Whats for lunch...?

[Stix]

So i did a sweet-n-sour battered bunny from scratch...

I had a decent few bunnies this trip so i jointed them up & bagged the ribs for the farmers dogs.

Before i freeze em this time however, knowing i wanted to do this dish & have tender bunny meat (now dont laugh-each to his own) i cut through the outer muscle flap & take out the back strap (if you can call it that-not much there obviously).

Take off outer muscle flap from rib cage

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Remove the strap...

Takin out back strap

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Actually doesnt take that long once you get the hang of it...& i think i did it to about 15 bunnies & get a good decent amount of very tender meat for what i wanted.

So prepped all the ingredients...

Dicing the meat & ready to go...

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So i tested the oil in the wok for being hot enuf & had a little taste...
Was pretty melt in the mouth tender--as tender as the most tender chicken ive ever had...

A taste test...

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Ok here we go...its all in & all on the stove so i can serve it all hot..
Battered bunny frying, sweet-n-sour sauce bubbling away while giving the vegies a softening flick with a fine sliced clove of garlic in a hot pan...

Its all happening & smelling unbelievable...!!

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Couldnt wait to plate it...i just had to dip n taste...10 bloody pieces man--it was beautiful...!!

Quick dip for a taste while plating.

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I was in such a bloody hurry to get this into me...

Forgotten something...?

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I forgot the bloody pineapple...

Sweet-n-sour battered bunny...Yummo...!!!

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Was good tucker...even better to make something different with bunny...
Highly reccommend all you bunny eaters try sweet-n-sour bunny from scratch...

[JimTom]

Looks a treat mate. Well done.

[Stix]

:thumbsup: Looks a treat mate. Well done.

Thanks JimTom.. .was good eating...!

[Gaznazdiak]

Great stuff Stix.

Doesn't the original recipe call for cat meat?


Seriously though, you've given me the munchies, well done.

[Stix]

Thanks Gaz...

There was a few Cats getting around up there too...but they live to see more days...unfortunately the farmer wants them left alone...
Im not sure he really understsnds how destructive they are...

[Stix]

If its of interest to anyone...

I tried the sweet-n-sour recipe again tonight...

I used RAW suger instead if brown suger, & aslo crumbed the portions & used fresh parsley out the garden through the crumb mix instead of batter.

Much much better...!!!

I think the crumbs suited the rabbit meat better (sweeter).
I wasnt a fan of the flavour of the brown sugar.(that makes the sweet sauce)

[Blutius Maximus]

You should think about putting the recipe up in case someone else wants to try and make it (or a link if it's on out there with rabbit as substitute).

Same for your butter chicken rabbit.

[JimTom]

Seems you’re a bit of an iron chef there Stix.

[ClaytonT88]

Looks good Stix. We love a nice sweet and sour. I'll have to try it with rabbit one day!

[Blutius Maximus]

Was it too much of a PITA to batter and deep fry so you tried crumb?
It's okay if you're doing it for 4 or 6 people as it kind of makes it worthwhile, putting the extra effort in.

I know I've got a chicken mango recipe from way back that makes my mouth water just thinking about it, but the prep, batter, deep fry puts me off making it more often.

[Stix]

No irron chef her thats for sure...!!!

This is the link to the butter chicken recipe...
://annagarescabfare.com/#/dhruvs-butter-chicken/
I didnt make the GARAM MASALA as in this recipe...i just bought that as a made up spice.

I also couldnt find the "kasmiri chilli powder" so i tried a substitute listed on google using (from memory) 2/3rds paprika 1/3rd cayenne pepper...that was still too strong so my suggestion if you try it is use less cayenne pepper.

Best results i got with the rabbit was to leave it in meat bag (cotton bag/pillow case) in the fridge to slightly dry out & age for a good few days...dont be scared to let the rabbit go dry in the fridge...
Then boned it out & cut it up into small peices..

Also marinated it in the tikka for 24hrs, not 4 hrs...cooked as per recipe (uncovered)--just check for cooked by cutting bigger peice in half to see its cooked through..
It was amazing tender & to my surprise not dry at all...
Rabbit meat not dry aged in fridge let too much moistue go & ended up somewhat "stewing" in the oven-even uncovered-& took longer to cook, which seemed to tuffen up & dry out the meat more... just my observation...

This is the recipe for the sweet sauce. ..but as usual there'sheaps of variations on the net.

Sweet sauce

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I used 1 cup raw sugar & less soy...oh & just plain tomato sauce in place of ketchup.
Even forgot the soy in one batch & it was still good...!!
Its easy as to make...
Sometimes ive used rice flour (as a gluten free option) to thicken other dishes but havnt tried it with sugar.
I just stirfried capsicum & red onion in oil with fresh garlic....i guess you could use any vegies i guess, carrot & peas would be good in it.
Vegies served on rice with rabbit on that then drizzle sauce over...

