I have noticed over the last few years that more and more people are eating rabbit. It is not hard for me to see why, Rabbit is a incredibly tender and delicate white meat that weighs in with less fat, cholesterol, and calories per ounce, but has more calcium and protein than chicken, turkey, beef, pork, lamb and even certain fish. Chefs and hobby cooks are using the culinary appeal of rabbit to reintroduce the rabbit to the American palate. Domestic rabbit has long been held in high regard for its nutritional value, today’s domesticated rabbit is considered far superior to any wild rabbit (they’re milder and plumper than their wild counterparts). Now its fine-grained, tender white meat is highly favored for its versatility, feed efficiency, sustainability and productivity.

I like young rabbit best when it is cooked slowly over the barbecue, while basted with a spicy marinade or blackberry jam or even pineapple juice there is so much more you can do! On the grill rabbit is best to slow cooking,(LOW and SLOW) anything in between can leave it tasting tough. Treat rabbit as you would when grilling a whole chicken of the same weight. It’s very lean and dries out easily so watch it carefully as it cooks. I like marinating it for at least three hours (preferably overnight in a marinade or even a brine) prior to setting it on the grill and then basting it occasionally during cooking. I have slow roasted on the grill covered in a thin layer of pancetta or bacon or you even truss a big piece of pork fat over it and the results have always been delicious. The extra fat surely contributed to the success of that dish. At the very least, consider wrapping the loin/middle cavity with bacon.

Since rabbit is lean and can dry out, brining would definitely make the rabbit more resistant to overcooking. Since rabbit has very little fat in the meat, it should be cooked over low heat or it will be tough. Many recipes call for boiling the meat prior to placing them on the grill. Brush with the marinade or chosen sauce and grill for 20 – 35 minutes, less if boiled prior, turning frequently until golden brown and tender or until the juices of the meat run clear when skewered. Pound for Pound rabbit is not only the best tasting meat around it is also the healthiest! Rabbit meat is lower in fat than even boneless and skinless chicken breast! You can use rabbit meat in any recipe that calls for chicken or any other meat recipe for a low fat alternative

Brines are salty solutions that help lean meats(like rabbit) hold their moisture so they stay juicy and tender during grilling. Sugar, spices, and herbs are sometimes added to the liquid as well. Soak rabbit in a container large enough to submerge the meat completely without allowing it to float in the solution. Store in the refrigerator. Before grilling, rinse brined meat to remove excess salt and dry it with paper towels. Brine works like a marinade, but seems to penetrate deeper into the meat. By preparing the brine the night before, the flavours of the spices have all night to stick to the salt, and the salt will carry these flavours deep into the meat

Rise And Shine Rabbitry’s Spicy Brine- The name says it all!
This is enough for a small to large fryer. I like to make the brine up a day or two before to let the brine mixture sit to get all the taste in the brine and then soak the rabbit for a day or overnight to infuse the taste in to the rabbit
INGREDIENTS-
4 cups hot water
1/2 cup sea salt
2 cinnamon sticks
1 Tablespoon black peppercorn crushed
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon ginger, ground
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 Teaspoons cloves
2 bay leaves dried
4 cups ice cold water

In a stainless steel saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to the boil, add the Sea salt and stir until dissolved, add all the ingredients other than the ice-cold water, Put the lid on the pan, and let cool down slowly, preferably overnight, so as to allow the flavour of the spices to fully penetrate the brine (watch the colour of the brine changing from light tan to dark brown), After cooled down completely, pour the brine into a large non-reactive pan or bowl, and add 4 cups of (ice)cold water; This spicy brine is now ready for use!

