Braised Rabbit Legs Recipes

BRAISED RABBIT LEGS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Pat the rabbit legs dry, and season with salt and pepper. Place a large Dutch oven over high heat, and heat oil until shimmering. Sear the rabbit legs until browned on both sides. Transfer to a plate.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the shallots to the pan, and sauté until tender but not browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cornichons, brine and vinegar, raise heat and bring to a simmer. Return the rabbit legs to the pan with any accumulated juices. Add enough chicken stock to come to within about 1/2 inch of covering the legs. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
• Cover the pan and bake until the rabbit meat is tender and the leg joint bends easily, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer legs to a plate and keep warm. Skim cornichons and shallots from the sauce and set aside. Return pan to medium-high heat, and boil until sauce is reduced by about half. Whisk in butter a piece at a time, and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Return rabbit, cornichons and shallots to the pan until just reheated. Stir in parsley. To serve, place 2 legs on each plate, and top with some shallots, cornichons and sauce.

BRAISED RABBIT

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, cook rabbit in oil until lightly browned; remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, saute onion until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, thyme, pepper and bay leaf. , Return rabbit to pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until meat is tender and a thermometer reads 160°., Remove rabbit to a serving platter. Discard bay leaf. Combine the flour, lemon juice and water until smooth; stir into pan juice. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with rabbit.

BRAISED RABBIT WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a bowl, and set aside. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Coat each piece of rabbit with the seasoned flour mixture, and cook in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until the rabbit pieces are golden brown. Remove the rabbit from the skillet and set aside.
• Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Mix together the mushroom soup, mushrooms, garlic, Italian seasoning, and water in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Place the browned rabbit pieces in a large roasting pan or Dutch oven with a lid, and cover the rabbit with the carrots and potatoes. Pour the mushroom sauce over the rabbit, carrots, and potatoes, cover, and bake in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours, until the rabbit and vegetables are tender and the sauce is bubbling.

ITALIAN-STYLE BRAISED RABBIT WITH ROSEMARY AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Cut the rabbit into 9 pieces (or ask your butcher to) as follows: with a sharp cleaver, cut the saddle (center portion) into 3 pieces, leaving the kidneys attached. Cut the front portion (front legs) in half through the backbone. Chop each hind leg into 2 pieces. Reserve the liver and heart to sauté as a snack.
• Heat .25 inch of olive oil in a Dutch oven or deep, wide heavy skillet over medium heat. Season the rabbit pieces with salt and pepper, then dust lightly with flour. Lightly brown the rabbit for about 3 minutes on both sides, working in batches. Drain on kitchen towels, then transfer to a baking dish in one layer. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Pour off the used oil, wipe out the pan and add 2 tablespoons fresh oil. Heat to medium-high, add the onions and cook till soft, about 5 minutes. Add the leek, garlic, rosemary and mushrooms. Season generously with salt and pepper, and add red pepper flakes to taste. Cook for 2 minutes more, stirring.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and wine, and let the mixture reduce for 1 minute. Add the broth, bring to a simmer, taste and adjust seasonings.
• Ladle the mixture evenly over the rabbit. Cover the dish, and bake for 1 hour. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

BEER-BRAISED RABBIT (OR CHICKEN) FOR THE CROCK POT

Steps:

• In a crock-pot, place potatoes, carrots and onion.
• Season meat with salt and pepper; brown in oil on all sides and place in crock pot on top of vegetables.
• Combine beer, chili sauce,, brown sugar, and garlic; pour over meat.
• Cover and cook on high heat setting for 3 1/2- 4 hours.
• Remove meat and drain vegetables.
• Measure cooking liquid and add beer, water, or broth to make 1 1/2 cups.
• Put reserved cooking liquid in a saucepan, and return meat and vegetables to the crock pot.
• Mix 1/3 cup water with 3 tbs flour in a gravy shaker or jar and shake until smooth.
• Stir into reserved liquid; cook, stirring constantly until thickened.
• Serve sauce over meat and vegetables, sprinkle with paprika and garnish with parsley if desired.
• Note: This can be baked in an oven-proof casserole rather than a crock-pot.
• Bake at 350°F for approx 1 1/2 hours, or until meat and vegetables are tender.

BRAISED RABBIT LEGS, DIJON MUSTARD AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• 1. Lightly season the rabbit legs with salt. 2. Heat a large pot with a little oil and fry the legs until golden brown. 3. Set the legs aside and pour off the excess oil. 4. Cut the bacon / Pancetta into lardons 5mm thick. 5. Melt the butter in the pot and cook the onions and bacon with a pinch of salt for five minutes. 6. Add the white wine to the onions and cook rapidly to reduce the wine to a glaze. 7. Wash and slice the mushrooms and add them to the pot. 8. Add the rabbit legs to the pot and cover with the chicken stock. 9. Bring the stock to the boil and cook in a pre-heated oven at 200˚c for 1 ½ hours until the legs are tender. 10. Remove the legs from the pot and keep warm on plates. 11. Add the cream to the pot and boil rapidly for 5 minutes, adjust the seasoning with salt. 12. Whisk the parsley and mustard into the sauce and spoon it over the legs.