poppins   10 #13 Posted February 5, 2011 why not?! its still delicious  I know, I bet I would love it if i wasn't told what i was eating, just the thought now of eating a Rabbit Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
taxman   12 #14 Posted February 5, 2011 Not sure. I asked my butcher whether mine was wild or tame and was told then it 'went wild when they killed it'! So, I don't know! I think mine was tame, so presumably bred.  There are quite a few sights around giving guidance on raising 'meat rabbits' such as this - http://www.essortment.com/all/raisingmeatrab_ripe.htm but I'm not sure I could go that far myself!  We had friends in the former East Germany who had a hutch of rabbits in their garden that they "harvested" every so often.  I'd have thought wild rabbit would be considerably leaner but also tougher than a plump, pampered bunny fed on carrots and dandelion leaves. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Claret   10 #15 Posted February 5, 2011  I'd have thought wild rabbit would be considerably leaner but also tougher than a plump, pampered bunny fed on carrots and dandelion leaves.  Yeah leaner and they have a stronger gamey taste. They are also likely to have shot and bruising. Mine didn't and was quite mild in taste so I do think it was a tame one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
orbs   10 #16 Posted February 5, 2011 I think a lot of you would benefit from food rationing. when i was a child in 40's n 50's we had cages of rabbits & chicken running around the yard, they were for the table. i had to go dandilion picking to feed the bunnies. if you were so short of food you would eat it. strange thing was i cant remember them getting pinched. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
jennyfour   10 #17 Posted February 5, 2011 I remember having rabbit as a child, when my daughter was about 6 my mum made a rabbit stew ... I remember my daughter being told that it was a rabbit she was eating ..... then she said a prayer for the rabbit and ate it all up ( we arent church goers!!) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Claret   10 #18 Posted February 5, 2011 I remember having rabbit as a child, when my daughter was about 6 my mum made a rabbit stew ... I remember my daughter being told that it was a rabbit she was eating ..... then she said a prayer for the rabbit and ate it all up ( we arent church goers!!)  That's quite a sweet tale! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
pattricia   583 #19 Posted February 5, 2011 You dont see rabbits sold in butchers shops like years ago. They used to hang them upside down on hook. The last rabbit I cooked was a little tough. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
taxman   12 #20 Posted February 5, 2011 Yeah leaner and they have a stronger gamey taste. They are also likely to have shot and bruising. Mine didn't and was quite mild in taste so I do think it was a tame one.  Wild rabbits are so plentiful, and and can be a pest, that eating them seems both sensible, economical and ethical - no factory farming, free range etc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Claret   10 #21 Posted February 5, 2011 Wild rabbits are so plentiful, and and can be a pest, that eating them seems both sensible, economical and ethical - no factory farming, free range etc  I agree. Unfortunately I didn't have a choice! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Cat86   10 #22 Posted February 6, 2011 how would you cook a whole one? I must admit, I've seen on http://www.gribblesbutchers.co.uk/index.cfm/devon/Products.Details/product_id/165/subject/rabbits selling whole ones for £3.50- its as cheap as a chicken. tiny bit squeamish about hacking it up butr the diced rabbit is like 4x more expensive and can you eat all of it?  no issues in eating the wild ones, but really dont ageee with the ''tame/pet'' looking ones you hear about at dodgy meat markets Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Claret   10 #23 Posted February 6, 2011 how would you cook a whole one? I must admit, I've seen on http://www.gribblesbutchers.co.uk/index.cfm/devon/Products.Details/product_id/165/subject/rabbits selling whole ones for £3.50- its as cheap as a chicken. tiny bit squeamish about hacking it up butr the diced rabbit is like 4x more expensive and can you eat all of it?  no issues in eating the wild ones, but really dont ageee with the ''tame/pet'' looking ones you hear about at dodgy meat markets  I got mine from the Market and asked the butcher to portion it up for me. It was £6.50 or so, but that's because I went for the largest one there. There were others for £4.00 or so. Or, if you prefer, you could roast one whole. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
froggi   10 #24 Posted February 6, 2011 (edited) IMO people don't like eating rabbit these days as it's gone out of fashion, it has a "face" - cute bunny syndrome, and is notorious for being very bony. The rabbit (or meat as I have to call it in our house as we have one as a pet) we see in butchers skinned and prep'd is usually farmed (ie bred for purpose), however certain butchers do carry local wild rabbit from time to time. Rabbit is on the general licence as a pest, and can be shot (providing you have the correct "permissions" from the landowner) so what's wrong with a bit of free meat that's as organic as it comes? Young "meat" does tend to be more tender than older animals and sometimes the strong taste of the meat is because it's not dealt with correctly when first shot.... You need to empty the bladder as it can taint the flesh! I think we should all eat a bit more "wild food" in our diets Edited February 6, 2011 by froggi Spelling Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
