In honor of The Bend’s 10th Anniversary Issue, Farm to Table curators Justin and Kayla Butts reminisce over 10 years of shared recipes. Served with a white wine butter sauce and carrots and topped with thyme, this braised rabbit recipe packs in all the flavors. Even the pickiest of eaters will find joy in this comfort meal.
Braised Rabbit Recipe
Serves 4 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 tbsp butter, plus 4 more tbsp
- 1 whole farm-raised rabbit, broken down
- 1 lb carrots, peeled and quartered
- 1 lb parsnips, peeled and quartered
- 2 heads garlic, cut in half along the widths
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 bunch thyme
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Season rabbit with salt and pepper. Place a large cast-iron Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 4 tbsp butter and rabbit pieces. Brown on each side for about 7-9 minutes, until golden brown. Add in vegetables, thyme, salt and pepper.
Transfer to preheated oven. Braise rabbit every 10 minutes by brushing with the cooking juices that have accumulated at the bottom of the Dutch oven. Cook an additional 30-40 minutes, until vegetables and rabbit are tender. Remove from oven and transfer rabbit and vegetables to a clean plate.
Place the Dutch oven back on the stove over medium-low heat, and add remaining butter, stirring to free up any cooked bits that have stuck to the bottom. Once the garlic has slightly cooled, release the cloves from the bulb by squeezing gently with your fingers. They should come away from the skin very easily. Transfer the garlic cloves back into the cooking juices of the Dutch oven and mash them with the back of a wooden spoon. Once fragrant, add wine, 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, salt and freshly cracked pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until sauce has reduced.
Serve rabbit with vegetables and wine butter sauce, garnished with fresh thyme leaves.
