Best Marinated And Stewed Rabbit Recipes

SIMPLE ROASTED RABBIT

Steps:

• Defrost and cut the rabbit.
• You will need six parts for roasting: 2 hind legs, 2 front legs, and the backstrap (loin) cut into 2 pieces (Note 2).
• Place the rabbit on a large cutting board lying on its back and open it up. Cut the belly flaps. Go under the armpit and cut the front legs with the whole shoulder.
• Grab the back legs with your hands and break that part open. Find where the tailbone is and cut along there.
• Cut the backbone and the ribs. Find the last rib with your fingers and cut right along that last rib. Repeat on the other side. The whole cut will be like a V. Grab the piece with your hands and break it apart so that you can see the joint between the bones and cut right there.
• Divide the backstrap or the loin in the middle. Find where the vertebra is and cut right there. Press with the knife or use a cleaver.
• Place the pieces in a roasting tin.
• In a small bowl mix olive oil, white wine, 4 grated garlic cloves, 2-3 sprigs chopped rosemary, salt, and pepper. Pour over the meat and turn the meat a few times in the marinade to coat it all over. Cover with plastic wrap/cling film and marinate for at least one hour, preferably 3-4. Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius/ 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Add 3-4 whole garlic cloves and the remaining rosemary sprigs to the roasting pan. Pour in the water.
• Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes, flipping the meat pieces about every 10 minutes. If you'd like the meat to get more color, turn on the grill during the last 5 minutes of the cooking time.
• The front legs and back strap pieces are smaller than the hind legs. I usually remove them after 30 minutes already, but I always check to see if the internal temperature is right, it should be 71 degrees Celsius/ 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Checking with a thermometer is the best way to ensure that the rabbit is safe to eat but not overcooked. If you overcook it, it will become dry.

MARINATED AND STEWED RABBIT

Steps:

• *Note: for mushrooms, may use 1 ounce dried porcini, soaked in water to soften, drained (reserve soaking liquid) and mixed with ½ lb button mushrooms.
• Mix the wine, vinegar, and chopped carrot and chopped onion in a bowl large enough to hold the rabbit.
• Tie together the parsley or thyme, or put in a cheesecloth sack or tea ball; add the herb to the marinade with the rabbit; add some salt and pepper.
• Marinate in the refrigerator, turning the rabbit pieces occasionally, for 12-24 hours.
• Strain the marinade, reserving it, and dry the rabbit pieces.
• Cut the bacon into bits and render it over med-low heat in a Dutch oven or large deep skillet.
• When it has given up much of its fat and is becoming nice and crisp, remove it with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Add in 2 cups minced onion, diced carrot, and diced celery; cook/stir over med-low heat; chop the mushrooms and add them too.
• When the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes later, remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside with the bacon.
• Turn the heat to med-high; dredge the rabbit pieces in flour, and brown them in the fat that remains in the pan.
• Season them with salt and pepper as they brown.
• When they are browned, decrease the heat and return the vegetables and bacon to the pan; stir, then add the chocolate, some salt, and plenty of pepper.
• Decrease the heat even further, cover, and cook until the rabbit is tender and the sauce is thick, about 1 hour.
• If the sauce is too thin, remove the meat to a warm oven and reduce the sauce over high heat, stirring near constantly, until it is a pleasant thickness.
• Remove the herbs; check and correct seasoning; serve immediately with buttered noodles, rice, or crusty bread.

ITALIAN-STYLE BRAISED RABBIT WITH ROSEMARY AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Cut the rabbit into 9 pieces (or ask your butcher to) as follows: with a sharp cleaver, cut the saddle (center portion) into 3 pieces, leaving the kidneys attached. Cut the front portion (front legs) in half through the backbone. Chop each hind leg into 2 pieces. Reserve the liver and heart to sauté as a snack.
• Heat .25 inch of olive oil in a Dutch oven or deep, wide heavy skillet over medium heat. Season the rabbit pieces with salt and pepper, then dust lightly with flour. Lightly brown the rabbit for about 3 minutes on both sides, working in batches. Drain on kitchen towels, then transfer to a baking dish in one layer. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Pour off the used oil, wipe out the pan and add 2 tablespoons fresh oil. Heat to medium-high, add the onions and cook till soft, about 5 minutes. Add the leek, garlic, rosemary and mushrooms. Season generously with salt and pepper, and add red pepper flakes to taste. Cook for 2 minutes more, stirring.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and wine, and let the mixture reduce for 1 minute. Add the broth, bring to a simmer, taste and adjust seasonings.
• Ladle the mixture evenly over the rabbit. Cover the dish, and bake for 1 hour. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

