Fried rabbit?

I've been hesitant to try frying rabbit yet as I'm not the best "fry-er" and I would really hate for the meat to go to waste because of an error on my part. I want to try it though, anyone have any tips? I'm pretty much a frying newbie in general, I've really only recently gotten where I can fry things haha.

Also the rabbit I have on hand currently is a doe that got REALLY mean with me for over a week straight and was trying to attack my hand when I reached in to give her hay. Fixed that problem right up :dinner:, but I'm wondering if she is too old to fry (she was a bit over a year old). The others I've done in the crock pot.

I'd do her in a crock pot, young rabbits are better fryers.

When you do fry a bunny, I personally pan fry in some olive or vegetable oil. I flour and season the rabbit in quarters and then get the fire medium-hot, enough to sizzle when you lay the pieces into the pan. Fry until the meat is cooked through but be careful it isn't overdone, or it'll dry out.

A friend has suggested a cool recipe for frying...strip meat off the bones, tenderize with a meat tenderizer (the little spiked mallet thing?) and put in a bowl of milk. Roll them in flour and spices, pan-fry as above, and just before pulling them out, splash them with sherry. Remove the rabbit and let the sherry reduce a bit in the frying pan. Add a teaspoon-full or less of the jam or preserves of your choice, simmer it in the sherry and rabbit drippings until it's a nice sauce. Plate the rabbit pieces, drizzle the sauce over it, serve with rice or something on the side. I've done it with venison and it works okay...I plan to try it with rabbit next time i have a few to process. I've found that gooseberry jam works really well...some other jams overpower the flavor with their excessive sweetness.

Best of luck! Pan-frying can take a while to get used to.

I'm not much on frying rabbit, but I would hesitate to fry a rabbit that is a year old. She'd be better roasted or stewed. When you have a young rabbit available for frying, I suggest you do it like chicken but at a lower heat. Rabbit meat has less fat and moisture and it is easy to fry it until it is tough.

Thanks guys, I guess miss grumpy pants will go into the crock pot. None of the bunny nuggets are big enough to eat just yet.

Kyle, that recipe sounds yummy! I'll have to try it when I have a younger bun to work with

Cali":kcoa92x2 said:

Thanks guys, I guess miss grumpy pants will go into the crock pot. None of the bunny nuggets are big enough to eat just yet.

Kyle, that recipe sounds yummy! I'll have to try it when I have a younger bun to work with

Click to expand...

Crock pot bunny is pretty tasty.

It has been fantastic every time I have tried it...though like I said I haven't tried it with rabbit yet, just venison.

When I fry a rabbit its generally a 12week or less rabbit. I do the same thing as Kyle for the seasoning but then put it on high and put the meat in just long enough to create the crust, flip and the same thing, just long enough to create a crust. That takes about 1 minute. After that I turn it down to medium and let it cook for 45 minutes.

I tried cooking rabbit on higher heat settings for shorter amounts of time but it always turned out tough and "rabbit" tasting. This way its not a gamey and the meat isn't tough. The chefs on here taught me to cook the rabbit on lower heat for longer.

this is the recipe I use when I fry its amazing! don't forget the sauce!

Directions: Southern Fried Rabbit Or Squirrel With Gravy

1/3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 wild rabbit or 2 squirrels, cut up
vegetable oil
3 T. flour
1 1/2 c. milk or chicken broth
salt and pepper
brown bouquet sauce

In a lg. plastic food-storage bag, combine 1/3 c. flour, the salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Shake to mix. Add rabbit/squirrel pieces and shake to coat.

In a lg. skillet, heat 1/4" of oil for rabbit, or 1/8" of oil for squirrel, over med-high heat until hot. Add coated meat. Brown on all sides. Reduce heat and cover tightly. Cook over very low heat until tender, 20-25 mins. for rabbit, 35-45 mins. for squirrel, turning pieces once. Remove cover, and cook 5 mins. longer to crisp.
Transfer meat to plate lined with paper towels. Set aside to keep warm.

Discard all but 3 T. oil. Over med. heat, stir flour into reserved oil. Blend in milk. Cook over med. heat, stirring constantly, until
thicken and bubbly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add bouquet sauce if darker color is desired. Serve gravy with meat.

http://rabbithuntingonline.com/recipes/ ... recipe.htm

MaggieJ":nl1os3to said:

I'm not much on frying rabbit, but I would hesitate to fry a rabbit that is a year old. She'd be better roasted or stewed. When you have a young rabbit available for frying, I suggest you do it like chicken but at a lower heat. Rabbit meat has less fat and moisture and it is easy to fry it until it is tough.

Click to expand...

I know about cooking rabbit at a lower temp in general, but frying... I know with chicken and fish, if the oil isn't hot enough, it gets into the meat and makes it greasy, rather than just cooking it.

It has to be hot enough to expand the water in the meat, which "pushes back" on the oil, keeping it from coming in. At least, that's my understanding.

Not that I can fry. My mom can, but I have to go hide. A few years ago, I became sensitive to airborne oil, and will have major allergy attacks if I'm around the frying.

Obviously, I need an outdoor fryer. :twisted:

I think you are right, Miss M. I would start the rabbit on a high heat, but then turn it down once it has browned to finish cooking. But then, I'm no expert on frying. I do know that too much heat can make rabbit tough.

MaggieJ":c6wmnv3u said:

I think you are right, Miss M. I would start the rabbit on a high heat, but then turn it down once it has browned to finish cooking. But then, I'm no expert on frying. I do know that too much heat can make rabbit tough.

Click to expand...

Hmmm... that might work. Of course, it would help if I butchered rabbits at fryer age, wouldn't it?

I should be able to start doing that eventually.

We seldom butcher fryers here. I prefer to grow them on until they are 14-16 weeks. With natural feeding, it takes a bit longer to reach market weight. Not a problem for us since frying is not our preferred method of cooking.

I do remember when Brian's sister and BIL were visiting and we decided to barbeque rabbit. I TOLD the guys to do it on low heat... but do you think they listened? Not a chance! The flavour was okay, but the texture was like shoe leather.

I ended up doing a wine braised rabbit.. pretty tasty!!

jollysrabbits":1dnhpv3t said:

this is the recipe I use when I fry its amazing! don't forget the sauce!

Directions: Southern Fried Rabbit Or Squirrel With Gravy

1/3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 wild rabbit or 2 squirrels, cut up
vegetable oil
3 T. flour
1 1/2 c. milk or chicken broth
salt and pepper
brown bouquet sauce

In a lg. plastic food-storage bag, combine 1/3 c. flour, the salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Shake to mix. Add rabbit/squirrel pieces and shake to coat.

In a lg. skillet, heat 1/4" of oil for rabbit, or 1/8" of oil for squirrel, over med-high heat until hot. Add coated meat. Brown on all sides. Reduce heat and cover tightly. Cook over very low heat until tender, 20-25 mins. for rabbit, 35-45 mins. for squirrel, turning pieces once. Remove cover, and cook 5 mins. longer to crisp.
Transfer meat to plate lined with paper towels. Set aside to keep warm.

Discard all but 3 T. oil. Over med. heat, stir flour into reserved oil. Blend in milk. Cook over med. heat, stirring constantly, until
thicken and bubbly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add bouquet sauce if darker color is desired. Serve gravy with meat.

http://rabbithuntingonline.com/recipes/ ... recipe.htm

Click to expand...

Thanks for this. Will try it

Oooooooooooooo... that looks scrumptious! :chef:

Looks good!!!!