Hairy Bikers Slow Cooker Rabbit Stew Recipe

This Hairy Bikers Slow Cooker Rabbit Stew is a tender and flavorful recipe, which uses rabbit and dry cider. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready in about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes of oven time, plus simmering.

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Hairy Bikers Slow Cooker Rabbit Stew Ingredients

• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tsp dried thyme, or 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 15g/½oz butter
• 2-3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 large farmed rabbit or 2 young wild rabbits, jointed into 8 pieces
• 6 rashers rindless smoked streaky bacon, cut into 2cm/¾in squares
• 2 onions, chopped
• 500ml/17fl oz dry cider
• 300ml/10fl oz chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 350g/12oz chantenay carrots, peeled
• 150g/5oz frozen peas

How To Make Hairy Bikers Slow Cooker Rabbit Stew

1. Coat rabbit: Place the plain flour, thyme (dried or fresh), a good pinch of sea salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper in a large freezer bag. Add the rabbit portions to the bag, a few at a time, and shake well until they are evenly coated in the seasoned flour. Transfer the coated rabbit to a plate.
2. Brown rabbit and prepare for casserole: Melt the butter with one tablespoon of the sunflower oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Fry the rabbit pieces, a few at a time, until they are golden-brown all over. Transfer all the front and rear leg portions of the rabbit into a flameproof casserole dish. Transfer the saddle pieces to a separate plate, cover loosely, and set aside.
3. Cook bacon and onions: Preheat the oven to 170C/340F/Gas 3½. Add a little more oil to the frying pan and cook the bacon until the fat is browned and beginning to crisp. Add the cooked bacon to the casserole dish with the rabbit legs. Add a dash more oil to the frying pan and fry the chopped onions for 5-7 minutes, or until lightly browned and beginning to soften. Add the onions to the casserole dish, sprinkle with any flour remaining in the freezer bag, and stir until well combined.
4. Deglaze and add liquids: Pour half of the dry cider into the frying pan and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon to lift any sediment from the bottom. Simmer for a few seconds, then pour this mixture into the casserole dish. Add the rest of the cider and the chicken or vegetable stock to the casserole. Stir in the bay leaves.
5. First oven cook: Cover the casserole with a lid and cook in the center of the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
6. Add remaining rabbit and carrots, continue cooking: Remove the casserole from the oven. Add the reserved saddle pieces of rabbit and the peeled chantenay carrots to the casserole. Turn all the rabbit portions to ensure as much of the meat as possible is covered by liquid (it’s okay if not all meat is submerged). Return the covered casserole to the oven for a further 1-2 hours.
7. Check for tenderness: After one hour of the second oven cook, take the casserole out and check the rabbit. The meat should be starting to fall off the bone when it’s ready. Poke the leg portions and saddle pieces with a knife; if it doesn’t slide in easily, return the casserole to the oven. Check again for tenderness and turn the rabbit portions every 30 minutes or so until tender.
8. Thicken sauce and finish: When the rabbit is tender, skim off any fat that may have risen to the top of the casserole with a large spoon. Carefully transfer the casserole dish to the hob. Bring to a fast simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the liquid reduces to a slightly thickened, gravy-like consistency. Stir in the frozen peas and simmer for a further 3 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

• Jointing rabbit: If you’re jointing your own rabbit, aim for 8 even pieces to ensure consistent cooking. Butcher-jointed rabbit is also a great option.
• Browning is key: Don’t rush the browning step for the rabbit and bacon. A good sear adds significant depth of flavor to the stew.
• Adding saddle pieces later: Adding the more delicate saddle pieces later in the cooking process prevents them from overcooking and becoming dry, ensuring all rabbit meat is tender.
• Checking for tenderness: The true indicator of readiness for rabbit stew is tenderness – the meat should easily pull from the bone. Don’t rely solely on time, as rabbit sizes can vary.
• Skimming fat: Skimming the fat at the end ensures your gravy is rich and flavorful without being greasy.

What To Serve With Rabbit Stew

This classic rabbit stew is a hearty, standalone meal but can be enhanced with simple accompaniments.

• Creamy mashed potatoes
• Crusty bread for soaking up the sauce
• Steamed green beans or broccoli
• Roasted root vegetables

How To Store Rabbit Stew

Refrigerate: Store leftover rabbit stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Once completely cooled, rabbit stew can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently on the hob. The texture of the peas might soften slightly after freezing and thawing.

FAQs

• Can I use chicken instead of rabbit? Yes, you can substitute chicken pieces (e.g., bone-in thighs or a cut-up whole chicken) for rabbit. The cooking time will be shorter, likely around 1.5 hours in the oven until tender.
• Why use dry cider? Dry cider adds a lovely fruity and slightly tangy depth of flavor to the stew that complements the richness of the rabbit and bacon.
• My sauce isn’t thickening, what can I do? If your sauce isn’t thick enough after simmering, you can make a cornflour slurry (1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water) and stir it into the simmering stew, cooking for a few more minutes until thickened.
• Can I add other vegetables? Absolutely! Diced leeks, parsnips, or potatoes would also make excellent additions to this stew. Add root vegetables with the carrots.
• Is wild rabbit tougher than farmed? Wild rabbit can sometimes be leaner and have a stronger flavor, potentially requiring a slightly longer cooking time to achieve desired tenderness.

Try More Recipes:

• Hairy Bikers Slow Cooker Pork Goulash Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Slow Cooker Steak And Ale Pie Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Slow Cooker Steak And Kidney Pudding Recipe