There had to be some positive elements in 2020, for me the discovery of Quebec Rabbit is one of them, because it is very easy to work with and very tasty, more experienced taste buds will feel like they are on the playground!
The rabbit can be smoked whole, you can also smoke the rabbit "wings", made with the shoulder of the rabbit, or simply grill the legs or the back of it on the BBQ. The rabbit can also be braised very well and that's what we're going to do today.
I will grill my pieces and then let them braise slowly in a cast iron casserole dish, in order to have as a final result grilled rabbit rillettes, which I have nicknamed “Rabbit Grillettes”.
Servings: 8 people
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 3 hours
You will need the following ingredients:
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1 rabbit cut into pieces
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½ can of blond beer
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1 white onion, diced
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2 carrots, diced
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Appalaches dry marinade
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Explorer dry marinade
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2x 300g duck fat
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1 bunch of thyme
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Butter
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Preheat your BBQ well, with direct heat at the beginning to grill the rabbit well, then indirect heat (or really less hot) for the rest. Generally, we would always make a direct and indirect zone, but since we will be working in a casserole dish, the important thing is simply that the heat is not too intense so that it has time to simmer.
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Once the BBQ is at 500°F, it's time to season your cuts. We have several excellent game rubs that we developed with Stéphane Monette , from Ferme Monette, but if I have one to recommend to you for this recipe, it would be Appalachians . We put pieces on each side to make a good crust.
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Grill the pieces on each side at a high temperature. Since the meat is quite lean, you have to be careful not to overcook it; make sure the meat and its rub are well caramelized and then remove from the heat.
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While the BBQ is still hot, preheat your cast iron casserole dish and melt the butter. Once the butter is hot enough, roast the diced onions and carrots until golden. Add the rabbit back to the vegetables, then pour in the equivalent of half a can of lager.
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Bring to a boil then adjust the BBQ to around 300°F.
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Add 300g of duck fat and let it melt slowly. Once everything has melted, add the dry marinade Explorer from BBQ Quebec and a bouquet of thyme.
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Let everything simmer over low heat for about 2 hours.
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Remove from heat and let mixture cool before removing rabbit pieces.
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Add another 300g of duck fat.
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Shred the meat, add it back into the pot, return the pot to low heat and stir for about 15 minutes until everything is hot and smooth.
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Let cool and put everything in plastic jars or Mason jars to keep your rillettes in the fridge for about 1 week, or in the freezer for much longer!
Happy BBQ!!!
