[juliec]

Well guys, now my veg has taken off im ready to go to the next level..  There are loads of rabbits near us and Ive just sent my son to buy an air rifle.

but I need your help, what do we do when we get our first rabbit,  how do we know its not got a disease and is okay to eat?  do we hang it up like  game birds and whats the best way to cook it?

Ive typed rabbit in the search and didnt get much so not sure if theres any info I can get.

Any help is as always very welcome.

thanks

Jools

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Jools, my Brian said you can hang it for a couple of days whole, then split it down the belly and take the guts out.  He said they should fall out quite easily!

Then chop off head and feet, go to back legs and take the legs out of the fur and pull fur straight down the rabbit.  skin comes off easily.

If the rabbit has clear eyes, its okay to eat, but Munty told me that even if its got mixi, if you cut off the head the rest is okay, but don't quote me on that one!  Not sure I'd like to try it!

I've only ever casseroled rabbit, but I know you can do lots more with it!

[Mosslane]

We had our first rabbit earlier this year. We had some rabbiters clear our land for us. They gave me good advice on cooking it. Soak the skinned rabbit in a large pot in cold water with some salt for 24 hours. Rinse and put back in the pot with herbs and garlic and simmer for 2-3 hours. Strain and pull the meat off the bones and then use like chicken. We made a curry and it was gorgeous.

[8doubles]

Rabbits should be paunched (gutted) as soon as they have stopped twitching as the meat spoils very quickly if the intestines are left in. Afterwards they may be hung for a couple of days in a cool fly proof area.
With most mammals the carcase cools much faster with the intestines removed and there is no chance of the stomach contents tainting the meat if they are removed.

This will tell you how to process a bunny, IpwhOE74TMA
A pair of sturdy kitchen scissors are a safer way to remove the legs.

[CZ Silhouette]

First thing you should do before anything is get your son to learn how to shoot his air rifle. He will need to learn the trajectory of the rifle to a maximum of 30yds. Make him spend a lot of time with targets before he even thinks about shooting live quarry. Set targets up at 10,20,30yds this way he will find out what his air rifle is doing. He may also have to try different types of pellets to find which one works best with his rifle.

To shoot live quarry he will need to get a consistent grouping of about the size of a thumbnail time after time. He has to hit the rabbit in the head just between the eye & ear this is the only place to hit them. BODY SHOTS ARE A NO GO. It is his responsibility to ensure a clean kill & not wound the animal.

[juliec]

CZ Sillouette,

Many thanks for your message and we have taken it onboard, we bought the rifle on Friday and have been practising on targets down the garden.. althouthg my son  is on threat of death if he shoots the heads off my caulis.

At the moment both he and I can hit the metal post of the washing line at 17 yards so when we get to 30 like you say I'll be happy we may get a clean kill, although it may be spring by then! as we are aware that a rabbit is mobile ....not like the washing line post!

Thank you to you all for your help as always this is a brilliant place to meet like minded friends and to get the help, advice and motivation to keep us all going.

thanks jools (the hopeful rabbit catcher but good cauli grower!!)... thats more than I was this time last year so I'm proud of my growth.