Traditional Rabbit Stew 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.

MALTESE RABBIT STEW

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; cook the rabbit, onion and garlic in the hot oil until the garlic and onion are fragrant and the rabbit is brown. Stir in the wine, bay leaf, beef bouillon, nutmeg, tomato paste, and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Add the potatoes, carrots, and peas. Pour enough water over everything until covered. Bring stew to a boil; reduce heat to low and allow to simmer until the potatoes are completely cooked through, about 1 hour.

RABBIT STEW

Steps:

• Cut rabbit into pieces. Layer onion, potatoes, and carrots in bottom of a crock pot.
• Add spices to the pot.
• Add rabbit, salt, pepper, consommé, and about 3/4 cup beef broth.
• Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Thicken gravy as desired.

RABBIT STEW

Steps:

• Using half the flour (3/4 cup) coat the pieces of rabbit, shaking off any excess. Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, and brown the floured rabbit on all sides. Add the celery, carrots, onions, salt, pepper, bay leaves, 6 cups water and red wine, and stew for about 2 hours. Add the potatoes 45 minutes into the stewing process. Once the rabbit and all the vegetables are cooked, use some water to form a paste with the remaining 3/4 cup flour. Stir the flour mixture into the pot as a thickener. Add the already sauteed mushrooms to the stew and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings, if necessary, and serve.

SLOW-COOKED RABBIT STEW

Steps:

• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Put the prunes in a bowl with the brandy and brown sugar, stir, then set aside to soak.
• Dust the rabbit in the flour. Heat the oil in a large flameproof dish and brown the rabbit all over until golden - you may have to do this in batches. Set the rabbit aside. Add the bacon, vegetables, garlic and herbs to the dish and fry for 5 mins until starting to colour.
• Pour in the red wine and scrape all the goodness off the bottom of the dish. Add the chicken stock and put the rabbit back in the dish with the boozy prunes, then cover and cook for 2 hrs, stirring occasionally, until the rabbit is totally tender. Serve scattered with parsley and wild rice on the side.