[Stix]

Was it too much of a PITA to batter and deep fry so you tried crumb?
It's okay if you're doing it for 4 or 6 people as it kind of makes it worthwhile, putting the extra effort in.

I know I've got a chicken mango recipe from way back that makes my mouth water just thinking about it, but the prep, batter, deep fry puts me off making it more often.

Yes mate a big PITA to batter so many little bits...although thats not why i crumbed...
Generally speaking i prefer crumbed anything to battered...i always order crumbed (say fish) as opposed to battered if in a pub...

I find fried crumbs sweeter, & the batter i made, although spectacular & crunchy, was bitter & not only over powered the delicate rabbit, but its bitterness even powered through the sweet sauce...
I dont like clag in my guts either, & thats how batter feels to me.
But dont get me wrong, people who like lite battered meat & have a sweet tooth would still like it.

The crumbs were much easier to cook as can prepare them--(shake bits in a bag then press firm) & drop handfuls in at once...instead of eacb bit at once...

If i liked batter id put up with the PITA to cook, thankfully im not a fan.

Overall, i wanted to try both anyway & glad i did...
Crumbs for me anyday...flavour & ease of prep & cook...

[Blutius Maximus]

I also couldnt find the "kasmiri chilli powder" so i tried a substitute listed on google using (from memory) 2/3rds paprika 1/3rd cayenne pepper...that was still too strong so my suggestion if you try it is use less cayenne pepper.

You can never have too much chilli
I grow Carolina Reapers, but I seem to be the only one who enjoys them.

Cayenne can be pretty spicy for some. They could sub for some Sweet Hungarian Paprika.

Also marinated it in the tikka for 24hrs

sigh. Another Tikka fanboy


( A better link https://annagarescabfare.com/dhruvs-butter-chicken/ )
hope you don't mind. yours wasn't quite right.

[Stix]

Looks good Stix. We love a nice sweet and sour. I'll have to try it with rabbit one day!

When i was a teenager, the wife of one of my old mans shoot'n mates cooked it up for us all (sweet-n-sour bunny) one day when we stayed for a few days on a big shootin n yabby trip.

She made the sauce from scratch & used fresh veggies out the garden.

Rabbits were as good as in plague...i remember to keep me happy one afternoon they took me out for a drive to pop some bunnies & i remember counting about 25 rabbits in the shade of a log that was about 2.5 metres long...
Ah the good ol days...

So with bunnies so plenyful we shot a heap & dads mate cut out the back straps for the dish & portioned out the remains between dog food & the bin...!!

I remember the dish being very yummy & i finally got around to trying it decades later...!!

Try it for sure...!!
If you're worried about it being tuff, just cut out the backstrap...(doesnt take long) you wont be disapointed...

[Stix]

So...thought id try mincing up some bunny & make some patties...
Old fashioned way cos i cant afford a mincer atm...

Old school engineering in fine form...!!

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I just boned out 2 bunnies from 'below' the ribs (they were wind mis-calculatiins (bad guesses ) with the 204 & 22-250).
But that surprisingly still gave just a smidge under 850 grams of meat.

I diced up some pork fat & ran that through the hand churner with the meat.

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I just added a handful of fresh parsley & a sprig of rosemary (very finely chopped), a couple of cracks of sea salt & black pepper, a caramelised fine chopped red onion, a small handful of bread crumbs & a decent sprinkle of dried chillie flakes.
Half the mixture made 4 decent sized patties.

Half the mixture

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Here we go...

So far so good.

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Turned out just dandy...!!
Simple but tasted great...!!!

Bunny burgers..!!

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[JimTom]

Doesn’t look like there would be to much wrong with those mate. Good job eh.

[Stix]

Doesn’t look like there would be to much wrong with those mate. Good job eh.

Cheers JT...
Tbh i didnt hold out much hope for bunny flavour mince being much good, especially not being a fan of flavourless shyte shop bought chicken or pork mince.

Yet while they were flavoursome, nothing was over powering, & the bunny flavour wasnt noticable like i thought....i must have fluked a good balance with guessing the pork fat content & rosemary...
Was pretty pleasant to eat...& being home made, they werent pumped with moisture & crap to bulk up the weight, & so didnt shrink or leech out moisture like bought mince does...

Id ssy give it a crsck for sure if you got access to bunnies...doesnt take long to bone em out once you've done a few...

[Bent Arrow]

They look good mate. I've been making a heap of burgers lately as the freezer runs down. Desperately need to get away for a couple of days to fill it back up. Might have to try some rabbit burgers. Roughly what proportion of pork fat to rabiit did you use??

