Rabbit is a delicious, healthy alternative to other white and red meats. Our selection of rabbit recipes will give you great additions to your repertoire that will mix up your menu.
Rabbit in Mustard Sauce
What You Need:
- 1 3 to 4-pound rabbit, cut into 6 to 8 pieces
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ tablespoons oil
- 1 medium onion (or 4 shallots) diced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 ½ cups chicken stock or broth
- 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
- Sprigs of thyme
- 12 sage leaves
- ½ cup crème fraiche
- 2 teaspoons chopped capers
- Sliced chives for garnish
How to Prepare:
- Season your rabbit with salt and pepper.
- Heat a Dutch oven or a large, deep pan over medium-high heat. Add butter and oil, and when it is sizzling hot, sear the rabbit. Work in batches and for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until the rabbit is browned. Remove browned rabbit from the pan and set aside.
- Add your diced onion or shallots to the pan and sauté until softened and lightly brown while stirring occasionally, for about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Sprinkle flour and stir well until it is incorporated with your onions, then cook for a minute until the mixture smells toasty. Add wine and 1 cup of your broth and whisk while the sauce thickens. Whisk in your remaining broth and 1 tablespoon of mustard and bring to a simmer. Salt to taste.
- Return your browned rabbit pieces to the sauce. Add thyme and sage. Cover your pot and simmer the meat until it is fork-tender, about 45 to 50 minutes.
- Use tongs to remove rabbit pieces from your sauce and set aside, keeping it warm. Put your saucepan over medium heat and bring the contents to a simmer. Whisk in your crème Fraiche, 1 tablespoon of mustard, and your capers and simmer until somewhat thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste your sauce and adjust seasoning to your preferences.
- Transfer your rabbit to a warmed serving bowl and ladle sauce over top. Sprinkle chives over top and serve.
Rabbit Cacciatore
What You Need:
- 1 2 ¼ pound rabbit, cut into 6 to 8 pieces
- Salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons thyme leaves (or 1 tablespoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2/3 cup chopped mushrooms
- 3 cups of chopped, very ripe tomatoes
- 2 red bell peppers, seeded, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 bay leaf
- 16 salt-cured olives, black or green, pitted
How to Prepare:
- Sprinkle salt and pepper generously over your rabbit pieces. Rub half of the thyme leaves into the pieces, then lightly coat with flour. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat and place rabbit pieces in a single layer. Do not stir. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on one side until lightly browned, then flip your pieces and brown for 1 or 2 minutes more. Remove the rabbit and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium and add onions to the pan, cooking for 1 minute. Add garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes more. Add rosemary and your remaining thyme.
- Add the rabbit back to the pan and cover it with chopped tomatoes and bay leaf. Reduce your heat to medium-low, then cover the pan and cook for 35 minutes.
- Uncover your pan and add in your olives.
- Increase heat to high and cook for several minutes until you have boiled off excess moisture and reduced your sauce. When your liquid has reduced by half, check your seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and serve. This dish goes well with rice, pasta, or potatoes.
Rabbit in Wine Sauce
What You Need:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or sunflower oil)
- 1 pound rabbit, cut into large pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup dry white wine
- ½ cup chicken stock
- Salt
- Fresh thyme
- A splash of water
How to Prepare:
- Heat a large pan on medium-high heat and add your oil to the pan. Add rabbit pieces and sear them on all sides until well browned, about 5 minutes for each side. Be patient while browning your meat; do not turn it too often. Season rabbit with salt and pepper while it is cooking.
- Reduce heat slightly and add chopped garlic to the pan. Brown your garlic while continuing to cook rabbit, about 2 to 3 minutes. Make sure your pan is not too hot.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make sure your pan is on medium heat now. Season your rabbit again and deglaze with white wine to get all the caramelized juices from the bottom of your pan. After the wine has evaporated, you will have a syrupy substance. Add chicken stock.
- Put your pan with rabbit pieces into the preheated oven and roast for 30 minutes until the internal temperature is about 140 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Your meat will continue to cook while resting, bringing the internal temperature up to around 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Serve with fresh thyme.