Rabbit hunting is fast-paced and a ton of fun. It’s also a great social activity for a group of hunters. Food, fun, friends and the outdoors is always a recipe for success. As you and your hunting partners are out enjoying a good day of sportsmanship, here are a few meals we hope you keep in mind when preparing your game for dinner.
Need your hunting license before you hit your local Wildlife Management Area (WMA) grocery store? You can grab that here.
Braised Rabbit
Adapted from Taste of Home
Photo credit: Holly Heyser, Hunter Angler Gardener Cook
Ingredients:
1 Dressed Rabbit (2 ½ pounds), Cut Into Serving-size Pieces
¼ Cup Olive Oil
1 Large Onion, Halved and Thinly Sliced
4 Garlic Cloves, Minced
2 Cups Chicken Broth
1 ½ Teaspoons Dried Thyme
¼ Teaspoon Pepper
1 Bay Leaf
¼ Cup All-purpose Flour
¼ Cup Lemon Juice
5 Tablespoons Cold Water
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ole thumper in oil until lightly browned, remove, and keep warm. In the same skillet, sauté onion until tender. Then add garlic and cook it for another minute. Stir in the broth, thyme, pepper and bay leaf. Return rabbit to pan and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until meat is tender and the thermometer reads 160F. Remove rabbit and place on your favorite serving platter. Get rid of the bay leaf – that’s not something you want to get a bite of when enjoying the nice meal you’ve prepared. Combine the flour, lemon juice and water until smooth and stir into the juice in the pan. Bring your concoction to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and you’ve formed a nice tasty gravy. Serve the braised bunny and gravy on a plate with some rice and greens. Now you’re ready to enjoy a delicious comfort meal everyone will love!
Sweet and Sticky Roast Rabbit
Adapted from Farm Fresh for Life
Photo credit: Coniglio Rabbit Meat
Ingredients:
Soy sauce
Brown sugar
Tomato paste
4 garlic cloves
Ground ginger
Red pepper
Oil
This one is super easy to cook and even easier to eat! First, wash and cut up your rabbits. Mix equal parts soy sauce and brown sugar in a large bowl. Mince garlic cloves and add to sauce. Next, add the red pepper, ginger, tomato paste, and oil. Mix well. Dump the rabbit meat into the bowl with the marinade and toss it around to cover all the sides. Transfer into large baker’s pan. Arrange the rabbit into a single layer and pour additional marinade over the cotton tail parts. Bake your dish in a 350-degree oven for 2 hours. As the rabbit cooks the marinade soup will disappear. Continue baking. As it cooks the marinade will bubble, simmer, thicken and reduce until the rabbit is glazed and round. Get ready for the food coma you’ll be in after you eat!
Beer-braised Rabbit
Adapted from geniuskitchen.com
Photo credit: Holly Heyser, Hunter Angler Gardener Cook
Ingredients:
2 – 2 ½ lbs Dressed Rabbit
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 Medium Potatoes, Peeled and Halved
3 to 4 Carrots, Peeled and Bias-cut in 1 inch Pieces
1 Onion, Thinly Sliced
1 Cup Beer
¼ Cup Chili Sauce
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
1 Garlic Clove, Minced
⅓ Cup Cold Water
3 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
½ Teaspoon Salt
Want a simple, low maintenance recipe for rabbit that everyone can enjoy? This is a great one to pop in a crockpot and hit the field.
In a crock-pot, place potatoes, carrots and onion. Season meat with salt and pepper, brown in oil on all sides and place in crockpot on top of vegetables. Combine the beer, chili sauce, brown sugar, and garlic and pour over meat. Cover and cook on high heat setting for 3 1/2- 4 hours. Remove meat and drain vegetables. Measure cooking liquid and add beer, water, or broth to make 1 1/2 cups. Put reserved cooking liquid in a saucepan, and return meat and vegetables to the crock pot. Mix 1/3 cup water with 3 tbs flour in a gravy shaker or jar and shake until smooth. Stir into reserved liquid and cook, stirring constantly until thickened. Serve sauce over meat and vegetables, sprinkle with paprika and garnish with parsley if desired. Goodness gracious doesn’t that sound scrumptious!
Note: This can be baked in an oven-proof casserole rather than a crock-pot. Bake at 350°F for approx 1 1/2 hours, or until meat and vegetables are tender.
Rabbit Pot Pie
Adapted from Food For Hunters
Photo credit: Food For Hunters
Ingredients:
1 Rabbit
1 Tablespoon Oil
Water
Salt and Pepper, To Taste
1 Bay Leaf
4-5 Tablespoon Flour
Half an Onion, Chopped
1 Large Carrot, Diced
1 ½ Cups Cauliflower, Cut Into Small Pieces
Frozen Peas
Pre-made Puff Pastry/Pie Crust/Biscuit
¼ Teaspoon Dried Thyme
½ teaspoon Dried Rosemary
1 Chicken Bouillon Cube (Optional)
1 Egg Yoke
This recipe is a little more work that the past few, but it’s totally worth the effort. I mean come on – who wouldn’t want to share some rabbit pot pie, cold beverage of your choice, and a bunch of exaggerated hunting stories with friends and family.
Trim as much meat as you can off the rabbit and discard any dark or bruised spots. Cut the meat into small pieces and keep the bones for your broth. Season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat oil and quickly brown rabbit (plus bones) on both sides (1-2 minutes). Add enough water to cover the rabbit and 1 bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until the meat is tender. Skim off any foam that floats to the surface. You want the broth to be clear. Use a fork to scrape off any meat left on the bones and discard the bones after. Add in carrots, onion, cauliflower, thyme and rosemary. Add extra water if needed, enough to cover all the rabbit and all the veggies. Cover and simmer for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. When veggies soften, discard bay leaf. (If desired, add 1 chicken bouillon cube for extra flavor.) Add salt and pepper, to taste. Make a slurry to thicken the filling. In a bowl, combine 4 tbs flour and 1 cup or so of hot broth or water and whisk well. Slowly pour it into the dutch oven and continue whisking to prevent lumps. Let it simmer for a couple minutes and check the consistency. If you like it, you’re good to go. If not, add more slurry. Mix in frozen peas and turn off the heat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Spray ramekins with cooking spray and scoop in filling. Shape puff pastry/pie crust/biscuit to fit the top of ramekins. Cut a slit through the top for venting. Create your egg wash with 1 egg yoke and 1 tsp of water. Brush the egg wash over top the puff pastry. This will give your crust a nice golden, shiny color. Bake in 375 degree oven until the crust turns golden brown for about 20 minutes. (If your oven doesn’t heat evenly, rotate the ramekins halfway through.) Remove and enjoy!