My family and I are newer to raising/eating rabbits, and one thing I've noticed after cooking them is that I occasionally come across a very small, almost acorn-shaped bone. About the size of a BB. Anyone know what it is, or where it is so I can find it before my teeth do?

Or have any ideas?

And if you happen to have any great recipes, please share!

I like them fried like chicken. Used to raise rabbits. When the does (or bucks) got old grind them. They make great sausage. Same seasoning as you would with any other sausage.

Part of the tail??

Got a sausage book recently. Who doesn't like a good sausage? I'll have to give that a try...

Good idea and I've considered that, but it can't be. We remove the tail during processing.

Been some years since i've had it but it's been some years since I shot a rabbit! May have to get a domestic one to do this as it's a great winter dish.

https://honest-food.net/tuscan-hare-sauce-and-pappardelle/

Shoot, too bad you're on the other side of the continent or I could give you one of ours.

Thanks for the recipe, it sounds really good. I'll report back!

How are you processing them when you find the bones?

small bones come from the Ribs, both rabbit and squirrels, cut the ribs out, throw them away

So far we've only ever left the rabbit whole and either oven roast or crock pot, or one then the other. Then de-bone the remaining meat for leftovers.

How do you do that, exactly? Use shears right up against the vertebrae?

I've had about all i can take, believe I'll just buy hank shaw's small game book.
Good luck OP

I dont know.


Them rabbits can be a little tough for anything but soup.

We do have some young ones we could try it with.

Low n slow braise is the key !

This is, by far, our favourite : https://honest-food.net/braised-rabbit-recipe-italian/

Yes, Hank Shaw.

Had some great photos of plates, but in the photofuckit !

yes just cut with a Knife or game shears, right next to the backstrap

rabbit and squirrel pot roasted until tender, falling apart

brown meat in 2 tsp oil, add water while browning to prevent burning, remove after browned, add to pot 2 onions chopped, 1 chopped bell peppers, 3 stalks celery chopped, brown your trinity, once cooked down add meat back, add water and chic broth to cover meat, cook slow till tender - hours - thicken your gravy, use cornstarch if needed

season with cajun seasoning or your favorite - add while cooking, not on the plate, serve over white rice

Would you be so kind as to post your etouffe recipe again?

I bought some cream of shrimp.....but lost your recipe.

Poultry shears are nice for rabbits.

sure Jim

saute your trinity, 2 med or 1 large onion, 1 bell pepper, 3 stalks celery Chopped - saute with 1 stick butter

once trinity is cooked down to a clear state add 1 heaping tablespoon Jar Roux or make your own. I use Savoie's Dark roux

keep stirring till dissolved, add 2 can cream of shrimp, keep stirring, once dissolved and getting hot add 2 lbs crawfish or shrimp

cook maybe 10 min on low, don't let it stick, maybe more like 8 min seafood don't take long.

add 1/2 cup chopped green onions

add seasoning like Tony's

server over white rice with potato salad and french bread

Thank you very much!

Found it again. It definitely came from the rear quarter of the animal, though it was impossible to tell from exactly where. But now that I've got the area narrowed down I can pay more attention next time.

Simoneaud

I'm glad the bone wasn't in the ribs. The meat from around the ribs and under the belly is my favorite part of the rabbit.

I've been busy at work so my wife did this one in a wine sauce in the slow cooker. If I'm being honest I wish she hadn't. I prefer braised or at least slow cooked in something other than the wine. Not to knock her for trying but she didn't properly follow any recipe and it showed.

It fell apart a bit during slow cooker extraction.

We always piece em out.

Never have found the bone you are describing.

Something that small looks vertebrae related.

That is what I keep thinking. I'll do some better forensics on the next one, maybe next week.

You have there what is the rabbit version of the "knee cap". Even when you bone them out it is so small and surrounded by flesh they are easy to miss. If it bothers you just remove the meat on the front of the middle leg joint. Half inch either side of the joint should easily take out the bone. I am used to wild bunnies and my experience is limited. But usually the rear leg is so small from the "knee" down the section is not worth saving and gets discarded. So no trouble with the knee caps.

That makes perfect sense. I cut them off the hanger right at that joint, which would also explain why its only sometimes I find this bone. I'll move up the leg a little, and let the misses know too.

Funny you mention there's nothing desirable below that joint... I have a dog who eats anything, including months-old deer bones she found in the pasture this evening, as well as a few pigs who are not slouches in the dispose-all department. None of them will eat the foot!