Raccoon Shopping in Chicago: Scottie's Fish Market

There's been an inordinate amount of interest in raccoon here. It may come as a surprise that raccoon is easily available in the city without the bother of trapping it yourself or the expense of dining at Moto.

Scottie's has been around a while from the looks of it.



Walking inside is like stepping back into a different era and a different place. This is one of the great old-fashioned shop interiors left in Chicago.



Ancient concrete tanks for holding live fish sit below the front windows.



One side of the business is devoted to fishing, with an impressive collection of lures and live bait available. The other side is for food.



In addition to fish, Scottie's specializes in raccoon and sausage imported from Mississippi (some links wait in my freezer). Raccoon is indeed available but the season's end is nearing. Get 'em while they last.

Scottie's Fish Market & Bait Shop
1442 S Pulaski Rd
Chicago
773-277-1622
Early hours

Who can explain the lure of the raccoon?

I giggled at the pic of the fish discussing opening times with one another.

My guess is that you didn't talk to the owners (you probably would have mentioned it), but it'd be interesting to find out if the masked beast is a big seller.

I guess it'd be unfair to post any pics from this place in the Guess the Restaurant forum, but they are really cool. What tanks!

On a completely non-food note, Rene - does Scotty's sell bulk earthworms? I tried to build a vermicomposting bin last year, and might be inclined to do so again if I could get ahold of sufficient worms without having to mail-order them.

Of course, the real reason to vermicompost is to have your own supply for catching bluegill...so I suppose it's not really a non-food note.

Hi,

Tonight was Show and Tell for the Highland Park Historical Society. I did a brief talk on the Raccoon story from what really happened to how the story has evolved in the press. Fortunately it will be available as a podcast soon on WBEZ, which I will link to later.

I did inquire at Scottie's how much was 'coon by the pound. "That's not how it is sold. You can buy a (whole) 'coon for $10 to $13 each." Considering it is $5 in Woodstock, it is worth the upcharge to avoid the drive. When I inquired how long did they have 'coon. "We have them until the holidays." Knowing raccoon season is just over and the holidays are far away. I tried to determine what she meant by holidays without any success.

I resisted the impulse to buy a raccoon because I was recently gifted with a whole raccoon. It is resting in my freezer until that special moment. It is certainly great to have another source and so local, too.

Regards,

David Hammond wrote:My guess is that you didn't talk to the owners (you probably would have mentioned it), but it'd be interesting to find out if the masked beast is a big seller.

Cathy2 pretty much summarized our conversation with the owner. I don't know if coon is a big mover at Scottie's but I got the impression it is still available though maybe not for long. I wouldn't delay if I were you.

Mhays wrote:On a completely non-food note, Rene - does Scotty's sell bulk earthworms?

With this group how can you be sure that's not food related? Anyway, here's the bait list (sorry for the poor quality). I'm not sure what the selection may be at any given time.

Wonder what a butter worm is...hmmm....

Hi,

Actually I am rather curious about the end-use of the leaches. Will they really be used for fishing or is someone attempting to replicate 18th century medicinal practices? Leaches were used to suck the 'bad blood' from the patient. I never thought of leaches as fishbait.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Will they really be used for fishing or is someone attempting to replicate 18th century medicinal practices?

18th century or 21st century?

Best,
Michael

Cathy2 wrote:Actually I am rather curious about the end-use of the leaches. Will they really be used for fishing or is someone attempting to replicate 18th century medicinal practices? Leaches were used to suck the 'bad blood' from the patient. I never thought of leaches as fishbait.

Leaches are pretty good bait for bass, northern pike and walleye. My father has used them on occasion in Eastern Ontario. I have seen leaches in the cold waters of various lakes in Ontario.

As for medical usages, I have heard that they are still somewhat useful in draining blood from patients although i don't know how often or how they are used.

According to a fisher friend, leeches are good for Walleye and Musky. His inlaws run a bait shop in northern Wisconsin.

Hi,

It is kind of interesting that a full blown bait shop ends up on Halsted and not near the lake. It is a business you would expect by the shore, though I doubt they could afford the rents.

I never thought leaches were still in use today. Thanks for updating me on their medical use as well as appropriatiness for catching certain fish. I always learn something here.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:It is kind of interesting that a full blown bait shop ends up on Halsted and not near the lake. It is a business you would expect by the shore, though I doubt they could afford the rents.

