Marion’s Hasenpfeffer (Rabbit) Breezy Hill Shooting Preserve

Marion’s Hasenpfeffer
(or what Elmer Fudd did when he got the wabbit)

1 good-sized rabbit cut in frying pieces
Requires 48 hours in marinade (and about 2¼ hours cooking time)

Marinade Ingredients:

½-¾ cups vinegar
(I use ½ cup for a more mellow flavor; ¾ gives a sharper flavor)

1 12 oz bottle or can of Budweiser beer (I’ve never tried any other)

1 medium onion thinly sliced

1 tablespoon pickling spices

8 cloves

2 teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons sugar

Mix all ingredients together and place in a container for marinating in refrigerator. (The tall, round 10-cup Rubbermaid serve in saver container will be about the right size). Turn the rabbit pieces at least 2-3 times each day during the 48 hours.

Remove rabbit from marinade (keep marinade) and drain, then roll in flour or shake in plastic bag with flour to coat each piece well.

Remove all the onion pieces from the marinade. Strain out and throw away the spices. Save to add later.

Use very large skillet, preferably non-stick to prepare the rest:

½-¾ cups thinly sliced mushrooms (I use crimini), sautéed in butter

Remove from skillet to add later to cooking rabbit

2 tablespoons thinly sliced bits of bacon browned for fat

Remove bacon bits from skillet to add back later

Add butter to make 1/8 cup of fat for browning rabbit. When well browned all over, add all the strained marinade liquid and simmer for 1 hour covered. Turn the rabbit pieces and scrape the bottom of the pan occasionally, then add the sliced onion, sautéed mushrooms and bacon, plus the following and simmer another hour.

2 good-sized carrots, thinly sliced

1/8 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves, crushed

1/8 teaspoon garlic minced very fine or crushed and minced

4 small Bay leaves

dash of pepper

Rabbit should be very tender. If sauce seems thick enough (about like a cream gravy) just add ½ cup red wine (like Zinfandel) and 1 cup thick cream and cook about 15 minutes little longer stirring between rabbit pieces to mix well. If sauce seems thin, cook equal parts melted butter and flour (probably no more than 1 or 2 tablespoons each would be needed) in small saucepan until bubbly and add the wine and cream to this mixture before adding to the rabbit. (I have never had to thicken the sauce)

Serve over rice (a wild and brown rice mix is best-check the health food area of the grocery store for Lundberg Wild Blend) or noodles. The rice should be started about the time the vegetables were added to the rabbit if using wild and brown rice mixture as it usually takes about 45 minutes for it to cook.

- D & M Bunl