My 10 and 12 year old sons butchered their first rabbits today. We made it respectful and full of gratitude for the animals life and they did a great job. Thanks for the great advice you are doing good work.
Processing my first litter this week. Thank you for so thoroughly explaining dry age vs salt brine. This makes me feel like I can guide my loved ones on how best to enjoy the rabbits.
A friend, who also raises meat rabbits, gave me a really good tip when freezing multiple rabbits: he doesn't package a single rabbit. Instead, after cutting them up, he packages hind legs from several rabbits; saddles from several; front legs from several, etc. The thinking is that when cooking a whole rabbit, when the saddle is done, the front legs are OVERdone. Packaging as he does (& now me, too), allows one to cook similar cuts & they are all done at the same time. Much better. Give it a whirl.
This is something I never done. No wonder squirrel and rabbit has always been so tough for me. My grandma used to boil them before frying but I’m definitely gonna try resting the meat a few days next time ! Thanks !
Butchering day is hard. There is no way to avoid it. I processed my first ducks, and roosters a few days ago. I wont lie, after all were processed, I cried. BUT, cooking my duck today, it tasted amazing! My family ate every bit, knowing what it cost-raising butchering and cooking it. Again it tasted wonderful!!
As my family gets into raising rabbits, I've explained to my children that I love animals, I don't enjoy dispatching them, but this is something that has to be done to all the animals we eat.
Thanks for the vid Chris. You are right about the butchering part is the worst part about raising rabbits. I found my self putting it off. but it has to be done.
That explained my "tough chicken" problem. Thank you! I learned processing chicken by RUclips...and no one even talks about this. Makes total sense. Thank you!!
Dave and I respect you a lot- editing videos, creating a steady flow of new content, and staying engaged with your viewers, all while balancing life is difficult and impressive. We have coffee and watch your channel in the morning, or with a snack before bed. We will be here for your next live broadcast. Peace and Grace to your lovely wife. ✌️
Thank you so much for the kind comments. I am so glad to hear that you like my videos. Looking forward to seeing you on the live broadcast tomorrow evening.
One thing we do to make ageing our rabbit meat easier is we cut it into pieces and package on butcher day, and then age the cut meat in the fridge for 1-2 days before freezing. You get the rigor to come out, but the cut pieces take up less space and thus its easier to find space for them. It also lets you get all of your processing done in one day.
Great information :) Your channel is awesome I feel quite prepared to embark on my first livestock adventure! I'm binge watching every video pretty much of yours and Living Traditions Homestead.
3 years ago my wife and I decided we were going to move out of the city and buy a farm. I just butchered my first rabbit yesterday. It went really well and was a really fun experience unlike butchering chickens. Thank you for all the advice. Your channel has been an invaluable resource for me. My family thanks you ❤
WELL that explains why the rabbit meat is tough!!! 🤪. Thanks Chris!! I should’ve known that. I’ve stopped raising meat rabbits, I do have a couple left in the freezer though, makes awesome soup!! God bless!! Colene
That sucks that they tagged your video. Kids need to know where their food comes from. My kids are part of the process from beginning to end. They know it's a necessary part of life and respect it.
I agree. But it isn't up to me. Our moral compass is way off if it is ok to show kids half-naked women dancing in a music video but a video about processing your own food is off limits.
My 2 year old watches me prosess my rabbits he knows why we have them one of my bucks is sterile so I will be butchering him and replacing him with a different one
Do you do anything to get the rabbits ready for butchering day? I'm thinking withholding food for a day or feeding something special for a few days to affect flavor.
I don't do anything myself. I sometimes will withhold water for 12 hours or so so the bladder isn't full but that is about all. It might work to feed them out on something else to affect flavor but I think it would have to be more than just a few days and you would want to transition to the new food slowly to prevent stomach problems. Great idea though.
@@Slightlyrednecked I've never heard of doing anything with rabbits' feed before slaughter. I have heard of it with other animals. I'm planning to get back into rabbits this summer with a new 12 cage rabbitry. It's something I can experiment with.
