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Rabbit meat is low-fat, dietary and, with the right approach to cooking, very tasty. Rabbit dishes are among the lightest, most tender and easy to prepare.
However, without knowledge about the right choice of meat, cutting the product and choosing spices, you will not get a high quality result. Let’s figure out together how to turn rabbit meat into a great dish!
What country eats the most rabbit meat?
Rabbit meat is a dietary product and a real delicacy. Spain, Italy and the Czech Republic are the leading countries in the consumption of rabbit meat.
According to the IndexBox report, over the past two years, the annual consumption of this product in these countries was 51 thousand tons, 45 thousand tons and 40 thousand tons.
It is also worth noting that almost all European countries especially value rabbit meat and include it in their daily ratio.
Is rabbit meat healthy?
Rabbit, compared to other types of meat, contains a small amount of saturated fat and a large amount of protein. It is also distinguished by its rich composition of beneficial nutrients – vitamins A, E, C, as well as minerals important for the human body.
This product is especially useful for people suffering from diabetes. The low fat content and the absence of carbohydrates in rabbit meat have a positive effect on the processes of fat metabolism and help to reduce “bad” cholesterol in the blood.
Is rabbit meat good for weight loss?
Rabbit is extremely low in calories. Therefore, people with metabolic problems can safely use it. What’s more, by eating rabbit meat instead of beef and pork, you can effectively lose weight.
This product helps to achieve the goal without torturing your body and without risking harm to health. Buy rabbit meat and use it in your weight loss diet to keep your figure in good shape.
There is one exception – the use of this dietary meat is harmful for people suffering from kidney disease and gout.
What is healthier chicken or rabbit?
“Chicken or rabbit?” – the eternal debate of healthy diet adherents. Each nation has long revered different types of meat. Now, thanks to trade, we have the maximum diversity. But it makes sense to figure out which meat on store shelves is healthier and better.
One of the most dietary and easily digestible varieties of meat is chicken. Boiled or baked, it contains mainly light and high-quality protein, ideal for the human digestive system.
Meanwhile, in terms of nutrient content, rabbit meat is the best option. It has a record protein content and our body can absorb it by about 90%. This is a unique indicator among all existing meat products.
Can I eat rabbit when pregnant?
Rabbit meat is the most useful type of meat for pregnant women. It is easily absorbed by our body and contains the whole complex of vitamins and minerals.
Rabbit meat does not cause allergies, unlike other types of meat. Experts have a positive attitude towards the use of rabbit at any stage of pregnancy, as it contains a large amount of protein.
This is a building material not only for the female, but also for the children’s body. Therefore, 150-200 grams of boiled or baked rabbit meat will benefit mom and baby.
What does rabbit taste like?
Rabbit meat, unlike beef or lamb, does not have a strongly pronounced taste or smell at all. It has a slightly sweet flavor. A strong unpleasant odor appears only when you buy old meat after improper fattening.
Do not compare rabbit with chicken or turkey – they are completely different products. You cannot replace this meat with anything – such a unique taste is difficult to artificially create.
Where to buy rabbit meat?
Rabbit meat is quite difficult to buy in a regular store near the house. Look out for farmers’ markets or private trusted vendors. They sell fresh rabbit meat at affordable prices.
Do not buy rabbit in supermarkets – there is a chance to buy old meat with an unpleasant odor.
How to cut up a rabbit
You can cut a rabbit into pieces at home like this:
- Separate the front legs first. Lay the carcass on its side and separate the limbs, making an incision from the shoulder to the neck.
- Optionally, you can cut the sirloin meat from the body. Separate the hind legs. Cut them off at the pelvic area where the joints meet.
- Cut the tendons between the vertebrae and break the carcass into 2 parts. Separate the ribs.
- Divide the back into 3 pieces or more (depending on the size of the carcass).
How to cut rabbit into pieces
You will be able to cut the rabbit into portioned pieces only after thorough gutting of the animal carcass.
Experts recommend doing this according to the standard scheme: lay the carcass on its back (on a horizontal surface), and then make a longitudinal incision along the white line of the abdomen to the level of the sternum with a sharp knife.
Pay special attention to the size of the pieces – they shouldn’t be too big.
How to defrost rabbit quickly
The duration of defrosting depends on the size of the piece. Most likely, rabbit meat will thaw within 3-4 hours. To make the process go faster, constantly change the water.
You can even put a container under a cool stream of water in the sink – this will allow the liquid to constantly circulate around the meat.
Don’t put meat in hot water. With this treatment, the piece may scald on the outside, and the inside will remain icy.
How to cook rabbit in the oven
Rabbit in the oven is a great dish for a festive table, as well as for a regular weekend lunch. It is easy to cook: a juicy and soft rabbit in the oven is what you need.
With this method of cooking, the meat retains the greatest amount of nutrients and provides a unique aroma and taste of the dish. To cook a rabbit in the oven, prepare the following list of ingredients:
- whole rabbit (white meat) – 1.5 kg
- white wine – 1 glass
- cloves of garlic – to taste
- sour cream – 3 tablespoons
- apples – 1 piece
- tangerine – 1 piece
- cinnamon – to taste
- ground red pepper – to taste
- dried basil – to taste
- bay leaf – to taste
- salt – to taste
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Take the rabbit carcass and cut into pieces. Put the rabbit cut in a separate container.
