The Best Braised Rabbit with Polenta and Mushrooms
This Braised Rabbit with Polenta and Mushrooms is an easy and elegant dish, and one of my best rabbit recipes!A few friends supply me with quite a few wild rabbits they trap or shoot. I love cottontail rabbits because they are high in protein and very low in fat, making it an extremely healthy game meat. The flavor is similar to chicken. I also love hunting rabbits because they are available year-round. From stews to sandwiches, weeknight family meals to date night dinners. Rabbit dishes like this Braised Rabbit with Polenta & Mushrooms are always welcome on our table!HOW TO BRAISE RABBITWe’ve all heard the term “braise” before, but does it actually mean to prepare a braised rabbit? Braising is actually a combination of cooking techniques where you lightly fry your meat before letting it cook, or “stew” in some kind of liquid (I prefer chicken broth or beef broth depending on the type of game meat), in a covered dish until fully cooked. It’s a fairly simple cooking technique that requires only one pot and the result is an incredibly delicious game meat that is both crispy and succulent. Here are the steps on how to braise rabbit:1. The first part to braising rabbit involves lightly frying the seasoned rabbit pieces in batches-about 3 minutes on each side. The point is to brown them nicely and not fully cook them. Set the meat aside on a plate until needed. Cook the bacon in the pot, then toss the onion and garlic and rosemary into the pot, add the rabbit back and pour in the chicken broth, cover and place in a 325ºF for about 1 hour.Once you master this braising technique, you’ll be making braised rabbit and other braised game meats like this once a week. I guarantee it. WHAT IS POLENTA?If you're like me and did not grow up in an Italian family, you might be unfamiliar with an ingredient called polenta. I was introduced to polenta for the first time when I was 23 years old, living and working in Florida, and on a first date with a girl from New Jersey. I took her to an upscale Italian restaurant and saw polenta on the menu being served with braised short ribs. Polenta is a dish of cornmeal porridge that originated among farmers in Northern Italy. I took to it right away and fell in love with it – unlike the girl from New Jersey.Polenta is cornmeal made from ground flint corn. Typically, it’s coarsely-ground yellow corn, but sometimes you'll find it made with white corn. In addition to more traditional products labeled “polenta,” you can find quick-cooking polenta and pre-cooked varieties like the pre-made polenta sold in a tube that I use for this recipe. POLENTA VS. GRITSAlthough I now live in North Dakota, I was born in North Carolina and have an innate desire to wake up every morning and eat grits. Polenta is similar to grits, but they are different. Polenta is made from flint corn, while grits are made from dent corn. Flint corn contains less starch than dent corn, which is why cooked polenta is less creamy than cooked grits – and why polenta doesn’t need to be stirred as frequently as grits.IS POLENTA GLUTEN FREE?Polenta’s primary ingredient – cornmeal – is gluten-free, but if you have gluten sensitivities or celiac disease, be sure to check package labels to ensure that it is processed and packaged in a dedicated gluten-free facility.MORE OF MY BEST RABBIT RECIPESHere are some of the best rabbit recipes I have made for my wife and daughter that I think you will enjoy making for your family dinner. If you like Chicken Tortilla Soup, you will definitely love my Rabbit Tortilla Soup. And if you are fan of Indian food like we are, you will ABSOLUTELY LOVE my Crock Pot Cottontail Rabbit Korma. RABBIT HUNTING IN NORTH DAKOTARabbit hunting is a great way to introduce kids and novices to hunting, especially here in North Dakota. Rabbit season is open year-round, there are no bag limits, and North Dakota residents do not need a license. Your chances of harvesting a few rabbits can be pretty good anywhere in the state. There are lots of different rabbit habitats, but we like to target the edges of wheat and soybean fields. Just be sure and get the landowners permission before hunting!If you live outside North Dakota but would like to come for a rabbit hunt, you can visit the ND Game and Fish website to learn the regulations and how to obtain a license.CONNECT WITH ME AND JOIN OUR WILD GAME COOKING COMMUNITYIf you make this Braised Rabbit with Polenta and Mushrooms recipe, I’d love for you to join our community and connect with me so we can all see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #wildgameandfishDid you enjoy this Braised Rabbit with Polenta and Mushrooms Recipe? Be sure to leave a 5-star rating RIGHT HERE!
Ingredients
- 1 wild rabbit
- 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 slices of bacon, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 rosemary sprig, leaves picked and chopped
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 18 ounces San Genmaro Foods Polenta, pre-cooked and ready to serve. Cut into 8 slices
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- On a cutting board, cut the rabbit into 9 pieces with game shears. Cut the saddle (center portion) into 3 pieces. Cut the front portion (front legs) in half through the backbone. Chop each hind leg into 2 pieces.
- Season the meat with 1 teaspoon each of the salt and black pepper.
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven. When hot, add the rabbit, brown on both side for about 3 minutes each, then remove from the pot and set aside.
- Add the bacon and onion to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes until onions soft. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook another 2 minutes.
- Return the rabbit back into the pot. Add chicken broth and stir everything together. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and transfer it to the oven to cook at 325 degrees F for about 1 hour until rabbit is very tender.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the heat, then remove the rabbit pieces from the pot and transfer to a large platter or cutting board. Let the meat cool for about 10 minutes until safe to handle, then shred the meat using 2 forks. Be careful to remove and discard all the small bones.
- Transfer all of the liquid and remaining contents in the Dutch oven to a large bowl and save for a nice bowl of rabbit soup later in the week.
- Use paper towels to wipe out the Dutch oven and then return to the stovetop over medium high heat and add the mushrooms. Do not move the mushrooms until they have caramelized on the bottom. If you toss them too soon, they will release their liquid and begin to steam. When the bottoms are caramelized, toss them and continue to cook for about 3 minutes.
- Transfer two slices of polenta to each plate, season with salt and pepper, then top with cooked rabbit meat and mushrooms. Garnish each plate with 1 tablespoon each chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese and drizzle with olive oil. Serve immediately.
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