5 Ways to Cook a Rabbit

2024 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 10:50

Rabbit meat has much less fat than beef, pork, and chicken, and can also be a good source of protein. There are several ways you can cook rabbit meat, and here we will give you some good suggestions for cooking rabbit meat if you have never prepared this dish before.

Ingredients

Roast Rabbit

For 2 servings

1 rabbit cut, cut into pieces
4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) Dijon mustard
Salt and black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons (45 ml) unsalted butter, duck fat, or lard
2/1 cup (125 ml) rabbit or chicken stock

Thick Sauteed Rabbit

For 6 to 8 servings

2 rabbits, cut into pieces
Salt and black pepper
2/1 cup (125 ml) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 carrots, peeled and sliced
450 g fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) thyme
1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) oregano, spread
4 bay leaves
2 cups (500 ml) dry white wine

Fried Rabbit

For 4 servings

2 rabbits cut or 3 wild rabbits, cut into pieces
2 cups (500 ml) curd
2 tbsp (30 ml) Italian seasoning
1 tbsp (15 ml) paprika
1 tbsp (15 ml) garlic powder
2 tsp (10 ml) cayenne pepper
2 cups (500 ml) flour
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
2 cups (500 ml) vegetable oil

Slow Cooking Rabbit

For 6 to 8 servings

2 rabbits, cut into pieces
1 cup (250 ml) celery, sliced
1 cup (250 ml) carrots, peeled and sliced
1 red onion, chopped
250 ml canned water chestnuts, sliced
2 cups (500 ml) fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 cups (750 ml) chicken stock
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp (30 ml) cornstarch
2/1 cup (125 ml) sweet wine

Coniglio Fettuccine Alfredo

For 4 servings

0.5 kg of fettuccine pasta
0.5 kg boned rabbit meat, sliced lengthwise or square
3 tbsp butter
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 cup broccoli
1/4 cup butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 clove of garlic, puree
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese

Step

Method 1 of 5: Baked Rabbit

Step 1. Mix the spices to marinate

Combine olive oil, Dijon mustard, and a pinch of black pepper in a bowl, stirring the ingredients together thoroughly.

You can mix the spices in a large plastic bag or in a container large enough to fit all the rabbit parts in one place

Step 2. Soak the rabbit for at least 1 hour

Place the rabbit pieces into the marinade and toss to make a layer. Cover and let cool for at least 1 hour, if that's enough time.

If you want to grill the rabbit all over, use cut rabbit meat. If you are using wild rabbit meat, just use the back or body of the rabbit. Cut rabbit has more fat, so it is better for use in hot, dry cooking methods such as roasting than wild rabbit.
Since the back of the wild rabbit is quite fatty, however, it can still be roasted. Use 2 large backs or 4 small backs of wild rabbits instead of 2 whole rabbit meats.
Soak the rabbit for 2 hours in the batter, the longer it is soaked the more time it will take for the spices to soak into the meat.

Step 3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius

) Prepare a non-heated skillet that has been greased with butter and heat it over medium-high heat.

Continue to heat the butter until it melts.
Duck fat or lard can also be used instead of unsalted butter.

Step 4. Cook the rabbit pieces until they are brown

Cook rabbit in butter in skillet for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until brown on each side.

Step 5. Bake the rabbit in the oven

Place a non-heated skillet filled with rabbit with butter in the oven. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes before checking for doneness.

When done, the meat should feel firm enough and there should be no more redness in it or blood.
Drain the drippings from the pot before using it for cooking again.

Step 6. Add broth and heat

Pour the stock into the skillet and heat over medium heat until the stock begins to boil.

Simmer slowly. Don't let the broth boil too quickly

Step 7. Let stand before serving

Remove the pan from the stove and let it sit in a warm area for 10 minutes. Serve while still warm.

Method 2 of 5: Thick Sauteed Rabbit

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius)

Prepare casserole dishes by spraying with nonstick cooking spray.

In this method, avoid preparing the dish with a layer of aluminum foil or parchment paper. Special cooking sprays will have a very limited effect on taste and will have no negative impact on vegetables cooked with rabbit meat

Step 2. Coat the rabbit pieces with flour

Sprinkle salt and black pepper over the rabbit pieces before dipping them into the flour. Make sure that all sides of the rabbit are well coated.

You can combine the flour with the salt and pepper beforehand or add salt and pepper to the rabbit separately. Both methods can be used.
Pour the flour into a large plastic bag and cover it again or into a low-sided plate before coating the rabbit pieces. If you are using a pouch, you can place the pieces into the bag, seal it tightly and shake it thoroughly. If you are using a low-sided plate, turn it over and coat all sides by hand.

Step 3. Arrange the oil and vegetables in the prepared casserole dish

Place the chopped onion, minced garlic, carrot slices, and mushroom slices on your casserole dish. Sprinkle with oil and stir to make a layer.

Try to arrange the various vegetables in such a way to ensure they are done

Step 4. Place the rabbit pieces on top of the vegetables

Arrange the rabbit pieces in small pieces on top of the vegetable layer. Don't cook the rabbit in one layer so that all the pieces cook evenly.

Step 5. Add herbs and grapes

Sprinkle parsley, thyme, and oregano over rabbit pieces and vegetables evenly. Add the bay leaf to the vegetable mixture and pour the wine over the dish evenly.