Blacked Beer-Brined Grilled Rabbit- This is awsome! even better with a good beer or my favorite glass of hard cider!
2 cups apple cider
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup kosher salt
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 cut up fryer rabbit
2 12-ounce bottles dark or amber beer
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

Combine the cider, sugar, salt, cinnamon, bay leaf, peppercorns, and cloves in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir just until sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from heat and let to cool to room temperature.
Lay the rabbit pieces, in a shallow glass or ceramic (not metal) baking dish. Stir the beer into the cider mixture, then pour over the rabbit. Cover and refrigerate the rabbit for 4 to 8 hours or even overnight. When ready to grill, heat a gas or charcoal grill to to high heat (about 450-degrees). Meanwhile, transfer the rabbit from the brine to a clean plate and let it rest, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes to take the chill off. Melt butter and stir in chili powder and cayenne. Brush half the chili butter over each of rabbit piece and lay on the grill. Cover and let cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. Flip the pirces, and brush with the remaining chili butter(you may have to make more to baste).
Cover and cook for another 10 minutes. Check the rabbit doneness, and if necessary, continue cooking in 5 minute increments until it has finished cooking. The rabbit is done when the interior reaches 165°F, its juices run clear.
Remember any poultry brine can be used with great success on rabbit! Experiment make up your own let me know how it was put it on the comment section!

Dry Rub for rabbit
A dry rub not only adds great flavor, but the dry rub also creates the perfect coating. it’s also important to know how to apply the dry rub Sprinkle dry rub on the meat. Apply an even coating; use a shaker to coat the rabbit without getting too much dry rub in one spot. Make sure to apply a coating of dry rub over the entire piece of meat. Press the dry rub into the meat. Pressing the dry rub onto the meat ensures that most of the dry rub clings to the meat. Some pit masters even massage the dry rub into the meat so that it further penetrates the meat as it cooks. Wrap the meat in plastic wrap. The plastic wrap serves two purposes. First, the plastic wrap ensures that the dry rub doesn’t fall off during the marinating process. Second, the plastic wrap helps keep your refrigerator sanitary. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on the counter top and place the meat in the center. Bring the two longest sides of the plastic wrap together and roll tightly. Carefully roll the ends of the plastic wrap so that the meat is tightly wrapped. Allow to marinate for 1 to 2 hours. Dry rubs work quicker than a wet marinade. In only an hour or so, your meat will be ready to hit the grill or smoker.

RISE AND SHINE’S RABBIT RUB-
1/2 cup paprika
3 tablespoons cayenne pepper
5 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons onion powder
6 tablespoons salt
2 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 1/2 tablespoons dried thyme
In a medium bowl, combine the paprika, cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, oregano, and thyme. Mix well, and store in a cool, dry place in an airtight container.

BBQ Rub For Rabbit
Ingredients:
1/4 C. paprika
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. white sugar
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
Instructions: Combine in a bowl or shake together in a jar. Apply liberally to rabbit pieces or whole rabbit

A marinade makes meat better by adding moisture, increasing tenderness and adding flavor. Have a problem with rabbit drying out on the grill? Try a good poultry marinade to not only help prevent meats from drying out, but to also protect the more delicate rabbit while also adding flavor. When marinating poultry makes sure to separate pieces to allow the marinade to reach as much of the meat as possible. marinate for at least 3 hours or better overnight

GRILLED BASIL MARINATED RABBIT
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped basil leaves, plus 4 sprigs for garnish
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 rabbit cut into pieces (about 2+ pounds)

Directions-
Whisk together the oil, vinegar, basil, onion, salt, peppercorns, and garlic in a bowl. Transfer the marinade to a gallon-sized sealable plastic bag with the rabbit and shake to combine. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours.
When ready to cook, build a charcoal fire or preheat gas grill.
Remove rabbit from the marinade. Grill the rabbit, turning once, until browned and cooked through

Honey Lime Grilled Rabbit Marinade
Ingredients-
1 rabbit cut into pieces
1/2 cup lime juice
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 Tbsp honey
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp black pepper
Directions:
Combine lime juice, oil, honey, thyme, rosemary, garlic and pepper. Pour it over rabbit pieces in a Ziploc bag. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours up to overnight. Grill until done and juices run clear.

Pineapple Marinade-
Ingredients-
1 cup crushed pineapple
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon powdered cloves
Mix all ingredients together and use immediately or store in airtight container for up to 7 days.

So grill a rabbit for Independence this holiday. Start raising your own food and medicine in a garden, Raise a sustainable meat supply like rabbits, get some of your own independence!