I have never

[GardenWeasel]

I have never butchered a rabbit but will need to this weekend. This will tell me if I will indeed be able to raise meat rabbits. I have also never cut up, cooked nor eaten rabbit. Advise on the deed itself and the recipe that will make me a rabbit meat lover. Help me out.

 

[mrscoyote]

I have no advice for ya, but I look forward to hearing how it goes.
Nancy

 

[Beekissed]

For a first timer it's easier to just hang them up by their back legs and slit the throat with a sharp knife. After you get some rabbits under your belt you might think about dislocation of the neck or stunning them by a blow to the base of the skull.

Sorry, no recipes...never use 'em. I just cook.

 

[Beekissed]

 

[Boogity]

There are some very good tutorials on U-Tube but there are so many of them you could spend the rest of your life viewing them. Just pick one this time and do it. Maybe next time try a different method to see if either one is better. It's really pretty easy. Good luck and enjoy that wonderful healthy meat.

Here's a recepie that we love. It's a little more complicated than most rabbit stews but we think the effort is worth it.
Old Fashion Rabbit Stew
Ingredients:
1 large rabbit
3 garlic cloves
1 onion
8 ounces bacon, in one piece
10 sprigs parsley
10 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup red wine
1 cup small onion
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter
12 new potatoes
fresh herb (chervil)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
1 Chop rabbit into 12 pieces, discard the head and feet.
2 Chop the onion and garlic finely.
3 Slice and dice the bacon.
4 Make a bouquet garni by tying together the parsley, thyme and bay leaf with string.
5 Sear the rabbit pieces in olive oil, until lightly browned, remove from casserole.
6 In the same pan, fry garlic, onion and the bouquet garni.
7 Add the bacon and allow to color lightly.
8 Pour off excess fat.
9 Return rabbit to pan and deglaze with the red wine.
10 Add 3 cups water, cover and cook for 1 hour 45 minutes.
11 Peel small onions and remove root ends.
12 Rinse well.
13 Cook the onions in water to cover, add sugar, butter, salt and pepper.
14 Cook until all water has evaporated and the sauce is caramelized.
15 (20 min) Peel and cut potatoes into narrow rectangles.
16 Add potatoes to rabbit stew after the stew has been cooking for 90 minutes.
17 Cook covered until tender.
18 Serve stew with caramelized onions and garnish with chopped chervil.

 

[DianeS]

Sounds like you're doing it the smart way - making sure you can handle it before you're responsible for live ones.

My preferred method of dispatching rabbits is a rabbit wringer. If you have one, or have anything that resembles one, I find that method easiest. Basically any two immovable objects that are close enough together to allow the rabbit's neck between them, but also close enough together to not allow the head to pass through, is ideal.

I can handle the broomstick method, but it's an awkward angle, in my opinion. But just as effective.

Personally, I like it because it's fast. The mess is minimal. I can take a breath and collect myself after killing the rabbit, before I have to see any gore. Nobody likes the actual killing part. Once it's over I can breathe again and proceed with processing.

The first time I'm going to process, I eithe have printouts or my laptop available, set on the pages with the best description and pictures of what I need to do. it's not difficult to process a rabbit, but having the directions nearby made my final product look much neater than it would have otherwise.

That rabbit recipe from Boogity looks good!

 

[DianeS]

Duplicate post.

 

[DianeS]

Triplicate post. Sorry!

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Mmmmm, Elmer Fudd LOVES rabbit stew!

 

[Denim Deb]

Mmmmm, Elmer Fudd LOVES rabbit stew!

I was just thinking the same thing!