This recipe for Hasenpfeffer German Wine Braised Rabbit does take 2 days to marinate, but it is so worth it. Tender low-fat rabbit in a delicious wine sauce? Yes, please
The making of Hasenpfeffer - German Wine Braised Rabbit
How long until it's ready?
Two to three days. That's how long until it's ready!
Hasenpfeffer is a German Wine Braised Rabbit that has been marinated for a couple of days in a tasty onion and garlic infused wine marinade and is so so tender and fall off the bone good that you will want to make it. Often.
Rabbit is a low-fat, high-protein, easily digestible protein that has fallen out of favor as a food source since its heyday. I don't know, maybe Thumper or Bugs Bunny had something to do with it, but rabbit is still a great meat; and with their reputation as good breeders, they certainly can keep meat on the table! No, I don't raise them, and I don't kill them. I get mine frozen or order it fresh from my butcher, but you could go hunting if you choose to.
"There are probably as many family recipes for Hasenpfeffer as there are for Paella"
Rabbit or Hare?
Rabbits are different then hares (the true translation of the word Hasen) in that they are born bald and sightless while hares are born with hair and fully sighted. Hares are also gamier in flavor; so I prefer rabbit as its meat is very mild and white. You could use rabbit in any dish that you would use chicken in, although I don't think they taste the same.
I mean, why does everything that's not beef, or pork always have to taste like chicken?
Maybe it just tastes like rabbit!
I think rabbit to hare in flavor is like lamb to mutton.
And while I love lamb, I don't like mutton.
There are probably as many family recipes for Hasenpfeffer as there are for Paella. Each family does it a little differently. My recipe comes from my great-grandfather who was a chef in Germany. Not entirely "traditional" as my Hasenpfeffer recipe uses no vinegar in the marinade, only white wine.
Why?
Because I like it that way.
My Oma made it that way, my mother made it that way, and I make it that way.
How to make Hasenpfeffer - The VIDEO!
Rabbit - Farmed or Wild?
When I lived in Germany with my grandmother (Oma) for a while one year, she made Hasenpfeffer for me. Her rabbit was a wild rabbit, so it had dark meat, not white like my farmed domestic rabbit is. As a result instead of white wine, she used red - but everything else is done the same as my family (Aunt Cristine aside) has done for years.
I suggest, if you are going to hunt your rabbit yourself, you should probably use red wine for the white as well.
In my video, I called this a "German Wine Braised Rabbit Stew". A couple of people commented that they watched the whole video but I had failed to produce a "stew". In cooking, stewing is sometimes the word we use for a slow-braize.
So full disclosure, there are no vegetables in this "stew" just some great tender rabbit with a tasty tasty gravy
Hasenpfeffer
Bugs really doesn't mind if you eat some rabbit, so give this dish a try. If you can't or don't want to use rabbit, make it with chicken. Just be sure to remove the skin from the chicken so you don't have flabby skin to deal with.
I hate flabby skin.
I served this with Mustard-Thyme Spaetzle and Steamed Fresh Green Beans.
Hasenpfeffer (German-Style Wine Braised Rabbit)
Ingredients
- 1 whole domestic rabbit cut into portions (have your butcher do this if you want)
- 2 ½ cups chopped onion about 2 medium
- 12 cloves garlic sliced
- 2 bay leaves torn if fresh or crumbled if dried
- 10 - 12 whole peppercorns
- 6 - 8 whole cloves
- 1 750 ml bottle dry white wine a Fume Blanc works well here
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 - 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 - 1 ½ cups chicken stock
Instructions
- Prepare the MarinadeI; n a deep bowl combine the onion, garlic, bay leaves, cloves, and wine. Add the rabbit pieces making sure they are submerged. Cover with plastic wrap, placing a plate on top to keep the rabbit submerged. Refrigerate for at least one full day, two is better.
