Suet recipe

Got tired of buying the stuff since the majority of it ends up in in squirrel bellies, so I started making my own about 5 years ago. Here's my recipe (makes 4 4"x5" blocks):

1 lb lard
1 scoop peanut butter (chunky)
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups corn meal
1 cup flour
1 cup bird seed

Melt lard/peanut butter (microwave 3 min), mix in the rest, pour it out in a flat container about 1" deep and put it in the freezer. Once it's solid you can put it out for the critters or wrap it up for later use. I've "borrowed" some 5"x9" plastic tubs from my wife that are perfect; pop out the frozen suet, cut in half (width-wise) and they fit perfectly in the suet cage I have set out.

A flicker (yellow-shafted) showed up at the suet feeder this morning - first of the year (seen) and fourth different woodpecker this week, adding to the Downy, Red-belly and Sapsucker. Jays, starlings, crows, sparrows, even a very confused yellow-rumped warbler seem to like it.

Regards,
Scott

Mix red pepper in it and the squirrels will not bother it and the birds don't seem to care.

They sell suet at Walmart and other large retailers here in California...and then put it on clearance in the spring because no one Buys it here.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Uncle Jesse

Mix red pepper in it and the squirrels will not bother it and the birds don't seem to care.

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Jesse,

Thought about doing that but I worry that the birds could end up with it in their eyes. Anyone else ever try the pepper?

Regards,
Scott

Scott, I buy hot spiced suet at Walmart and the birds eat it up, the squirrels do not touch it at all. We have succeeded in squirrel proofing most of out feeders. We have one tube feed that a young squirrel gets on once and then the learn Newton's Third Law of Physics when the feeder swings out from under them and they fall 15 ft. instead of reaching the railing on the deck.

I find the hot red pepper works great as does having a separate feeder for my squirrels

Added some cayenne, hot chili powder and a dash of hot sauce. Squirrels don't seem to like it; birds don't seem to notice the difference (a pair of flickers are working it over as I type this). Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

Regards,
Scott

Just wait until the birds come back in the spring from Mexico, they're going to love that mix, probably want tortilla to go with it.

I've been using Julie Zickefoose (Birdwatchers Digest) recipe for years. Here is a link to her old and new recipe.
http://juliezickefoose.blogspot.com/...-improved.html

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Uncle Jesse

Just wait until the birds come back in the spring from Mexico, they're going to love that mix, probably want tortilla to go with it.

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It already has the cornmeal in it.


Regards
Ed

The pepper flakes didn't stop the squirrels but it sure made them jump and run about.

Pepper flakes may not infuse (watching way too many cooking shows) with enough spice; I'm thinking the finer ground cayenne and chili powder are doing the trick. I skipped the hot sauce on the latest batch and the squirrels are still giving it a wide berth while the birds feast.

Regards,
Scott

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ScottP

I skipped the hot sauce on the latest batch and the squirrels are still giving it a wide berth while the birds feast. Regards, Scott

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Birds think it taste like PBJ tacos.

Thanks for the recipe! Forwarding to the wife! :-)

The wife got tired of me depleting her spice rack so I grabbed a bottle of sriracha hot chili sauce and squirted some in the mixture. Squirrels don't seem to have the stomach for it; birds don't seem to care. The sriracha is cheap and it only takes a little bit, so I think I've got a leg up on the rodents for the time being.

Regards,
Scott