Fried Rabbit

Rabbit was the most reliable small game in the mountains — abundant, fast to prepare, and more forgiving than squirrel. Fried exactly like chicken, it was a legitimate lunch pail item when cold. Every mountain boy knew how to set a rabbit box trap. A single cottontail, properly soaked and fried, fed a family of three at lunch.

Ingredients

• 1 whole rabbit, cleaned and jointed into pieces
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1½ cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp paprika

¼ tsp cayenne

• Lard or shortening for frying — at least 2 inches deep

Directions

1. Soak rabbit pieces in buttermilk for at least 2 hours — overnight is better. This tenderizes and removes any gaminess.

Drain, letting excess buttermilk drip off.

1. Mix flour with salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne in a shallow bowl.
2. Dredge each piece in seasoned flour, pressing to coat well. Shake off excess.
3. Heat lard to 325°F in a heavy cast iron skillet or Dutch oven. Lower temperature than chicken — rabbit cooks faster.
4. Add rabbit pieces, larger pieces first. Do not crowd.
5. Fry 8–10 minutes per side until deep golden brown. Rabbit should reach 160°F internal temperature.

Drain on a rack. Season with salt while hot.

1. Excellent hot, but equally good cold from the lunch pail.

Notes

Wild rabbit needs the buttermilk soak to neutralize any gaminess. Farm-raised rabbit needs less soaking but still benefits from it. Rabbit is leaner than chicken, so it cooks faster and can dry out — watch carefully. Cold fried rabbit in a lunch pail was a genuine luxury during deer season’s off months.