Recipe: Braised Rabbit

PREP TIME: 20 MIN | COOK TIME: 2 HRS | SERVES: 4

I remember killing a rabbit as a kid with my pellet gun. It was during on my first hunt with a buddy in the field behind my house. We followed the tracks in the snow until we found the rabbits, and we each took one. We brought them to show my dad, who helped skin and gut them. One of his main rules for me hunting with my pellet gun? I had to eat what I killed.

Unfortunately, my mom wouldn’t cook it, and so, Dad did. He cooked that thing in an electric skillet with a can of soup poured over the top. Now, he was a pretty terrible cook, and that rabbit came out hard and dry.

Without question, one of the most classic midwestern wild game recipes is simmering some meat in cream of mushroom soup. In a way, for me, this recipe reclaims that early hunting experience. Overall, this recipe isn’t really all that complicated. However, it relies on the time-honored tradition of cooking things until they basically fall off the bone. To fancy this one up a bit, nab a small bottle of rice wine called “sake” and some shiitake mushrooms.

A rabbit slow cooked like this requires only a firm chef knife for breakdown, but you could use a cleaver if you want to channel your inner barbarian. The front shoulders and back legs come off similarly to a chicken, or in some ways, a deer. Then, enjoy inner and outer loins to deal with and a set of ribs you could set aside for stock.

Simply, cut the back where the ribs end to keep the small bones from floating around in the broth. The belly meat is also top-tier, so don’t go tossing that away when gutting the animal. You’ll likely find a little bit of fat here and there — depending on the rabbit’s diet — but it’s all edible and useful, so don’t toss it. (Render it down with the mushrooms for maximum flavor.)

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Rabbit is a sweet and delicate flavor, so we’re going to try and do it justice with simple flavors that don’t overpower it. Instead, these will compliment it nicely. For extra flavor, consider tossing a large, dried chili into the braise. These are typically less spicy than smaller counterparts, even so, these impart all the subtle notes into the broth.

The last step calls for adding half-and-half or cream. Be careful when you do, though. If you simmer too hot, your sauce will separate, and you’ll see oil alongside milk solids. If you’re like me, and have this happen occasionally, don’t panic. Remove the meat, add a cup of water, and whisk over low heat. The sauce will pull back together. It likely won’t be perfect, but it will work.

INGREDIENTS

3-4 lbs. of rabbit
6-8 carrots (halved the long way)
1 bunch of collard greens (main stems removed and chopped into large 2-inch pieces)
3 cloves of garlic
6 oz flavorful mushrooms (Shiitake, Maitake, morels, or oysters)
Fresh thyme sprigs
1 lemon (for zesting)
1 dried large chili pepper
1 cup sake (unfiltered is best, white wine is a good substitution)
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 cups half and half or whole cream
1 cup chicken or game bird stock
3 tablespoons olive oil

DETAILED STEPS

Preheat oven to 350-375 degrees.
Butcher rabbit into five to six pieces
Salt and pepper liberally.
Warm covered pan to medium heat.
Add a nice layer of olive oil to the pan.
Lightly brown rabbit on both sides and remove.
Sauté mushrooms and dried pepper in oil.
Add crushed garlic to mushrooms (once nearly finished).
Deglaze pan with sake or wine and reduce by half to cook out the alcohol.
Add stock, rabbit, and greens, and the put it in the oven.
After 1 ½ hours in the oven, your rabbit should be pretty tender. Add in the half-and-half with a bundle of dried thyme tied with kitchen twine.
Simmer on the stovetop on low for 10 minutes. If the sauce gets too hot, it’ll separate.
Turn the oven to 450 degrees.
Prep the carrots (cutting lengthways in half).
Put carrots on a baking sheet with olive oil.
Salt carrots and put these in the oven for 15 minutes. (You want a little dark caramelization on the carrots, so don’t flip them at all.)

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Plate the meal with the carrots on the bottom. Add sauce and greens onto the carrots. Then, place the rabbit on top. Garnish with fresh thyme and zested lemon peel. Give your favorite person a piece of the rabbit belly, as it’s absolutely the best bit.