NEW SUB HERE! Absolutely love this video. My first rabbit I raised butchered and ate was horrible. I couldnt get all the hairs off the carcass and it was cooked withing 24H. I also over cooked it. This was back when i lived in a 2bedroom rental with a yard the that was 10x10'. Iv continued to urban homestead much like you under the radar. So now 7 years later Iv had Muscovies, Laying hens, Quail, Rabbits(not meat just weed eaters n poop makers) but I am re-inspired to do meat rabbits again. Do you tan you rabbit hides? I was buying them for awhile and tanning but never seemed to be very good at it. I have heads feet n tails still in my freezer and 2 large dogs. Your ear dog treats video is what Im going to watch next. Thank you very much for your videos!!!!
Thanks Chris that's what I needed to know. because I have 9 rabbits that'll be ready in a couple two or three weeks but I'm saving one. Do you do quail the same way?
Prefect video for me right now I'm going to be doing mine in the next 4 week's. I do have a question I'm not going to be able to put the rabbit in the frig and I can't hang them I have cats lol. So I'm wondering could I put them in a cooler for 24 hours
You could put them in a cooler for sure. I would go for at least 48 hours. Make sure to put some ice in there (leave the ice in bags to make it easier) to keep it cold and you will be fine.
Thanks so much for the kind comments. I have done a couple of in-person classes before. I enjoy them so I would be willing to do it again if it worked out.
Great video, thanks. I love the info on the aging process. If you think killing a rabbit is hard to do, which it is. Killing a lamb is the hardest thing to do ever.
Hey Chris I've learned so much from your videos thank you! I have 1 question for you. How do you get all the hair off the meat as in after you skin em?
That is always tricky. I do find if you wet the animal down before you skin it, it helps to minimize the hair on the meat. But some still gets on there. I manually pick it off of the meat myself. If you have a gas stove you can run the meat across the burner to singe it off. I suppose you could do that with a lighter as well.
I honestly can't say for sure. I have always rested my meat before freezing and I believe that is the common wisdom. But I don't know about resting after freezing.
I have done it both ways with deer & have found that for me & others it has made no difference in the meat being tender so I just take it out of the freezer & let sit in fridge for 4 to 6 days & its always been tender.
Do you cut your rabbit up into pieces and then vacuum seal them? I just want to defrost and serve the family what's the best process that you've experienced?
I butcher then vacuum seal. Each bag has 1 rabbit. Letting the meat rest a day or 2 as Chris said is a great idea. I will also dry brine before cooking the same as chicken or turkey.
Never understood the idea of a rabbit's foot being good luck. I mean, think about it: the rabbit had four & it didn't work out too well for him, did it? On a serious note, have raised rabbits for years & just learned a great trick that I'd like to pass on: due to the differing thicknesses of rear legs, forelegs & saddle, sometimes the legs are overcooked by the time the saddle is ready. So, now I cut up the pieces and package similar pieces together. A pkg. of forelegs, separate pkg. of saddles, etc., so everything in the package cooks at the same speed.
I personally don't cut it up before vacuum sealing but John Dufford's suggestion below sounds like a good idea. I personally just put the entire rabbit in a vacuum seal bag. When I prepare to cook it I cut it up if that is how I am going to cook it. If I plan on pressure cooking and pulling the meat off of the bone I just leave it whole.
In Europe, we hang them in the cellar to "cure". Our cat was a genius at opening the cellar door and one autumn he got the whole lot before we found him out... 😂
@@nasalies True, out of interest, do you know any people personally who you visit with who share your worldview? After four years I've finally met a couple who does, it's such a blessing.
@@beebear1697 that is wonderful. You are truly blessed. Unfortunately I have yet to have the opportunity to form such a relationship. I keep sharing, looking for those with eyes to see.
Generally speaking... a Fryer is less than 3 months old, a Roaster is 3-6 months old, a Stewer is older than 6 months old. Going by weight will vary a little bit by the breed since they each have different full size weight.
I have done a few cooking videos and shared some recipes. Probably need to do more. Rabbit really does well in just about any way that you would cook chicken. Especially in slow cookers and braised. You can shred it up and use it make enchiladas (very good). I would avoid frying though. It is awfully lean and tends to dry out if fried. Although not a recipe, I hope that at least gives you some ideas.
