Thread: Aging Rabbit

Does anyone bother to do it? I've always just gone straight from processing to either the pot or the freezer. Young ones into the fryer, older ones into the stewpot.

Is there any benefit in hanging them like I do with venison?

Yes, back in the day, all game was hung, though in England, it would have been hung in the cold. 2~3 days will improve the taste and tenderness.

Yep hang it up for a night then cut off what you want to eat and put it covered in the fridge for a few days/week before cooking. Tender as. Even the mrs enjoyed it

Ive eaten Hare a few times and always hung them for a couple of days.

Tip for hares, head shots only as if they flop around too long, they fill up with adrenaline and it ruins the meat

I believe the old tradition was to hang hares, not rabbits. If you Google it, you will find few references to hanging rabbits.

I shoot and cook hare and rabbit regularly..I don't hang them which is not to say that is not worthwhile. Just don't have good facilities or cold enough climate. Instead I cool the field dressed carcass overnight on ice or in fridge then section it and place in a big bowl, cover with cold water and 3-4 dessert spoons of table salt stirred in. Leave in fridge for 2-3 days then cook as you will. I make mine into a kind if pie filling usually so tenderness not a big issue. Fkavour is excellent.

Originally Posted by MB

I believe the old tradition was to hang hares, not rabbits. If you Google it, you will find few references to hanging rabbits.

Yeah that's why I asked, I've never bothered hanging rabbits before

Originally Posted by Jhon

I shoot and cook hare and rabbit regularly..I don't hang them which is not to say that is not worthwhile. Just don't have good facilities or cold enough climate. Instead I cool the field dressed carcass overnight on ice or in fridge then section it and place in a big bowl, cover with cold water and 3-4 dessert spoons of table salt stirred in. Leave in fridge for 2-3 days then cook as you will. I make mine into a kind if pie filling usually so tenderness not a big issue. Fkavour is excellent.

Yeah I soak them overnight in either salt water or milk too

we brine our fish to smoke in a similar mix to the salt version so im picking it just draws out the blood like it does in fish

I usually don't age my rabbit, but it does seem to benefit a lot from a good brine.

Originally Posted by MB

I believe the old tradition was to hang hares, not rabbits. If you Google it, you will find few references to hanging rabbits.

Originally Posted by Ronin007

Yeah that's why I asked, I've never bothered hanging rabbits before

And the old ways were to leave the guts in to give the meat more flavour as well as tenderise it. How tastes have changed. Even the guts on a freshly shot hare want to make me vomit.

I made the mistake of leaving the guts in a rabbit for just a few hours after shooting and while butchering it smelt like putrid sewage mixed with a cocktail of unknown chemicals, and the smell got into the flesh. Never again. Absolutely disgusting.

Originally Posted by JessicaChen

I made the mistake of leaving the guts in a rabbit for just a few hours after shooting and while butchering it smelt like putrid sewage mixed with a cocktail of unknown chemicals, and the smell got into the flesh. Never again. Absolutely disgusting.

Hares are about 10 times worse than that

Do everything as fast as possible as fresh kills a lot easier to skin.

You mean like this…

and here was I thinking there would be photo of crusty old slapper with penthouse bunny ears and fluffy tail on (and little else!!!) giving out easter eggs..
never aged rabbit or hare,other than when cant be stuffed processing on day of shooting so have done next morning.
head shooting hares...yeah nah.chest /shoulder with centrefire works just as good. back steaks n back wheels are where meat is so dont loose much.... lately I take back steaks for me and back wheels for dog...the hawks can have the rest.

I regularly go rabbiting at the parents place, gotten pretty lazy these days.
mostly I go for shoulder/chest the just take the back legs and "back steaks" since that's where a lot of the meat is. don't usually bother aging them, but I'll brine hare.

most key thing is to get them processed asap, especially if you clip the guts, dunno what it is, I'll deal with cow guts, pig shit doesn't worry me a bit but the stink from rabbits churns my guts, and when it gets into the meat I have to throw it out, just can't deal with it and nothing gets rid of it