The easiest way, my favorite too, is to simply pot fry them.
Large black skillet, if you have one.
2 or 3 large onions,
Season any way you like them.
Cut half your onions into very small pieces, the other half cut large,
Cap full of your favorite cooking oil,
Place oil and onions into black skillet, cook down until soft, add RATS, cook on high heat until meat turns golden brown, lower heat, cover and let simmer for at least 2 hours. Adding water as neccessary (to make gravy). You can also add some cup of mushroom soup about 45 minutes before it is done.
Cook some rice.
Yep, most of my game is cooked this way. Ducks, rabbits, tree rats, deer.
Thats what I do CZ. Brown 'em down in a black pot with onions and let 'em cook slow.
I do the same thing. EXCEPT I brown the tree rats take them out. THEN add the onions and brown then until they are soft. Once the onions are soft(I dont like chewing on onions so I brown them intil they are almost gone) then I add the tree rats back and simmer for 2 hours. I find this way makes a darker and prettier gravy.
That I a good Recipe for almost any thing cooked in rice and gravy.
Ditto: brown the seasoned tree rats first, take them out, add onions (cellery, etc. if you like) and cook down, deglaze with some water or stock to make gravy, add rats back, cover and let cook down. Can add some potatoes to help thicken gravy if you like, and I like to add some rouge sometimes to help thicken and flavor. Serve with rice of course.
Hint: after browning the rat, do not put rib cage back in. Snack of these while all else cooks. If you put them back in, they will fall apart and you'll be digging small bones out of every bite.
One little tip I forgot to mention. If after cooking for two hours and the meat is still not tender. Put some ice cubes in it. At least a couple handfulls, then let it come back to a boil. This will tenderize the meat.