You mentioned cooking the rabbit within 30 minutes of harvesting if no resting would be incorporated. I just watched another video where the rabbit was cooked within 30 minutes of harvesting. Zero resting, ZERO! Zero meat preparation. I had to think about this other method for awhile because it is so very different from what I am used to. But it is a usefull method when no refrigeration is available, it is actually a required method when no refrigeration is available. Bush meat cooking. So, watch it with an open mind of a different culture in a different environment. "How to cook rabbit meat in Nigeria" . It made good sense after I thought about it for awhile.
In reality, it probably isn't youtube itself but more likely the advertisers that are sensitive and RUclips is just playing to them. But they have to make a living so we can't be too tough on them.
Domesticated rabbits cannot cross breed with wild rabbits or hares, because they are different species and genera. Many don't like the taste of wild rabbit.
You should say a prayer and thank god and recognize that your day will come and you better hope it was just as equally as humane as you did to the creature you are about to kill
NOOO WHG WAS THIS IN MY RECVOMENDENTS IM GONA FRIKIN YELL AT MY DAD I HAVE TO PUT EXTRA PROTTCTIOM ON FOR MY LITTLE BUNNY MY DAD IS GONNA GET A LITTLE AGH
My 10 and 12 year old sons butchered their first rabbits today. We made it respectful and full of gratitude for the animals life and they did a great job. Thanks for the great advice you are doing good work.
you did a great job woth your boys. They will have an appreciation of what it takes to eat meat that many of us have no connection or empathy with🙏
Processing my first litter this week. Thank you for so thoroughly explaining dry age vs salt brine. This makes me feel like I can guide my loved ones on how best to enjoy the rabbits.
A friend, who also raises meat rabbits, gave me a really good tip when freezing multiple rabbits: he doesn't package a single rabbit. Instead, after cutting them up, he packages hind legs from several rabbits; saddles from several; front legs from several, etc.
The thinking is that when cooking a whole rabbit, when the saddle is done, the front legs are OVERdone.
Packaging as he does (& now me, too), allows one to cook similar cuts & they are all done at the same time. Much better. Give it a whirl.
That is a good suggestion for sure. Thank you for sharing.
4:01 Resting the Meat. I needed this information. Thank you!
This is something I never done. No wonder squirrel and rabbit has always been so tough for me. My grandma used to boil them before frying but I’m definitely gonna try resting the meat a few days next time ! Thanks !
Butchering day is hard. There is no way to avoid it. I processed my first ducks, and roosters a few days ago. I wont lie, after all were processed, I cried. BUT, cooking my duck today, it tasted amazing! My family ate every bit, knowing what it cost-raising butchering and cooking it. Again it tasted wonderful!!
I agree. Never a fun thing to do but is always very rewarding.
As my family gets into raising rabbits, I've explained to my children that I love animals, I don't enjoy dispatching them, but this is something that has to be done to all the animals we eat.
Great information on allowing the meat to rest! I had no idea why my rabbits and chickens were so tough.
Thanks for the vid Chris. You are right about the butchering part is the worst part about raising rabbits. I found my self putting it off. but it has to be done.
Thanks for the information about rigor mortis. I’d not heard that explained before. Extremely helpful.
Yes Chris I let ours set for 3-5 days. Stay warm. Bless your family.
Thank you so much.
That explained my "tough chicken" problem. Thank you! I learned processing chicken by RUclips...and no one even talks about this. Makes total sense. Thank you!!
Thank you for watching and I am glad that this video was helpful.
Dave and I respect you a lot- editing videos, creating a steady flow of new content, and staying engaged with your viewers, all while balancing life is difficult and impressive. We have coffee and watch your channel in the morning, or with a snack before bed. We will be here for your next live broadcast. Peace and Grace to your lovely wife. ✌️
Thank you so much for the kind comments. I am so glad to hear that you like my videos. Looking forward to seeing you on the live broadcast tomorrow evening.
One thing we do to make ageing our rabbit meat easier is we cut it into pieces and package on butcher day, and then age the cut meat in the fridge for 1-2 days before freezing. You get the rigor to come out, but the cut pieces take up less space and thus its easier to find space for them. It also lets you get all of your processing done in one day.
Interesting. I can see how that could be helpful for sure.
