BBQ Coon

[April B.]

BBQ Coon

1 medium size young coon or 2 small, 4½ to 5 lbs. dressed weight 1/3 to ½ cup<br>5% cider vinegar 1½ qt. cold water ¼ tsp. black pepper 2½ tbsp. salt 3 to 4
lbs. sweet potatoes

Start oven 10 min before baking; set to moderately hot (400 F)

Dress coon carefully so as not to leave clinging hair. Be sure to remove
scent glands, kernels under legs. Wrap coon in heavy waxed paper or aluminum
foil and chill thoroughly or freeze for a few hrs. When ready to cook, pull
off and trim off all but a thin layer of the fat using a sharp paring knife;
then trim off any discolored spots with kitchen scissors. Wash well in
lukewarm water. Put coon into a 5-qt kettle, add cold water, salt and
well-crushed red pepper.

Heat to boiling, cover, reduce heat and simmer until coon is about tender,
from 1 to i½ hrs. Remove coon from broth to a roasting pan with a cover.
Drizzle vinegar over outside and inside of coon, sprinkle with black pepper
and more finely crushed red pepper if a peppy barbecued flavor is desired.
Cover and bake 30 mm. Meanwhile pare sweet potatoes, boil gently in enough
water or coon broth, to cover for 15 minutes. Arrange drained sweet potatoes
over coon and bake uncovered until potatoes and coon are attractively brown,
about 45 minutes. A little more vinegar may be drizzled over coon before
potatoes are added for more pronounced barbecue flavor. A little sugar may
be sifted over potatoes before starting to bake.