Processing and contamination

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TheChad

TheChad

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I am about to process my first three rabbits. I have watched grumpy's video atleast a dozen times. My previous processing has either been fish or squirrels.

My question is what do I do if I was to expose the flesh by nicking the bowels or bladder? Just rinse it or is more required? Can I finish processing or do I need to stop immediately and do something?
 
If you have done squirrels, this should be a piece of cake! IMO, they are very very similar, yet much easier! I was amazed at the similarities when I first did it.

As for knicking of things... it happens occasionally. I have my set up so that I have a hose handy for spraying things down so I do a quick rinse if something gets on the meat... The bladder seems to pose the biggest issue for me. I have lost my pinch/grip on it a time or two causing it to spill out. Blech. If I actually planned ahead enough to pull their food and water before processing it probably wouldn't be that bad, but usually their bladders and stomachs are FULL. I did try massaging that area to help empty the urine prior to skinning and it helped on a few of them.
 
heritage":39k22zvd said:
If you have done squirrels, this should be a piece of cake! IMO, they are very very similar, yet much easier! I was amazed at the similarities when I first did it.

As for knicking of things... it happens occasionally. I have my set up so that I have a hose handy for spraying things down so I do a quick rinse if something gets on the meat... The bladder seems to pose the biggest issue for me. I have lost my pinch/grip on it a time or two causing it to spill out. Blech. If I actually planned ahead enough to pull their food and water before processing it probably wouldn't be that bad, but usually their bladders and stomachs are FULL. I did try massaging that area to help empty the urine prior to skinning and it helped on a few of them.
Click to expand...

So if I am going to process one morning, should I pull the food and water before I go to bed the night before?
 
So if I am going to process one morning, should I pull the food and water before I go to bed the night before?
Click to expand...

You can if you wish.

I personally do not pull feed for rabbits though.
It just seems like life interferes with my processing dates too much.

It'd be dangerous if I fasted them and then put off processing for a week or so, since fasting rabbits can lead to gi slowdown, which in turn can trigger stasis, or bacterial overgrowth.
 
Chad,
Accidents happen when processing any animal...
It happens to me...still...but I try to minimize contamination
as much as possible and wash the affected area asap with clear
running water. Just take your time... and stay focused. You'll
do fine.
I've added on more step in my processing operation in that I
use a spray bottle of pure water to douse the hair between the
legs for the initial cut. It helps holding excessive stray hairs'.
Best of Luck to you.
Grumpy.
 
Before I cut open the belly I express the pee out. Laying the rabbit on its back with stomach up, cutting from the head toward the tail, I cut with the cutting edge up so the skin is like a tent, I'm less likely to hit the innards.
 
Lying the carcass upon ''anything'' risks contamination.. expressing urine is contamination
unto itself unless it completely clears the exposed meat of the animal.
 
Well. Fresh urin is steril, no bacterial contamination there, can be rinsed off, no problem.

Also, with rabbits being herbivores, I don't think many problems can arise anyway when proper rinsing and cooling is provided after butchering, imho it takes quite a lot of things to actually spoil rabbit meat.

Putting the rabbit on cutting boards, or whatever, would imho the bigger risk, but anyway, with proper cooling, rinsing and cooking not a real big problem.
 
Preitler":h892fvxd said:
Well. Fresh urin is steril, no bacterial contamination there, can be rinsed off, no problem.

Also, with rabbits being herbivores, I don't think many problems can arise anyway when proper rinsing and cooling is provided after butchering, imho it takes quite a lot of things to actually spoil rabbit meat.

Putting the rabbit on cutting boards, or whatever, would imho the bigger risk, but anyway, with proper cooling, rinsing and cooking not a real big problem.
Click to expand...

Once the rabbit is hung, from that point onward till sealing it in a sterile plastic bag,
the meat never touches another surface.

While you may well be correct in the durability of rabbit meat, the Law states what
is acceptable and what is not. Unfortunately, my opinion isn't relevant, I do what is
called for by statute.

You'll get a good debate going on the sterility of urine with these folks. (Federal Inspectors) :x
Good luck. :)

Grumpy.
 