Great information :) Your channel is awesome I feel quite prepared to embark on my first livestock adventure! I'm binge watching every video pretty much of yours and Living Traditions Homestead.
Thank you so much. I watch pretty much all of Living Tradition's videos too. Good luck with your new animals.
Really useful info! I've seen a lot about how to process and different recipes but nothing about proper storage methods until now. Thanks!
Thank you. I am glad that you found this video helpful.
You’re the man love when you upload new content
Thank you so much. I wish I could do more but the busyness of life just doesn't allow for it.
Thanks Chris, gonna do that setup. Can’t wait couple more weeks.
Awesome. Good luck on your upcoming processing. It is always a little nerve racking the first time but you will do great.
Thanks for sharing, Chris. Looked like nice size rabbits and I am sure they will taste good. Blessings.
Thanks for watching. They will taste good for sure. :)
Great video! Exactly the info I was looking for, very informative. I will be viewing more of your videos.
Thank you so much. I am glad you found this video helpful.
3 years ago my wife and I decided we were going to move out of the city and buy a farm. I just butchered my first rabbit yesterday. It went really well and was a really fun experience unlike butchering chickens. Thank you for all the advice. Your channel has been an invaluable resource for me. My family thanks you ❤
I just subscribed to your chanel, i recently bought 2 rabbits and i found so many good advices in your videos, thank you so much
Thank you so much for subscribing and watching my videos. I am so glad you find them helpful.
WELL that explains why the rabbit meat is tough!!! 🤪. Thanks Chris!! I should’ve known that. I’ve stopped raising meat rabbits, I do have a couple left in the freezer though, makes awesome soup!!
God bless!!
Colene
Yup, it sure can be very tough if not aged properly. That really applies to any animal. I am glad I could help clear it up for you.
That sucks that they tagged your video. Kids need to know where their food comes from. My kids are part of the process from beginning to end. They know it's a necessary part of life and respect it.
Mama Pro agreed!!!
I agree. But it isn't up to me. Our moral compass is way off if it is ok to show kids half-naked women dancing in a music video but a video about processing your own food is off limits.
My 2 year old watches me prosess my rabbits he knows why we have them one of my bucks is sterile so I will be butchering him and replacing him with a different one
That did clear it up! Thanks!
Thank you so much for watching. I am glad that you found it helpful.
Been waiting for this type information butchered my first litter couple weeks ago left in fridge 24 hours then vacuum sealed and to the freezer
Thanks so much for watching. I am glad that you found this video helpful. 24 hours is probably ok but I do like to go a little longer myself.
Brining helps to prevent bacteria buildup.
Thanks for this video! I really needed this information.
Thank you for watching. I am glad you found it useful.
Good too know . Thanks .
Thank you for watching.
Thank you, good video.
Very informative video, thank you! Do you age your quail the same way?
I’d like to know too.
Yes. This process applies to all animals. Quail go through rigor much faster though. usually by 24 hours. I usually let them rest for about 48 hours.
Excellent info!! Thank you
Thank you for watching. I am glad you found it helpful.
Do you do anything to get the rabbits ready for butchering day? I'm thinking withholding food for a day or feeding something special for a few days to affect flavor.
I don't do anything myself. I sometimes will withhold water for 12 hours or so so the bladder isn't full but that is about all. It might work to feed them out on something else to affect flavor but I think it would have to be more than just a few days and you would want to transition to the new food slowly to prevent stomach problems. Great idea though.
@@Slightlyrednecked I've never heard of doing anything with rabbits' feed before slaughter. I have heard of it with other animals. I'm planning to get back into rabbits this summer with a new 12 cage rabbitry. It's something I can experiment with.
NEW SUB HERE! Absolutely love this video. My first rabbit I raised butchered and ate was horrible. I couldnt get all the hairs off the carcass and it was cooked withing 24H. I also over cooked it. This was back when i lived in a 2bedroom rental with a yard the that was 10x10'. Iv continued to urban homestead much like you under the radar.
So now 7 years later Iv had Muscovies, Laying hens, Quail, Rabbits(not meat just weed eaters n poop makers) but I am re-inspired to do meat rabbits again.
Do you tan you rabbit hides? I was buying them for awhile and tanning but never seemed to be very good at it. I have heads feet n tails still in my freezer and 2 large dogs. Your ear dog treats video is what Im going to watch next.
