Buttermilk Fried Rabbit Recipe
Agnieszka Spieszny 12.12.11
To support the release of her unique book that is part cook book, part novel, Georgia Pellegrini is sharing some of her recipes from her book, Girl Hunter: Revolutionizing the Way We Eat, One Hunt at a Time.
Whether in the back of an ATV chasing wild hogs along the banks of the Mississippi or on a dove hunt with beer and barbeque in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, Georgia travels in search of her main course. More than a food-laden hunting narrative, Girl Hunter also teaches you how to be a self-sufficient eater. Each chapter offers recipes for dishes like wild turkey and oyster stew, stuffed quail, pheasant tagine, and venison sausage. Each dish, like each story, is an adventure from beginning to end.
The book comes out December 13th, 2011 through the publisher Da Capo Lifelong Books.
Buttermilk Fried Rabbit
- 1 young cottontail rabbit, cut into serving pieces
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 medium-size onion, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, diced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon, or 1 teaspoon each of your three favorite dried herbs
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon cayenne
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- salt and pepper
- 2 to 3 cups grape seed or vegetable oil
Directions
- Soak the rabbit overnight in the buttermilk, along with the onion, garlic, herbs, paprika, and 1 teaspoon of cayenne.
- Drain in a colander, leaving some herbs on the rabbit, In a large resealable plastic bag or in a large bowl, mix the flour with the garlic and onion powder and remaining 2 teaspoons of cayenne, as well as a pinch of salt and pepper. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until a pinch of flour starts to sizzle when dropped in the hot oil, but not so hot as for the oil to be smoking.
- Place the rabbit pieces in the bag with the flour mixture and shake until thoroughly coated. Do this in small batches, dredging just enough rabbit to fit in the pan at one time.
- Add the rabbit to the skillet and fry on one side for about 10 minutes, until golden brown, then use tongs to turn the pieces over and fry for another 10 minutes, again until golden brown. Be careful to keep the oil hot enough to fry the rabbit, but not so that it burns.
- Remove the rabbit from the skillet and place it on a wire rack over paper towels. Season immediately with salt and pepper to taste, to help preserve the crispiness for the table. This is good served immediately or also good cold for lunch the next day.
Serves 4
Also try: chicken, turkey, squirrel, dove, upland game birds, or any other young game meat.
From the book Girl Hunter by Georgia Pellegrini. Excerpted by arrangement with Da Capo Lifelong, a member of the Perseus Books Group. Copyright (c) 2011. www.dacapopresscookbooks.com
More recipes: Wild Turkey Schnitzel, Whiskey-Glazed Turkey Breast, Moroccan Elk Stew.
