How to cut rabbit recipes
Last Updated on
As with all game animals, the rabbit is very stiff and more worked muscles, such as those in the legs, take more time to work than a cocktail (breast meat), which closes quickly. Rabbit legs need to be rubbed or stewed to soften them and separate them from the saddle. Generally, the rabbit is cut into 8 service cuts: four legs and saddle, the coffin. You’ll need a sharp chef’s knife, a sharp paring or boning knife and kitchen scissors. You can also use a sniffer to make some of your chef’s knife do a tremendous job.
01, 05
Cut the forelegs
Holly A. Heyser
Depending on where you bought the rabbit, you may need to cover the forelegs. A cutter is useful because you can give it a good nip and use your chef’s knife to cut all the way through. You can also use your chef’s knife and apply downward pressure, sawing. Put the head under the soup stock or throw it away.
Put the rabbit on its back. Hold the forelegs in one hand, then hold the tip of your knife against the breastbone, cut the flesh that connects the foreleg to the shoulder. The front piece is not attached to the bone, so it’s easy to do. Repeat with the second front shoulder.
02 of 05
Cut the price legs
Holly A. Heyser
Removing the back legs is similar to removing the chicken legs. Place the rabbit’s spine down to give a clear view of the thigh muscle that connects to the pelvis. Cut through the thigh, exposing the ball joint of the femur, as shown in the photo. Place it back so that the ball joint protrudes (as shown in the photo). Cut the meat around the leg, twisting the carcass to separate the leg from the tail joint. Repeat with the other hind leg.
03 of 05
Remove the pendant
Andre Baranowski
There’s a little meat on the pelvis, so it’s best to just chop it up and throw it in your stock pot or sauce pan. Peel two tail-side ribs and using your carving knife or chef’s knife, cut between the second and third ribs. If you are using a chef’s knife, press the back of your palm knife down and press down. To remove the scales completely you can use scissors or your boning knife. This cut will release the flap on both sides of the towel.
04 05
Cut down the spine
Photo by Andre Baranowski
Turn the spine of the carcass upwards, then press down and flatten the spine with the palm of your hand. Using the cutter, cut the carcass halfway horizontally down the spine. Again, you can use your chef’s knife, but you’ll need more pressure to lower the knife down the spine, splitting the rib bones as you go. As you cut the chicken, use kitchen scissors to cut out the vertebrae on either side of the carcass. Save the backbone for a soup stock or sauce.
05 05
Saddle is quartered
Andre Baranowski
Using a slicer or chef’s knife, cut the saddle horizontally just below the saddle where the flap meat joins. Cut this bottom half vertically. Cut the upper part of the saddle in half vertically, which will now give you four saddle posts.
Your rabbit is now cut and ready to eat!
Uncut Rabbit Bourguignon Nicoise-Style Rabbit Fricassee Rabbit and Chicken with Rice.