Thank you very much for your videos!!!!
Would it be fine to freeze after 5 days in the fridge? I was trying 4 but got caught up and forgot about it.
It is fine. I have left them in the fridge for longer than that. As long as the meat hasn't spoiled it is fine.
I hear you…. I will be doing this for the first time in about 3 months
THanks for the information on the video!
Thanks for watching. I am glad you liked it.
Thanks Chris that's what I needed to know. because I have 9 rabbits that'll be ready in a couple two or three weeks but I'm saving one. Do you do quail the same way?
I do. They are much smaller and go through rigor much faster. I generally let them rest about 48 hours.
Prefect video for me right now I'm going to be doing mine in the next 4 week's. I do have a question I'm not going to be able to put the rabbit in the frig and I can't hang them I have cats lol. So I'm wondering could I put them in a cooler for 24 hours
You could put them in a cooler for sure. I would go for at least 48 hours. Make sure to put some ice in there (leave the ice in bags to make it easier) to keep it cold and you will be fine.
@@Slightlyrednecked thank you so much for the fast reply
I like dry aging better than wet as well...
It has always been my preferred method.
Very well done
What kind of rabbits do U raise ?
Hey Chris great info thanks would you be interested in teaching in person a class on the butchering of rabbits and quail
Thanks so much for the kind comments. I have done a couple of in-person classes before. I enjoy them so I would be willing to do it again if it worked out.
I save the hearts as well. They're very good!
I like the heart and the liver but I am the only one.
@@Slightlyrednecked the kidneys are delicious as well!
Great video, thanks. I love the info on the aging process. If you think killing a rabbit is hard to do, which it is. Killing a lamb is the hardest thing to do ever.
Thank you so much for watching. I am glad you liked it. I can imagine how difficult it is to kill a lamb. Not something I have had to do before.
Hey Chris I've learned so much from your videos thank you! I have 1 question for you. How do you get all the hair off the meat as in after you skin em?
That is always tricky. I do find if you wet the animal down before you skin it, it helps to minimize the hair on the meat. But some still gets on there. I manually pick it off of the meat myself. If you have a gas stove you can run the meat across the burner to singe it off. I suppose you could do that with a lighter as well.
@@Slightlyrednecked thank you Chris!
I had NO idea! Great information! I bet it works the same for squirrels too..lol
Indeed it does. I always rest squirrels for around 24 hours. They move out of rigor much faster.
Cool information
Thanks. I am glad you liked it.
Does the resting still happen if you freeze directly after butchering? If I thaw the meat and let it sit 48-72hrs?
I do that with deer and it works fine so I would think it would also work with the rabbits but have never tried it with mine.
I honestly can't say for sure. I have always rested my meat before freezing and I believe that is the common wisdom. But I don't know about resting after freezing.
I have done it both ways with deer & have found that for me & others it has made no difference in the meat being tender so I just take it out of the freezer & let sit in fridge for 4 to 6 days & its always been tender.
Thanks for clarifying that
Recipes??
Do you cut your rabbit up into pieces and then vacuum seal them? I just want to defrost and serve the family what's the best process that you've experienced?
I butcher then vacuum seal. Each bag has 1 rabbit. Letting the meat rest a day or 2 as Chris said is a great idea. I will also dry brine before cooking the same as chicken or turkey.
Never understood the idea of a rabbit's foot being good luck. I mean, think about it: the rabbit had four & it didn't work out too well for him, did it? On a serious note, have raised rabbits for years & just learned a great trick that I'd like to pass on: due to the differing thicknesses of rear legs, forelegs & saddle, sometimes the legs are overcooked by the time the saddle is ready. So, now I cut up the pieces and package similar pieces together. A pkg. of forelegs, separate pkg. of saddles, etc., so everything in the package cooks at the same speed.
I personally don't cut it up before vacuum sealing but John Dufford's suggestion below sounds like a good idea. I personally just put the entire rabbit in a vacuum seal bag. When I prepare to cook it I cut it up if that is how I am going to cook it. If I plan on pressure cooking and pulling the meat off of the bone I just leave it whole.