- Prepare all the spices for the marinade and mix them. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the marinade. It will soften the meat better.
- Peel the garlic cloves, chop them on the garlic press and add to the meat.
- Sprinkle the rabbit with prepared spices, add bay leaves, salt to your taste and pour dry wine and oil into it. Then mix the product well with the marinade.
- Put the container with meat to marinate for 3 hours in a cool place.
- Prepare foil, fruit and the right amount of sour cream for baking the rabbit.
- Add rabbit, tangerines, apples, and sour cream to the aluminum foil sleeve.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a baking dish with the rabbit in it and bake until the internal temperature of the product reaches 160 degrees.
How to cook rabbit stew
Rabbit stew is an easy-to-cook dish that will surprise you with its taste and aroma. You can cook roasted rabbit, but it will take longer and not give such a tender result.
The peculiarity of such a dish consists of preliminary frying of rabbit meat and subsequent stewing in sauce. The sauce itself consists of chopped juicy vegetables – tomatoes, onions, and sweet peppers.
Another liquid is simply not suitable for stews. Professional chefs advise adding a lot of spices. This provides an intense aroma and a pleasant piquant taste.
Roast rabbit recipe from jamie oliver
Jamie Oliver developed the best technology for cooking rabbit meat. All you need is a roasting pan, a hot oven and the right cooking time. The main secret ingredients are rosemary, parmesan, lemon, thyme, and white wine.
Choose a baking dish large enough so that all the pieces of rabbit meat fit on the bottom in one layer. According to Jamie Oliver, this is important for evenly cooking tender rabbit meat.
Then everything is simple – mix all the secret ingredients to get the marinade. Place the rabbit in the marinade for 4-5 hours. Next, roll the meat pieces in flour evenly, then in the egg also evenly.
Roast the resulting product for 2-3 minutes on each side.
Braised Rabbit in Belgian Beer
According to Belgian culinary traditions, you should only stew rabbit in dark beer “geueze” or “kriek” – these are beers with light fruity aromas. To repeat such a recipe, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- rabbit (carcass / legs) – 1.5 kg
- onion – 2 pcs
- carrots – 1-2 pieces
- prunes – 1 handful
- dark beer – 0.5 l
- thyme – 0.5 tsp
- rosemary – 0.5 tsp
- bay leaf – 2 pcs
- mustard – 1 tbsp
- salt and black pepper – to taste
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Put the pre cut rabbit in a large skillet and fry in butter. As soon as the rabbit is slightly reddened, move it to another dish, leaving all the oil and pan juices.
- In the remaining oily liquid, fry coarsely chopped onions and carrots.
- Add the washed prunes to the pan. Flavor the dish with spices – rosemary, laurel and thyme.
- Pour in the beer and turn on a high fire on the stove to evaporate the alcohol and reduce the intoxicating drink a little (2-3 minutes), combining it with the taste of spices and prunes.
- Return the previously set rabbit to the vegetables in the beer sauce. Simmer under a lid for about an hour or more if your rabbit is not too young. The meat should come off the bone well, and the beer “velvet” sauce should thicken.
How to serve a baked rabbit
Rabbit meat is a dietary product that is not only healthy, but also very tender. This product has a silky texture, absorbs the aroma of herbs well, and you can serve it with rice, mushrooms, pumpkin and potatoes.
A variety of soft-textured vegetables like tomatoes, eggplant, and zucchini will also bring out the flavor of rabbit meat well.
Mistakes Everyone Makes When baking a rabbit
There are a number of mistakes you can make when cooking rabbit. Pay attention to the following ones:
- Wrong cook mode. This way you can easily make rabbit meat very dry.
- Cooking more rabbit than the baking tray or skillet will hold. So the bottom layer of the dish will absorb too much juice, and the top will be too dry.
- Prep time. It is also important to obtain the desired softness of the meat.
How to cook rabbit for dogs
Switching your dog to natural foods is an important part of caring for your pet. Is rabbit meat suitable for such an occasion? Rabbit is one of the best food sources for a dog’s body.
The main thing is not to give a raw product, but to cook it correctly.
Just stew the product without a lot of oil and spices. Experts also do not recommend putting more than 200 grams of rabbit per serving in a bowl daily.
Best spices for rabbit meat
Tender rabbit meat has a delicate aroma, unusual for other types of meat. However, the specific rabbit smell is not for everyone. You can fix this with the right spices and seasonings
Consider adding basil, rosemary, oregano, juniper, and thyme. All game seasonings are also good options.
The main thing is not to add several spices and herbs at the same time, this will harm the taste of your future dish.
DO and DON’T
DO pay attention to the color of the meat, it should be light | DON’T buy frozen rabbit meat |
DO marinate rabbit meat before cooking in the oven | DON’T buy the product with bruises and mucus |
DO keep a close eye on the cook time | DON’T marinate rabbit meat in milk or other fermented milk products |
DO pay attention to the fact that the cook mode prevents the meat from drying out | DON’T cook the rabbit at too high a temperature |
Closing
Rabbit meat is a delicious and tender base for your future dishes. With a rich vitamin and mineral composition, this product will also surprise you with a pleasant sweetish taste and aroma.
You can cook classic dishes from famous chefs and also find more recipes. Discover the world of rabbit meat with its incredible flavor palette. Enjoy your meal!