Cooking School: Rabbit

Rabbit is one of the most healthful meat you can eat. Yet, some people keep their experience with it to fancy restaurants while many haven’t tried it at all. Rabbit is a white meat that’s low in cholesterol. It has the highest percentage of protein, and the lowest percentage of fat, of any meat. Though not tremendously popular in North American diets, it is more common in New Zealand.

Which is exactly why Leyton Ashley, head chef at Terroir, the restaurant at Craggy Range winery on the North Island of New Zealand, is the ideal person to ask for advice when it comes to cooking rabbit at home.

Ashley loves the flavour and versatility of rabbit meat. Unlike rice cakes and no-fat ice cream, rabbit isn’t only healthy, it’s also delicious. Although rabbit is considered “game,” its white meat is much milder in flavor than richer venison. Rabbit is perfect for both warm weather meals and hearty winter fare.

When shopping for rabbit, you'll notice two key terms — fryer and roaster. A fryer is a rabbit less than 12 weeks old between one and three pounds, the meat is lean, bright pink in colour and can be cooked similar to chicken or turkey. A roaster is any rabbit over eight months old and can be any size. They are darker in colour and can be tough, so cooks use cooking methods such as braising or stewing to produce tender meat. 

"The rabbit shouldn’t smell too strong or be too deep in red or brown colour or it is likely getting old, wasn’t processed properly or was bruised which means the meat is full of blood," he says. "Go for shiny, plump and light-coloured meat. Trust your senses."

Once in the kitchen, the adventure begins. Ashley recommends a classic item for cooking rabbit. “Staub cookware or heavy based saucepans are great for an even cooking temperature like is often required with a rabbit dish,” he says.

What recipe you choose greatly depends on the size and cut of the rabbit, but Ashley says following a good one is the difference between success and failure in the kitchen. His favourite way to cook rabbit is Italian-inspired. “Lightly wrapped leg in Parma ham, on a pearl barley risotto, sauvignon soaked New Zealand apricots and quickly sautéed rabbit liver — yum!”

And in his glass? Pinot noir. The earthiness brings out the lovely gamey quality in rabbit meat and the grape does well in New Zealand’s climate. He particularily recommends a pinot noir with some age on it — about four to five years.  However, with a lighter rabbit salad dish, an herbaceous sauvignon blanc will pair nicely and with the French classic rabbit in mustard, you can’t go wrong with white Burgundy, particularly from Pouilly-Fuissé.

Try one of these rabbit recipes at home tonight:

Wiener schnitzel Of Artichoke With Roasted Rabbit Loin And Chive Vinaigrette

Braised Stuffed Rabbit Legs with Walnuts, Prosecco, Dried Cherries and Apricots

Roast Rabbit Loin in Parma Ham and Rocket Orzo

Rabbit and Radish-and-Spring-Onion-Salad

Rabbit Cooked with Dijon Mustard

Photo by Ewan-M