanksgiving  beaver tail dinner when I lived in NE IN. But I was instucted on how to prepare it and I've always regretted missing that dinner.!

Yum, gristle and fat.  As far as I know the only reference to roast beaver tail eaten by mountain men was considered by many to be "yarnin", or putting it over on the pork eaters down below.  I've tried it twice and neither time it was possible to really eat it.  Unless you got jaws and teeth like a beaver.  Beaver backstraps and hams make might good stewing meat, I will say. 

And then there was this time at a Rendezvous when a very young lad of about 14 was sitting with us while we were discussing various commestibles and victuals.  He found a lull in the conversation and directed his comments to the now quietly crackling coals in the fire.  Softly he said, "Someday I am gonna eat a beaver."  I reached over and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "I bet you will, I just bet you will."   

[Lemos]

, Fred I've heard it's not very appetizing, kind of like eating solid gristle. Not sure how safe these are for consumption, I know for sure three of the critters were dead and laying in the garage for two days before he cut the tails off and started skinning. The others I'm not sure of how they were handled I know they were in the freezer in a garbage bag for a two months. His priorities centered around fur value not the food value.

[Fred Arnold]

I would leave it to your discretion as to whether or not it would be consumable. 
Sounds to me like it is well aged and the bacteria breakdown has most likely done its job.
After about 3 weeks in the garage I'm thinking it would be real tender
Let's put it this way, you send it, I'll inspect it, and if it doesn't smell right or taste right, I won't hold you responsible.
Just can't get my mind away from beaver tail browned and roasted in a cast iron skillet.
Taters, carrots, onion, garlic, and maybe a head of cabbage. Let me throw a little hot pepper and mustard in in case it's a bit rank.  :laugh
I'm ready to fire up yhe skillet

[IsaacW]

I have always thought the reason beaver tail was loved was because it was fat.  Those guys that were wintering over on corn, wild rice, dried meats, etc.; were probably CRAVING some greasy food.   That said, I do not care for beaver tail.  Beaver hinds or backstraps though are fabulous.  Actually I made a big pot of soup up for one of my history classes this year and it had beaver in it and they LOVED it and have been asking for me to make beaver again.

IW

[crooketarrow]

  IsaacW your right I've read that mountainmen that live off protein 99% of the time. Savored them and cut them up in thin slices and cook them up in with there meat. I've tryed it and it sucked. But T loin and legs BQ (SWEET BABYRAYS) in a cooking bag baked on 300 for 4 or 5 hours. As a kid running a longgggggggggggg trap line with granddad we eat everyone we'd catch.
  WELL IT'S ON MY LIST ANYDAY.
   I but a few on for bowhandles everyyear. You can put them on alone if your careful when tieing them on.
 I cut a peice of leather and glue them on then punch holes and sew them on as one peice.

[Weylin]

And then there was this time at a Rendezvous when a very young lad of about 14 was sitting with us while we were discussing various commestibles and victuals.  He found a lull in the conversation and directed his comments to the now quietly crackling coals in the fire.  Softly he said, "Someday I am gonna eat a beaver."  I reached over and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "I bet you will, I just bet you will."   

That's funny. 

[CherokeeKC]

Hahahha JW that is too funny!!

[turtle]

Ive been skinning them with a fillet knife but the guy i get my tails from showed me this yesterday.
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=I6wvp2vn95g&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DI6wvp2vn95g

Think i will try this next time i skin some. Think i still have ten to do.