Opossum, roasted whole

Scald with lye, scrape, and roast whole with the head and tail left on.

From: The Dixie Cook-Book
Published: 1883
Yikes Scale: Call poison control

Exactly as printed, 1883

OPOSSUM. Scald with lye, scrape off hair, and dress whole, leaving on head and tail; rub well with salt and set in a cool place over night; place in a large stone pan with two pints water and three or four slices bacon; when about half baked, fill with a dressing of bread crumbs, seasoned with salt, pepper and onions if liked. After returning to pan place sweet potatoes, pared, around the opossum, bake all a light brown, basting frequently with the gravy. When served place either an apple or sweet potatoe in its mouth. -Mrs. L. S. Brown, Atlanta, Go. PIGEONS IN JELLY. - Prepare some calf's foot jelly, season it with pepper, salt and a little mace; place a layer of jelly in the bottom of a bowl; when nearly cool lay some nicely baked pigeons upon it; then pour in enough jelly to cover pigeons; turn out when cold. A beautiful dish.-Miss Tyson, Va.

FRIED RABBIT. - When nicely dressed lay it in a pan and cover with cold water, and add half a teacup salt and soak over night. In the morning drain off water and cover the rabbit inside and out with dry corn meal and let stand till time to cook for dinner; then rinse, cut up and parboil in slightly salted water until tender. Take out, roll in corn meal and fry a nice brown. An onion sliced and laid over it while parboiling, is an improvement for those who like the flavor. RABBITS WITH ONIONS. - Clean and truss the rabbit and put to boil in enough cold water to cover it; when tender remove and fry in boiling lard to a light brown; remove from lard and keep hot. Slice six onions and drop in boiling lard; when fried brown pour a little boiling water in the frying pan and one table spoon browned flour; pour this gravy over the rabbit and serve. Season with salt and pepper.-Mrs. B. Watson, New Orleans.

The Dixie Cook-Book, 1883. Public domain; transcription unaltered.

So what happens if I make it?

The lye is the part that makes this a five rather than a two. Scalding a carcass in caustic to loosen the hair is a real technique, but at unmeasured concentration on meat you intend to eat, with no rinse specified, it is a burn risk to the cook and an alkali residue on the food.

The possum itself is unremarkable. It was a staple across the rural South, the overnight salting is sound, and the bacon and slow bake are how you handle a very fatty animal.

Notes from the 21st century

Scalding is normally done with hot water. Around 150°F, as for a pig. Lye speeds it up, which is why it turns up in books written for people in a hurry.
Head and tail on is presentation. The animal arrives at the table recognisable. That was the point, and it is why the dish is remembered.
Check your state before you consider it. Opossum is game or a furbearer in many US states, with seasons and licences; unprotected in others.

Also in this book

Children's diarrhea cordial — A pint of brandy and an ounce of paregoric, dosed until the discharge shows the colour of the medicine.
French Remedy for Consumption — Raw beefsteak, powdered charcoal, sugar and rye whisky, steeped overnight and spooned down before meals.
Peach Jelly — Crack a third of the kernels into the jar with the fruit, for flavour.

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