Last meal and drink?

[MuddyFarms]

Pan fried with salt and pepper. Bacon and onions if I'm feeling extravagant. I just like liver. Most people overcook it, it gets tough if you go for well done. It takes about the same amount of time and effort as a medium fried egg, should still be a little pink in the middle, not totally brown all the way thru. When I am introducing it to someone who might not like it I sometimes dredge it in seasoned flour also, but I am too lazy to do that for me.

Ah- that does sound like a good way to cook it. Probably the way I should try to do it if I ever need to eat it. Thanks!

 

[KelleyBee]

Oh man. No way I would relinquish the liver to a dog, no matter how much I loved him. The liver is literally the best ever in my opinion. Both the best type of liver, and best part of the rabbit.

I so agree! So long as not overcooked, liver of any kind is fantastic food in my book.

 

[Olbunny]

I usually open feed the friers. Day before butchering I just don't fill the feeder. I don't take the water away.
To butcher. First, I'm going to get a stun bolt to dispatch. I've been using a co2 pistol. Before that I stretched the neck. I found stretching the neck caused more blood shot meat around the neck so changed up.
I dispatch. I use a heavy piece of firewood n 2 big nails an inch or so apart to hold the rabbit and with a heavy knife cut the head off right behind the skull. I have an apple juice jug with the bottom cut out inside a 5 bucket. I place the rabbit into the funnel for a minute or so to bleed out n stop kicking. Keeps the hide clean and I feel I helps reduce brushing.
I have an old house for sale post shaped with an arm extending as a hanging post with 2 small ropes A box to catch guts. Cut the front feet off. I found an automotive rubber tubing cutter to work best but many use a kitchen shears.
I use a 6" fillet knife and a small paring knife with sharp ends. Cut a y from belly up each leg. I score the skin around the foot first then pull the skin down on each leg.
I like a stack of paper towels around. I will go around the other side n pull the tail back and cut it off. I have a piece of paper towel in hand to put over the bung hole in case urine leaks. Then pull the skin off.
To gut. Pull the skin out n run the knife from the ribs up to the pelvis. Most of the guts will fall out n pull down on the intestines. Use the paring knife to cut up the pelvis splitting it. Stretch it open like opening a book. You can easily cut around each side of the urine track n intestines while pinching the opening closed. A forceps would work great. It will all pull out. If any urine spills on the meat. It will. Wipe it off with the paper towels. Remove the kidneys n liver. From the neck cut the sternum up opening the chest. I have a paper towel ready to catch blood. And just put a piece over the neck area. Remove the heart lungs n such. We saved the heart liver kidneys n belly flap meat collectively from the 130 friers to grind for sausages or breakfast patties.
Hope this helps. I've just developed my own thing through the years. We'll all,do it a bit differently.
But hey, we're doing it

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

I never thought someone would use the description, "Open it like a book"

 

[ladysown]

I never fast my rabbits. I generally find no reason to do so.

To remove the gall bladder, I just pinch it off the liver. only once in 18 years have I had one break. The cats didn't notice any difference in the taste (though I'm pretty sure I would have).

To remove the bladder.... I just pinch it off and pull. Any urine is easy enough to squeeze out on the ground. An alternative to avoiding the full bladder is to "pee the rabbit" just after you cull it. That's where you hold the rabbit up (with tail hanging toward the ground) and rub down on the belly until it urinates.

To clean out the intestinal tract, I insert my little finger in from the hip area (after I've cleaned out the innards) and push out to where the tail would be. It just pulls out. I empty it and put it in with the cat food mix.

Everyone has a different method that achieves the same end.

 

[ladysown]

Ah- that does sound like a good way to cook it. Probably the way I should try to do it if I ever need to eat it. Thanks!

I do much the same but toss an egg into the mix along with the kidneys.

 

[MuddyFarms]

I do much the same but toss an egg into the mix along with the kidneys.

Good to know. Thanks!