- Heat the oven to 325°F. Prepare the Hasenpfeffer: Remove the rabbit from the refrigerator and remove the rabbit pieces, scraping off any onion or garlic that is clinging to it. Pat the rabbit dry with paper towels (wet meat doesn't brown). Strain the solids from the wine by pouring through a sieve; saving the marinade and onions separately.
- In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil and butter together until the butter has melted and become frothy. Salt and pepper the rabbit then add to the pot, in batches as necessary. Brown well. (Browning is important. Do not rush this step). Once all the rabbit is browned, lower the heat then add the solids from the marinade (onions and garlic). Cook, stirring frequently until the onions are soft. Stir in the flour and sauté for about 2 - 3 minutes.
- Stir in 1 cup of the marinade and cook until beginning to thicken. Add the rabbit, plus any accumulated juices to the pan, along with about 1 cup of chicken stock. Add marinade and chicken stock in equal portions to cover the rabbit. Cover the pot and place in the oven. Ignore for 1 ½ hours.
- After 1 ½ hours, remove the pot from the oven. Remove the rabbit from the pot. Put the rabbit on a platter and keep warm.
- Strain the sauce to remove all the solids. Bring the sauce to a simmer. If it is not thick enough, make a slurry of 2 teaspoons cornstarch to 1 tablespoon chicken stock. Stir and cook until thickened. Serve rabbit with gravy spooned over.
Lola says
I made this for Easter and it was divine! I really appreciate your explanation of using white wine instead of red. There were a lot of recipes I found that used red wine and I'm glad I used this one. The only changes I made was to also use juniper berries in the marinade as I saw that was used in other recipes and I had them on hand though I doubt it did much to alter the marinade. I also shredded the rabbit and added it back to the stew as I have a relative that won't eat off of the bone. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Linda Baker says
Lola, I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe. And yes, Junioer berries are generally in Hassen but I don't like the flavor so I always omit them as my mother did. Eating off the bone is one of the best things...but I understand some peoples reluctance to do so. Cheers in Good Cookin ~ Lindy
Chuck says
I made this from my own raised rabbits and I am anxious to try it on wild harvested rabbits. Any recommended variation when cooking this with game? I also found the inexpensive Sauvignon in the grocery store worked well for the marinade. Thanks!
Linda Baker says
For wild harvested rabbit:
With the difference between a domestic and wild rabbityou need to consider the following.- Aging: Wild rabbit benefits from aging for 1-3 days in a refrigerator to tenderize the meat and develop flavor.
Marinading time: Wild rabbit requires a longer marinade (24-48 hours) in the vinegar-wine mixture to help tenderize the tougher meat.
Cooking time: Wild rabbit needs to be cooked longer and at lower temperatures (slow and low) - often 30-45 minutes more than domestic rabbit.
Fat content: Wild rabbits have significantly less fat, so you'll need to add fat (like bacon or additional butter) to prevent dryness.
Flavor intensity: Wild rabbits have a stronger, gamier flavor that might require more robust seasonings. Cheers and let me know how it turns out! ~ Lindy
Debbie says
I only have rabbit breasts, would this recipe still work? And would I cook it less time.
Linda Baker says
Do you mean the saddle? The loin area or the upper chest meat,is lean and tender. Most often, rabbit is butchered into saddles (back and loins), legs, and shoulders, with the loin being the closest equivalent to a "breast" in terms of tenderness and usage. If using the loin part, I generally roll it into.a cylinder, and tie it with cooking string. Then cook it after marinating. Cheers ~ Linda
Jocelyn says
This sounds fabulous!! I was wondering what red wine did your Oma use?. I'm going to make one with white wine and the other with red, but didn't know what red would be best to use.
