Rabbit Sausage Food

RABBIT BREAKFAST SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In a food processor, process the mixture in small batches until coarsely ground. Stir in apple. , Shape into 16 patties, 3 in. each. Heat oil in a skillet; cook patties over medium heat for 5 minutes on each side or until sausage is browned and meat is no longer pink.

SMOKED RABBIT

Steps:

• Whisk water, apple cider vinegar, wine, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder together for the brine. Place rabbit in a 1-gallon plastic resealable bag. Pour brine over the rabbit and seal. Lay flat and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Combine salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, and parsley flakes in a small bowl. Stir until evenly combined.
• Remove rabbit from brine and discard brine. Rinse rabbit thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Spread the rub over all surfaces of the rabbit. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Remove rabbit from refrigerator 1 hour before placing on the smoker to allow meat to come to room temperature.
• Preheat an electric smoker to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• Smoke rabbit for 2 1/2 hours. Wrap in aluminum foil and smoke until tender, about 1 hour more.

RABBIT SAUSAGE

Steps:

• It is best to prepare these sausages at least one day in advance and refrigerate until ready to cook.
• Cut the meat from the rabbit bones and cut away and discard any membranes or fibers. Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes. There should be about 1 3/4 pounds of meat. Put the meat into a mixing bowl.
• Cut the pork into 1-inch cubes. Add the pork to the rabbit meat. Add the remaining ingredients except the cream. Blend well.
• If using a sausage stuffer, put half the mixture into the container of a food processor and blend slightly finer than hamburger meat, gradually adding half the cream. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture and cream and combine the two batches. Blend well with the fingers. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for filling the sausage casings. If using a meat grinder and stuffer, follow the manufacturer's instructions for stuffing the casings. When the filling has been added, pinch off the casings and tie each end. Tie a piece of string at 5- or 6-inch intervals. There should be 11 or 12 sausages. Wrap the sausages in clear plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• When ready to cook, cut off as many lengths as desired. Prick each sausage all over, forming pin-sized holes. Grill or broil the sausages, turning as necessary, about 15 minutes or until done. Or preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the sausages in a skillet and add 1/8 inch water. Bring the water to a boil and place the skillet in the oven. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until the sausages are done.

GRILLED RABBIT SAUSAGE OVER STEWED WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• For the sausage:
• Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Grind the mixture in a meat grinder fitted with a 1/4-inch die or coarsely grind in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Form a teaspoon of the mixture into a small ball and pan-fry for a minute on each side to test the seasoning. Form the mixture into 6 (3-inch) patties, 1/4-inch thick. In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, pan-fry the patties for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Alternatively, cook sausage patties on a greased grill and cook over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes on each side.
• For the Beans:
• Heat the oil in a saute pan, over medium heat. Fry the garlic slices until golden, about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove and drain on paper towels. Add the shallots and beans to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 1 minute. Add the broth. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the thyme and continue to simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. To serve, spoon the bean mixture in the center of each plate. Lay 2 patties against each other over the beans. Garnish with parsley.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William Morrow, 1993.

RABBIT GUMBO

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, saute onion and green pepper in oil until tender. Add rabbit and enough water to cover. Cover and simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until meat is very tender. , Add the sausage, salt, thyme, pepper and cayenne. Simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes. Remove rabbit. When cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones; discard bones. Cut meat into bite-size pieces; return to pan. Stir in okra; bring to a boil. Serve in bowls over rice.

RABBIT SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Prepare casings according to maker's instructions.
• Combine remaining ingredients; grind through the fine disk of a meat grinder, and stuff into casings. Twist off into 3" links.
• Pan fry in oil.

RABBIT RAGU WITH PAPPARDELLE

Steps:

• Pat the rabbit pieces dry and season with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the oil and brown the pieces, working in batches if needed to avoid crowding. Transfer to a plate.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the anchovy (if you choose) and mash it until it dissolves into the oil. Add the onion, carrots and celery, stirring until soft, about 5 minutes. Then add the red-pepper flakes, garlic and tomato paste, stirring for another minute. Deglaze the pan with the wine, turn the heat to high and boil to burn off the alcohol, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, broth, bay leaves and thyme. Return the rabbit pieces to the pot, spacing them evenly so they are partly covered by the liquid. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the rabbit is falling off the bone, about 2 hours. Turn the pieces at least once.
• Turn off the heat and discard the thyme and bay leaves. Remove the rabbit from the sauce and let cool; then pull the meat from the bones. Shred some pieces and leave others large. Return the meat to the pan and simmer the sauce until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the butter, piece by piece. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pappardelle until al dente. Before draining, save a cup of the pasta water. Toss the pappardelle with the sauce over low heat, adding pasta water as necessary if the sauce is too thick. Divide among pasta bowls and top with the grated cheese.

LIVERPOOL HOUSE RABBIT SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the rabbit, pork loin, pork cheek, salt, water, powdered milk, dry mustard, sugar, pepper, and Prague powder and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
• Fit your meat grinder with a plate with medium-size holes (3/8 inch/10 mm). Slowly pass the meat mixture through the grinder. Using your hands, stuff 1 pound (455 g) of meat into each casing by inserting small balls of the meat mixture and squeezing the casing to compact the mixture. (If your casings are too long, just trim them to size.) Tie 'em up with butcher string. Place the sausages on a tray, cover with a cloth, and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
• To smoke the sausages, preheat the smoker to a chamber temperature of 200°F (93°C). (To smoke your sausages on a barbecue, follow the smoking instructions for the Hot Délicieux Sandwich, page 151.) Hang the sausages in the smoker (we hang them from a grill using small stainless-steel hooks) and smoke them until they reach a core temperature of 152°F (67°C). That's about 3 hours at 185°F/85°C (the chamber temperature will drop a bit once the sausages are inside). We figure if you have a smoker, a meat thermometer is probably not such a big deal for you. Be sure to spray the sausages with water every 30 minutes. When the sausages are finished smoking, let them cool for a day.
• Alternatively, poach the sausages in simmering water with the onions and bay leaves for 30 to 40 minutes, or until they reach a core temperature of 152°F (67°C).
• Serve the sausages with a pocketknife, crackers, and the stone fruit preserve, preferably while on a fishing trip. The sausages will keep for a week (if poached) to 10 days (if smoked) wrapped in aluminum foil in the refrigerator.
• To make your own casings, cut unbleached muslin cloth into 14 by 6 1/2-inch (35 by 16.5-cm) rectangles. Fold in half lengthwise and sew along the long and one short side to make a 14 by 3 1/4-inch (35 by 8-cm) bag. Wash the casings before use.