Wild Rabbit Stew

In these times, it’s more important than ever to eat local, fresh and wild. Better for you and better for the environment! Rabbit has a very light impact on the earth, and its meat is incredibly healthy being low in fat and cholesterol and high in important minerals, vitamins, and omega 3.

In our live cookout, Louise shared the best way to cook wild rabbit (shot by our friends at Birchwood Forestry on their Herefordshire farm) in a delicious traditional stew. Served with some chunky bread from our baker friends at Bakers Table.

Ingredients

• 2 wild rabbits - jointed

• 1 onion - diced

• 100g bacon lardons

• 1 clove garlic

• 1 slice of stale bread

• 150g prunes

• 1 bottle Butty Bach Beer

• 1 tsp English mustard

• 1 tbsp brown sugar

• 1-2 tbsp red wine vinegar

• Seasoned flour

• Salt and pepper

• Chopped parsley

Let’s Cook

Place the Dutch oven in the centre of the firepit with the coals pushed to the outside. When the oven is hot, add a glug of oil and a nut of butter. When this starts to sizzle add the bacon and fry for a couple of minutes.

Toss each joint of the rabbit in the seasoned flour. Place 4 or 5 joints into the hot oil and fry until it starts to colour, remove these pieces and then add the rest. When all the rabbit pieces have been sealed, add the opinions and garlic and fry for a could of minutes, before adding the mustard, sugar, prunes, the slice of bread broken up into pieces and a splash of vinegar. Stir to combine then pour in the beer, return the rabbit to the oven and add extra water to cover the joints.

Put a piece of damp greaseproof paper over the stew and then the lid. Allow the rabbit stew to bubble away for about 2 hours or until the rabbit falls away from the bone.

During cooking, keep checking the rabbit and add more water if necessary. When cooked, check the seasoning and stir in a handful of chopped parsley.

Served with a baked or mashed potato.

Enjoy!