Linda Baker says
Hi Jocelyn, I really didn't pay that much attention to the brand or type but being in Germany I would assume a German red wine such as Spätburgunder, the German name for Pinot Noir. Its earthy and fruity profile complements the gamey flavor of rabbit and the dish's rich spices. If not Spätburgunder, you could also use a Dornfelder, a slightly fuller-bodied German red with dark fruit notes. Or perhaps she used Vin de Pays a rustic French wine perfect for cooking and sipping. But any red wine would work. Including a Burgundy in a JUG...Cheers to Hasenpfeffer! Lindy
Theresa Holmes says
I was wondering if a Chardonnay could be used in lieu of the fume blanc?
Linda Baker says
Yes, just make sure that it's not an overly oaked (too yellow in color). Keep it to the more ""naked" side. Cheers ~ Lindy
David says
Peppercorns & cloves are listed in ingredients but there is no mention of their use in instructions.
Linda Baker says
Hi David, if you look, you will find them as a part of the "marinade" ingredients. They can be left while cooking as well, but do need to be removed prior to serving. Cheers ~ Lindy
Doris Denise Lyke says
I tried it years ago when my grampa was alive, and went rabbit hunting. I didnt know it was a real recipe. I'd seen it on a Bugs Bunny cartoon!! So I looked it up, and, sure enough, it was a real recipe. Very tasty, took 2 days, but wow!!
Linda Baker says
Yep, not a quick recipe but since most of the time is hands free it is still and easy and delicious recipe. Thank you for stopping and sharing your thoughts and memories. (and I loved the Bugs Bunny cartoon as well) Cheers ~ Lindy
John says
OMG... Amazing... I guess now after learning that my last name means rabbit hunter ...Hasenjager... I'll be making a lot more of these dishes.... I've found my new meet. Just delicious.
Linda Baker says
Hey John, or should I call you Mr. Rabbit Hunter? Then this dish is just right for you. Thanks for the comment and enjoy the tasty rabbit. Cheers ~ Lindy
Queeni says
I made it. Delicious and two diners left enough meal for a stew to feed three others.
Recipe easy to follow. A hit here.
geoff purcell says
any tips for doubling or tripling the recipe? we are going to make this for 7 adults.
Barbara Dietrich- Brandt says
This is my favorite meal, years ago in the 1970,s there was a restaurant in La Jolla, CA that Oma and Opa used to take the family to and I always ordered Hasenpfeffer. It is so delicious. The restaurant closed and this tradition ended! I look forward to trying your recipe.
LindySez says
I hope it brings back fond memories. Cheers ~ Lindy
LindySez says
Thanks for stopping by Sam...I'm glad you enjoy the recipe and get those skeptics to clean their plate. I'm sure your Lapin Au Vin turned out terrific and I loved your story about not putting eggs in your pockets...been there done that! Cheers ~ Lindy
Elle says
You have such inventive recipes Linda...you should be on The Taste on TV.
LindySez says
Thank you Elle. That's the one that is just one great bite right? I could do that!
Cher says
Wow! Sounds delicious! I'd really like to try it...
LindySez says
You should so try it…easy and good. Fall off the bone tender...
jack waytz says
Nowhere in the recipe does it say the correct oven temp. That would be most helpful! I plan to cook this today, so I'm hoping for a quick turnaround time on your response. Thanks, -Jack
LindySez says
Did I miss the temperature? In the oven, it would be set about 325ºF. Sorry about that. I'll double check and make a correction. Cheers ~ Lindy (Hope I'm in time!)
LindySez says
Jack, it was a coding error...one has to remember to close their brackets 🙂
LindySez says
Absolutely, make more :-). No seriously, 2 rabbits should feed 7 adults with side dishes, so just double the amounts. Brown the rabbit in batches and then place it in a large pot to complete the recipe. The rabbit pieces do not have to all be on the bottom of the pot, but they all should be covered with the wine when cooking it.You could also brown the rabbit and then use a slow-cooker to cook. 6-8 hours on low should do it. Then finish the gravy on the stovetop. Let me know if it works out. Cheers ~ Lindy
Jessica says
This sounds like a winner! I've never tried Rabbit before, but I am intrigued now!