Romaine Rabbit
“Put the rabbit in a brine for a tender and juicy bite.“
The ingredients:
(serves 6-8)
Rabbit Brine
- ⅔ gallons (2½L) water
- 4 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp maple or other syrup
- 2 white onions, diced
- 10 sprigs rosemary
- 5 sprigs thyme
Sauce Romain
- 1 tbsp butter
- 6 tbsp white raisins
- 6 tbsp dark raisins
- 7 fl oz (200ml) red port
- 1 tbsp chipotle tabasco
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 5 fl oz (150ml) game broth
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 2 tbsp orange marmelade
- 3⅓ fl oz (100ml) decadent demi-glace
- 2 tbsp roasted pine nuts
- 1 tbsp tarragon, finely chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Rabbit
- 8 rabbit fillets, about 2½ oz (70g) each
- 16 rashers of smoked bacon
- 6 tbsp BBQ spices like the Pig Powder BBQ rub
- 7 fl oz (200ml) sauce Romaine
Gear:
- BBQ with cover for indirect grilling
- 3 cherry wood chunks for smoking (2×2 inch pieces)
- Core thermometer
How to make:
Duration: prep 1 day
Cooking: about 30 minutes
For the brine, mix all ingredients together in a large pan and heat until the salt and sugar has dissolved completely. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Submerge your rabbit fillets in the brine and refrigerate overnight.
Prepare a BBQ for indirect grilling and heat to 180 °C (256 °F).
To make the sauce Romaine, heat the butter in a saucepan, briefly cook the raisins and deglaze with the red port. Set the heat to low and allow the mixture to reduce by half. Add all remaining ingredients except for the tarragon and pine nuts and steep for 30 minutes on low heat. Stir in the pine nuts and chopped tarragon right before serving – to keep the nuts crunchy – and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Remove the brined filets from the brine and pat dry with a (paper) towel. Stack 2 fillets and carefully wrap 4 rashers of smoked bacon around them. Repeat for the other fillets. Season the wrapped fillets with the BBQ spices, place the cherry wood chunks in the hot coals and put your rabbit on the BBQ. Grill until the bacon is crispy and the rabbit reaches a core temperature of 55 °C (131 °F). Serve with warm sauce Romaine and your choice of sides.