I just butchered my first rabbit and put it in the fridge, season and everything. So i shouldnt eat it as yet then
Love your Vids
Thank you.
In Europe, we hang them in the cellar to "cure".
Our cat was a genius at opening the cellar door and one autumn he got the whole lot before we found him out... 😂
Oh no, I can see a cat doing that.
Wow. Great information. I had never considered this before. Thanks again.
Thank you for watching. I am glad you liked it.
I really like your username! I'm in total agreement 😁👏
@@beebear1697 Thanks 👍. It's always nice to see there are other like minded individuals out there able to see past the deceptions.
@@nasalies True, out of interest, do you know any people personally who you visit with who share your worldview? After four years I've finally met a couple who does, it's such a blessing.
@@beebear1697 that is wonderful. You are truly blessed. Unfortunately I have yet to have the opportunity to form such a relationship. I keep sharing, looking for those with eyes to see.
Chris ! How many mama rabbits do you have ? ( your female breeders)
At how many months do u process?
Once they reach 5 lbs. 3 lbs if you want to fry them.
Generally speaking...
a Fryer is less than 3 months old,
a Roaster is 3-6 months old,
a Stewer is older than 6 months old.
Going by weight will vary a little bit by the breed since they each have different full size weight.
Do you have any good recipes
I have done a few cooking videos and shared some recipes. Probably need to do more. Rabbit really does well in just about any way that you would cook chicken. Especially in slow cookers and braised. You can shred it up and use it make enchiladas (very good). I would avoid frying though. It is awfully lean and tends to dry out if fried. Although not a recipe, I hope that at least gives you some ideas.
Check out Rudolph's Rabbit Ranch website. For recipes this link will take you to that section www.rudolphsrabbitranch.com/recipes2007.htm
the inside of a rabbit make good food for plants
Thanks for the tip.
The Brits hang the rabbit until the leg holding it falls off, longer than I prefer but they've done it that way for centuries ✌🏻
Interesting. I have never heard that before.
Doesn’t seem sanitary to me. But what do I know…🤷🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️
I'm from uk, raised on rabbit & have never heard of this, however, pheasant can be hung for over a week
Lol you are allowed to dispatch rabbits on RUclips.
Not if snowflakes report it.
Be nice if you said how old they are . And yes .. there are people cleaning and gutting on RUclips .
I save everything except the stomach, intestines, bladder, gallbladder and skin for raw cat food.
I don't have a cat. But that is a great idea.
You mentioned cooking the rabbit within 30 minutes of harvesting if no resting would be incorporated. I just watched another video where the rabbit was cooked within 30 minutes of harvesting. Zero resting, ZERO! Zero meat preparation. I had to think about this other method for awhile because it is so very different from what I am used to. But it is a usefull method when no refrigeration is available, it is actually a required method when no refrigeration is available. Bush meat cooking. So, watch it with an open mind of a different culture in a different environment. "How to cook rabbit meat in Nigeria" . It made good sense after I thought about it for awhile.
From Nigeria
O my RUclips is so sensitive it will be its down fall. I really dislike sensor ship it is getting Ridiculous.
In reality, it probably isn't youtube itself but more likely the advertisers that are sensitive and RUclips is just playing to them. But they have to make a living so we can't be too tough on them.
Omg im so early can i have a shout out i love animals so much so ur so cool
Thanks so much for being early. Sorry, I wasn't quicker to respond. :)
Aging. All meat should be.
I agree.
Oh god I thought you were hunting them. Something just feels wrong about raising it in a cage to kill it. Then again I eat Steak
Domesticated rabbits cannot cross breed with wild rabbits or hares, because they are different species and genera. Many don't like the taste of wild rabbit.
You should say a prayer and thank god and recognize that your day will come and you better hope it was just as equally as humane as you did to the creature you are about to kill
You know God accepts rabbits as sacrifice
You sound ridiculous 😂
all talk and no show
Yeup
Poor animals
NOOO WHG WAS THIS IN MY RECVOMENDENTS IM GONA FRIKIN YELL AT MY DAD I HAVE TO PUT EXTRA PROTTCTIOM ON FOR MY LITTLE BUNNY MY DAD IS GONNA GET A LITTLE AGH
Sad and Gross 🤮