I was always amused by the fishing and bait shop at the corner of Montrose and Pulaski (with a bait vending machine outside), miles from the lake and a good distance from the north branch of the river.

It is now closed and replaced with a cell phone shop.

Best,
Michael

What is Mississippi sausage?

aschie30 wrote:What is Mississippi sausage?

Not quite sure yet, though it was compared to hot links.

Regards,

When it rains it pours. Lovers of raccoon will be happy to hear of another Chicago source. Mario's Butcher Shop sells frozen coon for a very reasonable $0.99 per pound. The season is limited so once the supply is gone that's it until next year.





Mario's Butcher Shop
5817 W Madison St
Chicago
773-379-7757

Rene G,

Keep your eyes open for squirrel, which is a classic ingredient for burgoo. If we can find coon, can Rocky be too far behind?

Regards,

In my campaign to convince my girlfriend that a meal of 'coon might be worth tasting (which I'm approaching with all the zeal and haste of General McClellan facing Lee in Virginia), I stopped in at Scottie's to get some catfish and chat:

"I'll take a pound of catfish."
"They don't come that small."
"Pound and a half?"
"Lemme look."

I inquired about the raccoon, whether it's still in season. It is.

The gentleman asked me whether I was going to "muss" it? When I looked at him blankly, he offered that Anne could muss it. I don't normally want anyone mussin' with my food before I cook it, but he seemed intent.

"You mean she'd butcher it?"
"It's frozen, so you gotta thaw it out before you muss it."
"Butcher it? Cut it up?"
"A raccoon has muss. It's musky. Anne, would you muss it for him."

A bright light dawns! The accent was unfamiliar, but my ear was starting to get in tune. Of course I would. I would definitely want her to muss it for me. No way I'm mussin' it myself. Not the first time anyway.

He explained that there are glands along the sides of the body, in the face, and in the armpits, buried in the fat, and that she could thaw it out and take the glands out for me. That'd be the way. But that would make raccoon a command performance. No "bring it home, let it sit in the freezer while I figure out what in hell to do with it." Just "honey, I brought some 'coon meat home, how shall we prepare it tonight?" like Daniel Boone used to say to Rebecca after he got the day's kill out of the way-back of his SUV.

So I'm one day closer to a meal of coon. The way McClellan was one day closer to attacking Lee.

ryanwc, that is quite an undertaking; I hope you post about our cooking of the raccoon.

Seems odd that the musk glands are not cut out when the raccoon is fresh...I mean, does anyone really want them in the meat, ever?

Hi,

When I received a fresh killed coon last year, I froze it. Later when I defrosted it, I went over it carefully to remove any fat. I don't think I saw any glands. The tail, while skinny, seemed to capture quite a bit of fat. I decided to toss it rather than have those bits of fat spoil the stew. I prepared my 'coon like a pot roast with a sear, then I used my pressure cooker for the final cook with more details here.

The Coon Feed guys in Wisconsin brine their coon for several days. They also drain it for a few hours before assemblying in pans with vegetables, apples and spices for a long braise. I went up there a few times to help prepare and cook the coon dinner. I have done everything except harvest and butcher a 'coon, but that is only a matter of time.

The worst coon I ever ate was my very first: over roasted to the point it was nearly an exercise in eating pure carbon.

Regards,

Stay tuned for raccoon, that's all I have to say.

Dehydrated squirrel meat

Little does this blogger know that there are actually nuts like me who went looking for it!

Say, when I get tired of the coons in my barn I usually trap them in one of those live trap things. If anyone wants one live "on the claw" let me know. You can come out and "do the honors".

I wonder where these little buggers are being trapped. I wouldn't want to eat a racoon that has been chowing down at the local garbage dump.

The version of Joy of Cooking I have has diagrams and instructions for removing glands from various critters. I remember squirrel for sure. I can't imagine it doesn't have raccoon too.

Me too I remember it too but no raccoon .,I am sure too that i saw a squirrel.,


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Vending Machine

In Illinois hunting and fishing is regulated by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). All questions of legality should be checked with them However both hunting and trapping are legal in this state, and both squirrel and raccoon are regulated but allowed. Permits, etc. are of course required, and the allowed take is limited.

http://www.dnr.state.il.us

razbry wrote:Say, when I get tired of the coons in my barn I usually trap them in one of those live trap things. If anyone wants one live "on the claw" let me know. You can come out and "do the honors".

Your 'coons are likely the corn fed ones as opposed to the urban garbage fed ones living in my area.

Regards,