Braised Rabbit with Kale Gravy
Searing and braising this rabbit results in tender meat and a delicious creamy gravy. Great over rice, pasta, or on a biscuit sandwich!
Prep Time1 hr
Cook Time1 hr 30 mins
Total Time2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 8 people
Cost: $45
Chef knife
Enameled dutch oven
- 1 rabbit 3-4 lbs
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar for marinade
- 2 stems rosemary
- 2 stems Texas tarragon or tarragon
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp butter grass fed
- 2 tbsp olive oil unrefined
- 1 red onion sliced thin
- 1 shallot minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 10 leaves kale a curly variety
- 1 cup white wine
- 3 tbsp coarse-grain mustard
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 8 oz coconut cream
- rice or pasta to serve over
Butcher the Rabbit
Remove front legs, then back legs.
Cut side flaps of rabbit. Save to use as "bacon" - sear or wrap vegetables and sear then bake.
Cut off rib cage and hips. These pieces do not have much meat on them, so they are best used for stock or bone broth.
Cut back into 2-3 pieces, depending how large rabbit is.
Marinade the Rabbit - strongly optional
Add rabbit legs and back to a plastic bag. Cover with one part apple cider vinegar and two parts water. Add a sprig of rosemary and Texas tarragon.
After at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours, remove the rabbit pieces. Pat each one dry with a paper towel.
Sear and Braise Rabbit
Heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Season rabbit pieces generously with salt and pepper.Cut onions, shallots, and garlic. Roughly chop stems of kale. Cut kale leaves into 1 inch strips. Sear rabbit on both sides for 4-5 minutes. You should get a nice golden-brown color on the meat. Remove the rabbit onto a plate on the side. Leave seared bits in the pot for the next step.
De-glaze the pan with 1/2 cup water. Add onions and cook for 3 minutes, until almost translucent. Add shallots and kale stems and cook for a minute. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
De-glaze the pan again, this time with 1 cup of white wine.Cook the wine down until you can no longer smell alcohol coming off of the broth. Add mustard, basil, and thyme and mix in.Add kale and rabbit pieces, and cover the pot with vegetable broth. Taste the broth, and add salt and pepper to taste. Bring the pot to a boil, then turn the pot to low-medium heat. Simmer the rabbit for an hour. Do not remove the lid during this time, it will make the rabbit cook slower!
Now, remove the rabbit to a plate. Bring the broth to a boil and cook it down to about half the original volume. This will take about 10 minutes.Add coconut cream and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the rabbit back in for a minute or two to heat it back up. On a plate, add some rice or pasta. Add a piece of rabbit, and top with the kale gravy.Enjoy!!!