[Stix]

I used around 15%...maybe a tad under...
Think i read that ages ago on here about making sausages... (a vague recollection from one of marksmsns posts... )

15% seemed to work pretty well, definately doesnt wsnt or need any more fat...
Next time ill try 10% & see how they cook & taste.

[Stix]

Anyone got a good recipe for the gravy in a meat pie...other than a spoon of gravox...?

[bigpete]

Maggi is better....

[Stix]

Not that kind of gravy Pete...
But now you mention it, is that her name...?
Has she got a sister...you know...for poor ol' Stixy...



Ah wait up...now i get ya...

So you make your own pies...?
If so...Which flavour Maggi you use...?
Wana share a recipe...? (No i dont mean that... im being serious now...!)

[bigpete]

I just buy the bulk maggi from the local butcher. Best gravy there is and I tastes like what's in pies to me....
No,maggi is not her name lol

[marksman]

its good stuff Stix its what my better half always uses

www.maggi.com.au/products/sauces/brown-onion-gravy

[Stix]

Ok thanks guys...
If Pete likes it & your missus feeds it to you marksman...im in...!!

Im keen to try any recipies anyone has for their home made meat pies too...!

Every few years i go through a mad meat pie demolision--(i should buy shares in a tomato sauce factory as im sure their profit goes up when i get the taste of pies)...& im entering another phase now...

Now all i need is to get out & gets me some meat...!!

[marksman]

Stix this is a thing I have recently tried for the snags and mince, I give it a 10 out of 10
helps make great burgers and snags
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/875gms-Chori ... 1438.l2649

there are other flavours as well

[Member-Deleted]

Good one marksman we've got a shop up here called butcher supplies and you can buy all types of stuff like that anything a butcher needs saws ,mincers, containers of all sizes anything there's a sausage mix called savory sausage mix its a little bit Italian in taste i'm thinking it would go good with deer meat as the Italians use it in dry sausages meaning sausages with little or no fat just a thought for you might get you interested I make maltese sausages I use shoulder pork parsley salt (very little)garlic
20% pork shoulder fat cracked pepper for every 8kg 1 cup of claret mince pork course mix all together and let sit in fridge for 48 hrs then put into skins I use natural skins you can get sheep belly skins or pig belly skins the maltese families drive me mad when I kill pigs for eating and I usually kill 5-6 more for them anyway I better not babble on too much

[Stix]

Stix this is a thing I have recently tried for the snags and mince, I give it a 10 out of 10
helps make great burgers and snags
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/875gms-Chori ... 1438.l2649

there are other flavours as well

And you advertise this now you've bought them out of stock...


I got hold of some similar type glaze's/marinade's recently...they were very cheap as getting close to best by date.

I was really hoping they would work well with rabbit but they didnt unfortunately...
They did go well with chicken though.

Ive got a very similar one in the cupboard i havnt tried yet, so if its no good ill give that one a crack.

Thanks Marksman.

[marksman]

Good one marksman we've got a shop up here called butcher supplies and you can buy all types of stuff like that anything a butcher needs saws ,mincers, containers of all sizes anything there's a sausage mix called savory sausage mix its a little bit Italian in taste i'm thinking it would go good with deer meat as the Italians use it in dry sausages meaning sausages with little or no fat just a thought for you might get you interested I make maltese sausages I use shoulder pork parsley salt (very little)garlic
20% pork shoulder fat cracked pepper for every 8kg 1 cup of claret mince pork course mix all together and let sit in fridge for 48 hrs then put into skins I use natural skins you can get sheep belly skins or pig belly skins the maltese families drive me mad when I kill pigs for eating and I usually kill 5-6 more for them anyway I better not babble on too much

I agree 100%
I used this chorizo sausage mix with 10 kg of venison and 2 kg of pork fat using pig natural skins, I sat the mixture over night
they are a tad dry but the better half makes a bit of maggi gravy with it

the son and I had a couple of burgers out of the bit that was left in the bottom of the stuffer that went down really well
I would have a crack at this gear in pies Stix but I'm off bread and pastry at the moment

[Stix]

I used this chorizo sausage mix with 10 kg of venison and 2 kg of pork fat using pig natural skins, I sat the mixture over night
they are a tad dry but the better half makes a bit of maggi gravy with it

the son and I had a couple of burgers out of the bit that was left in the bottom of the stuffer that went down really well
I would have a crack at this gear in pies Stix but I'm off bread and pastry at the moment

I tried to do the same last year marksman, but i failed miserably...mostly because of the ease of bread being a simple hole filler, & there is also what is i guess being 'addicted'...or maybe accustomed to bread being used to mop up everything on a plate & leaving you with that 'full' feeling in the belly...

Im seriously up for any ideas you have/use to substitute the dreaded ol' 'processed wheat' habit...