Hassenpfeffer Pickled Rabbit Recipes

HASENPFEFFER (RABBIT STEW)

Steps:

• Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Sprinkle rabbit with salt and coat with 1/3 cup flour, shaking off excess. Brown rabbit in remaining bacon fat. Remove from skillet, along with all but 2 tablespoons of the fat, and reserve.
• Saute shallots and garlic in skillet for about 4 minutes, until tender. Stir in wine, 1 cup water and bouillon. Heat to boiling, then stir in jelly, peppercorns, bay leaf, and rosemary. Return rabbit and bacon to skillet. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer about 1 1/2 hours or until rabbit is tender.
• Remove bay leaf and discard. Place rabbit on a warm platter and keep warm while preparing gravy.
• To Make Gravy: Stir lemon juice into skillet with cooking liquid. Combine 3 tablespoons water with 2 tablespoons flour and mix together; stir mixture into skillet over low heat. Finally, stir in thyme. Pour gravy over stew and serve, or pour into a gravy boat and serve on the side.

HASENPFEFFER

Steps:

• In a large nonmetallic bowl, combine onion, vinegar, water and seasonings. Add rabbit pieces; cover and refrigerate for 48 hours, turning occasionally. , Remove meat; strain and reserve marinade. Dry meat well; coat lightly with flour. In a large skillet, melt butter; brown meat well. Gradually add 2 to 2-1/2 cups reserved marinade. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. , Remove meat to a warm platter. Add sour cream to pan juices; stir just until heated through. Spoon over rabbit.

HASSENPFEFFER (PICKLED RABBIT)

Steps:

• Place cut up rabbit in a large bowl or crock and cover with marinade of equal parts water and vinegar, the onion, salt, pepper, cloves and bay leaves.
• Cover the bowl or crock and let marinade in a cool/cold place for two days.
• Remove rabbit pieces and dry each piece.
• Melt butter in a Dutch oven or heavy skillet and slowly brown rabbit, turning it often.
• Gradually add some of the marinade sauce, about 1/2 cup each time, and simmer with a lid on it until it is tender.
• Add sour cream just before serving.

HASSENPFEFFER (MARINATED RABBIT STEW)

Steps:

• 1. Cut rabbit into serving size pieces. Put into deep bowl and cover with a mixture of red wine vinegar, water, sugar, onion, carrots, 1 tablespoon salt, pickling spices and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover and put into the refrigerator for 2-3 days to marinate. Turn the rabbit often.
• 2. Drain rabbit pieces, reserving marinade. Dry on absorbent paper. Strain the marinade. Toss out the contents left in the strainer.
• 3. Coat the rabbit pieces evenly by shaking 2 or 3 at a time in a paper or plastic bag containing a mixture of 1/3 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• 4. Heat 3 tablespoons of shortening in a Dutch oven or heavy sauce pot.
• 5. Add the rabbit pieces and brown slowly. Remove from heat. Gradually add 2 cups of the reserved marinade. Cover and simmer 45 minutes to an hour until the meat is tender.
• 6. Add 1/4 cup of flour to 1/2 cup of the reserved marinade. Blend well. Pour 1/2 of this flour mixture into cooking liquid, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Gradually add only what is needed of the remaining flour mixture for desired consistency. Bring to a boil after each addition. After the final addition, reduce to medium heat and cook 3 to 5 minutes.
• 7. Serve rabbit with the gravy. This is good with oven roasted potatoes and onions and cooked cabbage.

BEST BRAISED RABBIT

Steps:

• Heat the roaster or casserole over moderate heat and cook the bacon, stirring and turning it frequently, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Set the pan with bacon fat aside for a few moments.
• Cut the rabbit into serving pieces. Cut away and discard the belly meat.
• Add the salt, pepper, and flour to a brown paper bag. Add a few rabbit pieces to the bag and shake to coat with flour mixture; repeat with remaining rabbit pieces.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Heat the reserved bacon fat in the pan over high heat until it sputters.
• Brown the rabbit pieces on all sides, in batches; this should take about 10 minutes. Transfer them to a serving plate.
• Pour off all but 2 tablespoon of fat and cook the onions in it until they are soft and translucent. Pour in the vinegar and chicken stock and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat, scraping up any browned bits clinging to the bottom and sides of the pan.
• Return the rabbit with juices to the roaster or casserole. Add the drained bacon. Cover the vessel tightly, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, or until the rabbits are tender but not falling apart.
• Serve the rabbit directly from the roaster or casserole, or arrange the pieces attractively on a heated platter.