bunny Preperation

[BRYAN3 29]

Hi all just thought i would post a few basic tips for those people who love bunnies but arn't too confident in prepping the carcass this is the easiest way i find to do it and probably the quickest cheers jon.

 

p.s let me know what you all think!

 

I assume that you have your deceased bunny ungutted (I always keep them that way after bumping them off as gutting them on the field makes it too interesting for my dogs....)

Also make sure you squeeze the piss out of them by simply holding them upright and pressing the belly, pushing down to the hips with your thumbs-they tend not to taste too nice if you leave them full of urine.

Its also a good way of making sure they really are dead before you leg them and put them on your belt as if there's no piss the poor blighter's muscles haven't relaxed so he's probably still alive-so whack him over the bean!

Check for sheep ticks!-don't get bitten-nasty!

 

Hold the rabbit upside down and feel along the centre of the ribs for the loose fur/skin -pull this up away from the centre by pinching it with your finger/thumb.

The loose flap of skin can then be pulled up and slit with a good sharp knife, keep pulling the fur up and cut around each side of the belly so that it looks like you have two halves of rabbit fur-avoid puncturing the stomach/cutting into the meat otherwise you'll make a mess.

Put your knife down and put a hand in the gap between the fur and meat and tear the rabbit fur apart from side to side-pull it as far as you can down the back legs and like a pullover over the head.

You should then be able to cut off the head and front socks off the front legs, and at the back end, usually it pulls over the tail and is a struggle down the back legs.

Check for shot and bruising.

Normally I'm left with the body bare except for the tail and the lower half of the fur around the legs-cut these off and you should now have a skinned bunny.So far we have bkept ouyr hands nice and dry and clean hopefully.

Hold the rabbit over a carrier bag or similar to catch the guts, and slit open the belly from the end of the ribcage centre to just above the genitals and then simply drop the guts into the receptacle. You should check the liver for spots or any "unusual signs"-but normally there should be some nice yellow /white fat.

Push your finger through the anus from inside cleaning out the bits and remove the genitals, but after cleaning out the lungs and neck-the neck can be pushed out,

Wash thoroughtly in clean running water the carcass-check for any bits of adhering stomach parts etc cut carcass in half to fit your roasting dish or whatever and voila one rabbit for tea.

I normally soak mine overnight in salt water as it removes most bruising.

Cook as to your preference but i like mine slow roasted.

come on guys give it a go !

 

Hi folks.

My input for what its worth.

Pinch skin on back about 1/3 distance down from head and cut a slit 2 inches long across backbone. Using two fingers of each hand seperate and peel each skin back ie jacket upwards and trousers downwards so that its left with gloves, socks, head and tail bone. Slightly nick tail base with sharp knife each side and tug tail to remove. Sharp knife removes head. Poultry shears are good for the feet. Turn bunnie boy onto his back and with knife cut through H bone. This divides back legs and allowes easy removal of crap pipe and glands. YOU MUST remove the gaul bladder(i think its called) a little sack in the liver as it taints the meat and makes it bitter.

All the best-Bryan.

[cbw 4]

Thanks Guys,

 

Did my first rabbits last night, I cannot bring myself to eat something I have personally killed and gutted, it was allways the same with trout and bass!

 

Anyhow my collegues at work are most gratefull and want more of my pest controlled rabbits, they also want my pigeon breasts, is it as simple as they say?

 

Could you post tips on pigeon breast removal also?

 

THANKS, James

[victor 10]

i know there is heaps of ways to do it, but when i get home, i cut it's head off, take the knife and cut down it's back to it's tail.

then hold meat in one hand and pull the fur downwards, the fur comes off and all you have to do is lop off the feet,

Edited July 9, 2008 by victor

[Muntjac Man 0]

Thanks Guys,

 

Did my first rabbits last night, I cannot bring myself to eat something I have personally killed and gutted, it was allways the same with trout and bass!

 

Anyhow my collegues at work are most gratefull and want more of my pest controlled rabbits, they also want my pigeon breasts, is it as simple as they say?

 

Could you post tips on pigeon breast removal also?

 

THANKS, James

 

For pigeon breasts, all I do is remove the feathers from the breasts and immediately surrounding areas. Then with a very sharp knife, cut just one side of the breastbone with the point of the knife following along the length of the breastbone. Then follow down all around the bone to the bottom of the breast, with the knife point always against the bones, gently holding the meat away from the bones as the knife cuts and teases the meat away, until you have removed the entire breast complete with skin for that side. Repeat with other side. Remove skin if you feel so inclined or leave on as you (or your colleagues!) prefer.

 

With practice, takes only a couple of minutes per pigeon.

 

Other people I know remove the two breasts together complete with breastbones, by simply removing the feathers, making an incision at the top end of the breastbone, getting your fingers underneath the breastbone and pulling it away from the rest of the carcass, then cutting around the periphery with a sharp knife until the whole thing comes away.

 

Leave to cool before bagging and freezing.

 

Rgds

 

MM

Edited July 9, 2008 by Muntjac Man

[cbw 4]

Thankyou MM,

 

First two done today!

 

CBW