It's not a huge deal with herbivores like rabbits. Being small they are processed, rinsed, and cooled quickly. Their intestines contain little truly dangerous bacteria and urine is sterile. Just store and cook it properly.

Luckily most of us don't have to care about USDA standards or 3/4ths of the homesteaders would be in trouble.
 
TheChad":4ilq923p said:
heritage":4ilq923p said:
If you have done squirrels, this should be a piece of cake! IMO, they are very very similar, yet much easier! I was amazed at the similarities when I first did it.

As for knicking of things... it happens occasionally. I have my set up so that I have a hose handy for spraying things down so I do a quick rinse if something gets on the meat... The bladder seems to pose the biggest issue for me. I have lost my pinch/grip on it a time or two causing it to spill out. Blech. If I actually planned ahead enough to pull their food and water before processing it probably wouldn't be that bad, but usually their bladders and stomachs are FULL. I did try massaging that area to help empty the urine prior to skinning and it helped on a few of them.
Click to expand...

So if I am going to process one morning, should I pull the food and water before I go to bed the night before?
Click to expand...

JMHO-- I like to pull the feed the night before processing--[a full stomach is needless trouble, and a waste of feed ]- i have automatic waterers, so-don't worry about that...
 
Thanks for all the tips. Everything went great and a big shout out to Grumpy's processing video. That was awesome and I walked through it step by step the first time.

I didn't nick any of the organs. I did pull the water and feed the night before and processed them early that morning. The bladders were almost empty so that was a good thing.

I let them soak for two days in Iced Salt water. The back was stiff when I got it out but when I went to move it, you could tell it was softening up. I put them in freezer after sealing them up. Lot of debate on whether the soaking is necessary. My thinking was better safe than sorry.

Now I just need to find the right recipe for them. I'm thinking crock pot mexican style pulled meat. Will see how that comes out. One of them is going to an older man from my church who has helped me a lot on getting started and what to do. Thanks again for the comments and help!!!
 
Crockpot might be more than it can take - my friend is completely turned off by (wild) rabbit after her husband did that and the bones disappeared in the meat :x . If it's an older one you have some more wiggle room b/c you need to cook it longer to tenderize it, but for the younger ones it won't take long. Or if you debone it you would be OK. I could be wrong though, others can chime in on their experiences...

Congrats on processing! It does get easier as you get used to it ;)
 
heritage":3gq43qrl said:
Crockpot might be more than it can take - my friend is completely turned off by (wild) rabbit after her husband did that and the bones disappeared in the meat :x . If it's an older one you have some more wiggle room b/c you need to cook it longer to tenderize it, but for the younger ones it won't take long. Or if you debone it you would be OK. I could be wrong though, others can chime in on their experiences...

Congrats on processing! It does get easier as you get used to it ;)
Click to expand...

Yes I would love for someone to chime in about that. Most of the recipes I saw said the crock pot was made for Rabbits.
 
Preitler":199tai9f said:
Well. Fresh urin is steril, no bacterial contamination there, can be rinsed off, no problem.

Also, with rabbits being herbivores, I don't think many problems can arise anyway when proper rinsing and cooling is provided after butchering, imho it takes quite a lot of things to actually spoil rabbit meat.

Putting the rabbit on cutting boards, or whatever, would imho the bigger risk, but anyway, with proper cooling, rinsing and cooking not a real big problem.
Click to expand...

It is a myth that urine is sterile.

Bacteria are present at low levels in the urine of healthy people not suffering from a urinary tract infection, Evann Hilt of Loyola University of Chicago reported May 18 at a conference of the American Society for Microbiology. Now, Hilt and her colleagues are figuring out what bacteria make up the normal bladder community and whether a change in that community might trigger urinary problems.
Click to expand...

https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/gory-d ... r-rest-you
 
ok, but with bacteria it's about levels, and what kind. Imho fresh urin doesn't pose a problem anyhow, it's steril enough, rinse it off and it's good. We use the kidneys - which are the source of urin.

There's no point in being afraid of every single bacteria, and we cook our meat anyway.
 

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