Buttermilk Fried Rabbit Recipe
Introduced in France in the Middle Ages as a game animal, rabbit became pervasive and overtook crops, providing more incentive to hunt them. King Louis XVIII became such a connoisseur of rabbit that he could tell which region of the country a rabbit was killed in, simply by smelling its flesh. You are what you eat, after all, and Provence was flush with sage. Young rabbits are best fried, because they are so tender.
The best way to check a rabbit's age is to tear one of its ears lengthwise; if it tears easily, the animal is young. Also, look for very white teeth. Before cooking a rabbit or a squirrel, I also typically soak it in saltwater for several hours, if not overnight. This helps extract impurities and retain its moisture during cooking.
- 1 young cottontail rabbit
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 medium-size onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon; or 1 teaspoon each of your three favorite herbs
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon cayenne
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper
- 2 to 3 cups grape seed or vegetable oil