18 months isn't what I'd consider especially old, and I would not expect any difference in flavor. She'll probably have more fat and be a little harder to skin, given that and the fact that the hide will be thicker and connective tissue stronger than in an 8-week-old fryer.
I agree 100% , I pressure can older rabbits, then debone .18 months isn't what I'd consider especially old, and I would not expect any difference in flavor. She'll probably have more fat and be a little harder to skin, given that and the fact that the hide will be thicker and connective tissue stronger than in an 8-week-old fryer.
Pressure cooking is always my go-to when I have doubts about toughness (as in a 4-year-old buck). Pressure canning is even better! But if you aren't going to can it, letting it rest in the refrigerator for 2-3 days - I leave them in a pot of water on the bottom shelf - will go a long way to making it more tender when you do cook it.
We like Montreal Steak Seasoning on pretty much everything.
I have never noticed any "off" flavor. When I did some much older does I tried boning them and ground for sausage patties, then made soup from the bones. Always let rest a few days to let rigor pass. ( Not for sausage ) I soak in salt water . I like to piece all my rabbits into hind quarters, back straps, front legs and ribs. Belly flaps, kidneys and fat surrounding them, and heart are frozen right aways and later ground for sausage patties.Spines are turned into big batch of broth that's canned. Brown them in hot oven then pressure cook. I used to pressure cook all my rabbit but we've learned we like flavor and texture better browned in a little fat then slow roasted in 320* oven in covered dutch oven. We like bay leaf, allspice, onion and either fresh thyme or rosemary. Even my 2 year olds were tender. Do several at a time. Then turn into many different meals. Delicious warmed in frying pan in a little butter. I pull hind quarters out before they're tender but still holding together well and warm them with barbecue on grill (The only way we've had grilled rabbit not dry and tough) Pull off bones for sandwiches...Backstraps frozen raw for breaded tenders in oven or stir fries.
Sorry typo.. hind quarters pulled out WHEN tender but still holding together well.
Take the meat off the bones, grind it up with the liver, some salt, pepper, sage and, optionally a pinch of red pepper. Make into patties and freeze between pieces of wax paper. The best breakfast sausage ever. Then make bone broth with the carcass.
Thank you for this! I am doing a big butchering session this weekend and this is absolutely going to happen.
