Be sure and read about cleaning a Raccoon

• 1 medium size young coon or 2 small, 4½ to 5 lbs dressed weight
• 1/3 to ½ cup 5% cider vinegar
• 1½ qts 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)

1. Dress coon carefully so as not to leave clinging hair.
2. Be sure to remove scent glands, kernels under legs.
3. Wrap coon in heavy waxed paper or aluminum foil and chill thoroughly or freeze for a few hrs.
4. 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.
5. Wash well in lukewarm water.
6. Put coon into a 5-qt kettle, add cold water, salt and well-crushed red pepper.
7. Heat to boiling, cover, reduce heat and simmer until coon is about tender, from 1 to i½ hrs.
8. Remove coon from broth to a roasting pan with a cover.
9. 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.
10. Cover and bake 30 mm.
11. Meanwhile pare sweet potatoes, boil gently in enough water or coon broth, to cover for 15 minutes.
12. Arrange drained sweet potatoes over coon and bake uncovered until potatoes and coon are attractively brown, about 45 minutes.
13. A little more vinegar may be drizzled over coon before potatoes are added for more pronounced barbecue flavor.
14. A little sugar may be sifted over potatoes before starting to bake.

    8 to 10 servings.