What's for dinner? Raccoon

Kansas City Star (Jan. 14) : "Raccoon, which made the first edition of The Joy of Cooking in 1931, is labor-intensive but well worth the time, aficionados say. Here in Kansas City, you won’t see many, if any, squirrel ads in the papers. But that’s where Brownsberger was advertising his raccoons last week.

The meat isn’t USDA-inspected, and few state regulations apply, same as with deer and other game. No laws prevent trappers from selling raccoon carcasses. As for diseases, raccoon rabies doesn’t exist in Missouri, state conservation scientists say. It’s an East Coast phenomenon. Parvo and distemper kill raccoons quickly but aren’t transferred to humans. Also, trappers are unlikely to sell meat from an animal that appears to be diseased." Read more.