Rabbit Failure

Doc_Eggerton · October 2012

Well, shoot. Was looking forward to trying this, because I've had restaurant rabbit that I liked a lot.

Butcher shop rabbit, marinated overnight in chipotle lime. Done indirect at 300 until the internal was 160.

What a disappointment.

Was shooting for wild rice and asparagus complements. Rice was also disappointing, but the asparagus was good :-)

This was not nasty, just not so good, and not worth the effort again.

I suspect my restaurant rabbit was fried in a pressure cooker, ala KFC, but it was good.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · October 2012

kudos for going outside the box doc. Thanks for posting

Little Steven · October 2012

Doc,

Was there any oil in the marinade? Need both to tenderise (acid and oil)

Doc_Eggerton · October 2012

The marinade feels a little oily, like salad dressing, but not a lot. I just don't know where to go with this one.

Fred19Flintstone · October 2012

What went wrong? Too dry? I don't get the chance to cook rabbit too much, but when I do, I prefer frying it like chicken.

Doc_Eggerton · October 2012

Little Steven said:

Doc,

Was there any oil in the marinade? Need both to tenderise (acid and oil)

It was disturbingly, "tastes like chicken". Also, not a lot of meat on a rabbit.

Doc_Eggerton · October 2012

Fred19Flintstone said:

What went wrong? Too dry? I don't get the chance to cook rabbit too much, but when I do, I prefer frying it like chicken.

I suspect you have the correct formula, or perhaps sort of shake and bake. Grilling did not make it for me.

Little Steven · October 2012

I've done a lot of wild rabbit..pre egg. I've only used domestic once in a paella on the egg. I marinated it and it sorta braises in a paella anyway. Wish my family would eat it.

Griffin · October 2012

never cooked rabbit, not sure I'v ever seen it. Now I want to give it a shot. Sorry it didn't work out well for you. Was it very expensive?

BigWader · October 2012

my wife won't eat rabbit so I usually get it at restaurants. Even when paying good $$$ they can underwhelm because the meat is so lean and they dry it out. The best rabbit I ever get would be braised slow to keep the meat moist - usually in a fresh herb Italian style gravy or marsala. I imagine deep frying would have a similar effect but I don't associate with rabbit cooked that way.

Village Idiot · October 2012

I raised rabbits for food many years ago. As I recall, the meat was very tasty. I had it in Ostuni, Italy last month and couldn't choke it down. I didn't like the seasoning.

I'm not a big fan of overnight or 24 hour marinating - especially with soy sauce or wine based marinade. It tends to take over the meat, and if it's good meat, that's not what you want. It's kinda like putting ketchup on a good steak. One to two hours is usually max for me. On the marinated grilled shrimp I made the other night (Click here), I marinated it for 1 hour, and yet the marinating was very evident, but not overwhelming.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · October 2012

my family has a "ranch" (240 acres is not much of a ranch down here but it's all we got) in Central TX and grew up shooting rabbits down there. When it was still a working ranch, we had a family that lived there to tend the cows and fields etc. We would take Mrs. Mata our rabbits and she would make rabbit Mole' with homemade tortillas and beans. It was unreal. It's the only way I've ever had it but I would hit that again in no time. I guess what I'm getting at is that I think the braise does a rabbit good

gdenby · October 2012

You will make better next time.

I do rabbit 4 or 5 times a year. It is not easy, but I've slowly made progress. I think it really is a meat that should be used more.

Here's what I've learned.

Fresh is best (as usual.) One market has them fresh, but sometimes they are a day or two old. Its a very fragile meat. The two day old ones are not as good as frozen, which I can get from a different market. I've learned to pass on the ones that are not still fairly bright pink.

It becomes obvious very rapidly that the lack of fat makes for a rather bland taste and dryness, altho very low in calories. I certainly would choose it over chicken breast. Also, the meat is covered all over w. silver skin, which can be tough.

I started cooking whole rabbits, but found that was a mistake. The fore quarters are so small they burn before the rest is done.

Now I separate the front and rear legs. I separate the saddle from the rib cage/chest. The saddle and the rear legs can be cooked together. I freeze the forelegs till I have a batch, and can cook them sort of like chicken wings. The chest section is odd. Last time, I boiled them for stock, and made "bunny salad sandwiches" from the shredded meat.

I take the saddle and rear legs, and pierce or make tiny cuts all over. Then into a simple marinade. Last time was some peanut oil, apple cider vinegar, celery salt and black pepper. Some lemon basil too. Soaked them, turning often, for 6 hours.

Then onto the Egg, raised, direct, dome about 300. Turned several times, until lightly browned, internal about 145. Served w. a mustard cream sauce that used the rabbit stock as a base.

Alternatively, sous vide the portions in oil with a bunch of fresh herbs. No more than 8 hours at 133, six is better. 12 hours will turn the meat to dry mush. Then, carefully, because the pieces will be close to falling apart, place on a raised grill at 400 for a few minutes of browning.

The meat is bland enough that tandoori paste mixed w. yogurt, or Jamaican jerk paste can also be an improvement.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · October 2012

gdenby said:

You will make better next time.

I do rabbit 4 or 5 times a year. It is not easy, but I've slowly made progress. I think it really is a meat that should be used more.

Here's what I've learned.

Fresh is best (as usual.) One market has them fresh, but sometimes they are a day or two old. Its a very fragile meat. The two day old ones are not as good as frozen, which I can get from a different market. I've learned to pass on the ones that are not still fairly bright pink.

It becomes obvious very rapidly that the lack of fat makes for a rather bland taste and dryness, altho very low in calories. I certainly would choose it over chicken breast. Also, the meat is covered all over w. silver skin, which can be tough.

I started cooking whole rabbits, but found that was a mistake. The fore quarters are so small they burn before the rest is done.

Now I separate the front and rear legs. I separate the saddle from the rib cage/chest. The saddle and the rear legs can be cooked together. I freeze the forelegs till I have a batch, and can cook them sort of like chicken wings. The chest section is odd. Last time, I boiled them for stock, and made "bunny salad sandwiches" from the shredded meat.

I take the saddle and rear legs, and pierce or make tiny cuts all over. Then into a simple marinade. Last time was some peanut oil, apple cider vinegar, celery salt and black pepper. Some lemon basil too. Soaked them, turning often, for 6 hours.

Then onto the Egg, raised, direct, dome about 300. Turned several times, until lightly browned, internal about 145. Served w. a mustard cream sauce that used the rabbit stock as a base.

Alternatively, sous vide the portions in oil with a bunch of fresh herbs. No more than 8 hours at 133, six is better. 12 hours will turn the meat to dry mush. Then, carefully, because the pieces will be close to falling apart, place on a raised grill at 400 for a few minutes of browning.

The meat is bland enough that tandoori paste mixed w. yogurt, or Jamaican jerk paste can also be an improvement.

great call on the Sous Vide. If it does the same thing to rabbit as it does to chicken breast, this is the way to go. Smart.

Mickey · October 2012

Good cook Doc. Way to get a new item on board. Bet we start to see rabbit more now. Had thought about it, but just thought......

They don't all have to be killer, good for you.

Rabbit Failure

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