Pulled Rabbit Food

BRAISED RABBIT PAPPARDELLE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan. When hot, add the rabbit, brown on all sides, then remove from the pan and set aside.
• Add the bacon, onion and carrot to the pan and cook for 10 mins until soft. Add the garlic, rosemary and tomato purée, stir for 1-2 mins, then pour in the wine and chicken stock.
• Return the rabbit to the pan, season, cover with a lid and cook over a low heat for 1 hr until the rabbit is really tender.
• Remove the rabbit from the pan and shred the meat using 2 forks. Be careful to remove all small bones. Meanwhile, increase the heat under the pan and boil the liquid for 5 mins until reduced by half. Add the shredded meat and reduce the heat to low. Cook the pasta in a large pan of salted water following pack instructions. Drain, reserving a little pasta water to thin the sauce if necessary.
• Stir half the orange zest, mustard, cream and parsley into the rabbit sauce. Add the cooked pasta to the pan, toss everything well to coat and heat through for 1-2 mins. Serve in bowls with grated Parmesan, parsley leaves and the remaining orange zest.

SMOKED RABBIT

Steps:

• Place the rabbit pieces in a non-reactive bowl.
• Mix rest of ingredients and pour over rabbit pieces.
• Marinate in refrigerator at least 12 hours, turning occasionally.
• Remove from marinade and pat dry.
• Cold smoke in smoker at 75-85 degrees for about 2 hours.
• Hot smoke for several more hours until meat is thoroughly cooked. Or place on a cookie sheet and roast at 225 degrees until done, brushing occasionally with vegetable oil to prevent drying out.
• Cool and store in refrigerator wrapped in paper for up to 2 weeks.
• Serve thinly sliced on crackers as an appetizer.

GRILLED RABBIT AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Prepare a grill or heat up a grill pan. If available, place a piece of slate on the grill and heat for at least 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place the rabbit on a platter and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over and scatter garlic slices from 3 cloves, 8 sprigs of thyme and 4 sprigs of rosemary (halved to make 8). Allow it to marinate while the grill is heating.
• When the slate is hot, place the rabbit pieces on the slate. Cook on each side until the rabbit is nicely seared and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes per side. Remove the garlic cloves and discard if they begin to burn, they will give a harsh flavor to the rabbit.
• Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Halfway into cooking the rabbit, place the vegetables on the slate and place a sprig of thyme and rosemary and a few slices of garlic on each. Cook on each side until nicely browned and softened, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve hot or room temperature.

PULLED RABBIT

Steps:

• 1. Place rabbit pieces in crock pot. Pour on coke to cover. Cook on high until boiling, then turn down to low for a couple of hours. Then leave on warm until falling off bone.
• 2. Cool some and remove bones. Shred big pieces.
• 3. Buffalo rabbit sandwiches: heat 1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce and 2 T butter. Mix with 2 cups shredded rabbit until coated and bake covered at 350 for 20 minutes. Serve on buns with blue cheese dressing.
• 4. BBQ rabbit sandwiches: Mix 1/2 cup or more BBQ sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's original) with 2 cups shredded rabbit until coated and bake covered at 350 for 20 minutes. Serve on buns with more BBQ sauce, cole slaw, or pickles.