Make sure that the liquid on the plate is level with the rabbit pieces. In order for rabbit meat to be thoroughly boiled, the meat itself needs to be submerged in the liquid as it cooks

Step 6. Bake for 1 hour

Bake until the rabbit meat is tender.

Use aluminum foil to cover the container if you are using a heat-resistant dish without a lid

Step 7. Remove the bay leaf and serve

Remove bay leaf from casserole dish. Serve the rabbit while it's still warm, serve mixed vegetables as a accompaniment.

Method 3 of 5: Fried Rabbit

Step 1. Mix the curd and spices

Whisk the curds together with the Italian spices, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper in a small dish until well combined.

If you don't have the typical Italian mix, you can substitute 1/2 cup of the fresh mix. Use herbs like oregano, thyme, and parsley

Step 2. Soak the rabbit pieces

Place the rabbit pieces in the seasoned curd and flip to coat all sides. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Soaking time affects the taste of the meat becomes stronger and the texture of the meat becomes more tender

Step 3. Pour the oil in a large saucepan and let it heat up

Adjust the oil to a temperature over medium-high heat. Ideally, the oil should be heated to about 325 degrees Fahrenheit (160 degrees Celsius).

Check the oil temperature using a Candy thermometer. Note that you may need to keep checking the temperature of the oil during the cooking process to make sure the oil is not too cold or too hot. Do not allow the oil to smoke during the cooking process.
If you don't have a Candy thermometer, check the oil by sprinkling flour in it. The flour should fizz upon contact.
A large cast-iron skillet is the most suitable type of pan.
Note that once you've added the rabbit pieces, the oil should be about half the distance along the sides of the pieces.

Step 4. Drain the rabbit meat

Place the rabbit pieces in a colander and let the curds drain naturally for a few minutes.

Do not shake the curd or try to get rid of the excess liquid. Just let the excess liquid drip off with the help of gravity

Step 5. Coat the rabbit in the flour mixture

Combine flour and salt in a large plastic bag, beat until smooth. Place a few pieces of meat in a bag and shake well to coat all sides.

Step 6. Cook for 22 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally

Saute for 12 to 15 minutes at a steady hiss. Remove with tongs and fry for 10 to 15 minutes.

When fried the rabbit meat should sizzle gently. It shouldn't be too hard, but it should be more than just submerged in oil.
Transfer all the pieces separately when they start to get crispy and golden brown. The belly and forelegs pieces will be finished first. Then the waist, and hind legs will be last.
If you need to fry the rabbit pieces all at once, let them drain in a colander for a while. Just flour the rabbit pieces immediately before you want to fry them.

Step 7. Drain and serve

Transfer the rabbit pieces to a layer of clean paper towels or a brown paper bag. Let the water run for a few minutes before serving, and serve hot or at room temperature.

Method 4 of 5: Slow Cooking Rabbit

Step 1. Place the nine basic ingredients in the 'slow cooker'

Place the rabbit pieces, celery, carrots, onions, water chestnuts, and mushrooms in the slow cooker. Pour chicken stock over contents of slow cooker and sprinkle with desired salt and pepper.

If you're not sure how much salt and pepper to use, try 1 tsp (5 ml) salt and 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) pepper

Step 2. Cook on low heat for 6 hours

Cover the slow cooker and allow the rabbit to cook until it becomes soft enough when chopping with a fork.

The cover should stay in place the entire 6 hours. If you open the cover, you will dissipate the heat generated. This heat is an important element involved in slow cooker cooking, so removing the heat can affect cooking time

Step 3. Mix the sweet wine and cornstarch

Whisk the two ingredients together in a small dish until they are combined and become a mush.

Step 4. Thicken the sauce

Remove the rabbit from the slow cooker and add the remaining grits to the sauce. Cover and cook on high for 10 to 15 minutes, or until sauce thickens.

Alternatively, you can pour the sauce into a medium saucepan and add the grits to it. Heat the contents of the pot over medium-high heat until they boil. Let simmer for 1 to 3 minutes, or until sauce thickens.
Make sure the rabbit pieces stay warm while you thicken the sauce.

Step 5. Put the rabbit back into the slow cooker

Add the sauce to the slow cooker and mix gently to coat the rabbit meat

The goal behind this step is to coat the rabbit with the sauce while warming it

Step 6. Serve

Transfer the rabbit pieces in a plate for each person. Pour the sauce over the rabbit before serving.

Method 5 of 5: Coniglio Fettuccine Alfredo

Step 1. Cook the fettuccine paste according to the directions on the package

Step 2. Season the rabbit with salt and pepper if you like

Melt 3 tbsp butter in a 30 cm diameter skillet over high heat. Cook the rabbit meat, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked. Remove the rabbit meat from the frying pan and set aside.

Step 3. Put the tomatoes and broccoli in the same frying pan, reduce the heat to the stove and use medium heat

Cook the tomatoes and broccoli, stirring occasionally, until soft. Put the cooked rabbit meat into the frying pan and warm it up.

Step 4. Melt cup of butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat

Add cream, reduce heat, and simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. After that, add the garlic and cheese, mix quickly.

Step 5. Pour the sauce over the rabbit meat in the frying pan and serve over the hot fettucini pasta

Step 6. Done

Tips

If you don't have the heart to chop up rabbit meat and can't find someone to help with the process, learn how to skin and cut a rabbit into serving portions

Warning

Rabbit meat can be a source of various diseases, so you should check the meat before consuming it