GRILLED GARLIC RABBIT

Steps:

• Wash and pat dry the rabbit pieces; place into a large resealable plastic bag. Pour in marinade and seal the bag. Turn the bag over several times to coat rabbit with marinade and allow to marinate in refrigerator 2 to 8 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate. Reduce to low. Remove rabbit from marinade and shake off excess liquid; discard the used marinade.
• Lay the rabbit pieces onto lower rack of grill. Grill until the rabbit shows good grill marks, the meat is no longer pink inside, and the juices run clear, 12 to 15 minutes per side. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a piece should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

BRAISED RABBIT WITH CRACKED OLIVES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place rabbit back down on cutting board. Remove any fat from the inside of the rabbit. Cut along the tailbone, keeping the knife against the bone, and detach the thigh. Repeat to cut off the second thigh, starting at the end of the tailbone. Remove liver and kidneys; discard, or save for another use. Cut through the rabbit, below the shoulder blade, to remove the foreleg. Repeat to remove the other foreleg. Turn rabbit over, and cutting along the rib bones on each side, remove loins. Repeat with remaining rabbit. Reserve bones for stock. Wrap loins from top to bottom with pancetta. Set loins aside.
• Season shoulders and legs with salt and pepper and coat lightly with flour. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place legs and shoulders in pan and cook until brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from Dutch oven and set aside.
• Add butter, onion, celery, and carrot, and cook stirring until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add tomato puree and cook 3 minutes. Pour in wine and crushed tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half, 12 to 14 minutes.
• Add stock, browned rabbit, 1 cup olives with their brine, rosemary sprigs, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Transfer to oven and cook until fork tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove meat from sauce; set aside. Strain sauce through a medium sieve, discarding solids. Return sauce to Dutch oven. Heat sauce on stove until reduced to desired consistency, skimming fat if necessary. Remove meat from reserved shoulders, and discard bones. Return legs and shoulder meat to sauce. Chop remaining 1 cup olives and stir into sauce with chopped rosemary. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• While the sauce is reducing, heat a medium skillet over high heat, add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and heat until smoking. Add rabbit loins, and cook until brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer loins to cutting board, and allow to rest for 1 minute before thinly slicing. Add linguine to boiling water, and cook until tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain, and transfer to a serving platter. Top with sauce, and surround with slices of loin. Serve immediately.

HASSENPFEFFER (MARINATED RABBIT STEW)

Steps:

• 1. Cut rabbit into serving size pieces. Put into deep bowl and cover with a mixture of red wine vinegar, water, sugar, onion, carrots, 1 tablespoon salt, pickling spices and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover and put into the refrigerator for 2-3 days to marinate. Turn the rabbit often.
• 2. Drain rabbit pieces, reserving marinade. Dry on absorbent paper. Strain the marinade. Toss out the contents left in the strainer.
• 3. Coat the rabbit pieces evenly by shaking 2 or 3 at a time in a paper or plastic bag containing a mixture of 1/3 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• 4. Heat 3 tablespoons of shortening in a Dutch oven or heavy sauce pot.
• 5. Add the rabbit pieces and brown slowly. Remove from heat. Gradually add 2 cups of the reserved marinade. Cover and simmer 45 minutes to an hour until the meat is tender.
• 6. Add 1/4 cup of flour to 1/2 cup of the reserved marinade. Blend well. Pour 1/2 of this flour mixture into cooking liquid, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Gradually add only what is needed of the remaining flour mixture for desired consistency. Bring to a boil after each addition. After the final addition, reduce to medium heat and cook 3 to 5 minutes.
• 7. Serve rabbit with the gravy. This is good with oven roasted potatoes and onions and cooked cabbage.