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Hasenpfeffer

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Hasenpfeffer

Cuisine:German

Course:Dinner

30m prep 2h cook 3h ready

6 servings This dish is the traditional German treatment for mature wild rabbits and hares. To use farmed rabbit, we recommend finding a mature roaster.

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Ingredients

Servings:
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Units:
As Written US Metric
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 celery ribs, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 3 cups fruity red wine such as gamay, pinot noir, or merlot
  • 1 cup red wine vinegar
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped parsley
  • 6 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves
  • ½ teaspoon allspice berries
  • ½ teaspoon juniper berries
  • 2 bay leaves
  • One 6- to 8-pound roaster rabbit or mature hare
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons bacon fat or vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1
    • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • Pinch of grated or ground nutmeg
    • 2 large eggs
    • ½ cup water or milk
    • 6 cups salted water or chicken stock or broth
    • ¼ cup grated mild cheese, such as Swiss, Emmentaler, or Gouda
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Combine in a bowl: 1½ cups all-purpose flour; ¾ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon baking powder; Pinch of grated or ground nutmeg
    2. Beat together in a small bowl: 2 large eggs; ½ cup water or milk
    3. Add to the flour mixture. Beat well with a wooden spoon to create a fairly elastic batter. Bring to a simmer in a large saucepan: 6 cups salted water or chicken stock or broth
    4. Drop small bits of the batter from a spoon into the bubbling liquid, or force the batter through a colander, potato ricer, or spätzle maker to produce strands of dough that will puff into irregular shapes. The spätzle are done when they float to the surface. They should be delicate, light, and slightly chewy. If the first few taste heavy and dense, add a few more drops of water or milk to the batter before continuing. Lift the cooked spätzle from the saucepan with a strainer or slotted spoon. Serve sprinkled with: Melted butter or ⅓ cup Browned or Buttered Bread Crumbs
    5. Or transfer to a shallow broilerproof baking dish and preheat the broiler. Top the spätzle with: ¼ cup grated mild cheese, such as Swiss, Emmentaler, or Gouda
    6. Broil until the cheese is melted, about 1 minute.

Let's Prepare

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Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 celery ribs, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 3 cups fruity red wine such as gamay, pinot noir, or merlot
  • 1 cup red wine vinegar
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped parsley
  • 6 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves
  • ½ teaspoon allspice berries
  • ½ teaspoon juniper berries
  • 2 bay leaves
  • One 6- to 8-pound roaster rabbit or mature hare
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons bacon fat or vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 Buttered egg noodles, Spätzle, or Potato Dumplings

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Heat in a large skillet over medium-high heat: 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  2. Step 2.

    Add and cook, stirring, until the onion is golden: 1 large onion, chopped; 3 celery ribs, chopped; 2 carrots, chopped

  3. Step 3.

    Add: 3 cups fruity red wine such as gamay, pinot noir, or merlot; 1 cup red wine vinegar; ½ cup coarsely chopped parsley; 6 garlic cloves, smashed; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns; 1 teaspoon whole cloves; ½ teaspoon allspice berries; ½ teaspoon juniper berries; 2 bay leaves

  4. Step 4.

    Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Strain and cool.

  5. Step 5.

    Cut into 7 serving pieces, above: One 6- to 8-pound roaster rabbit or mature hare

  6. Step 6.

    Place the pieces in a bowl, add the cooled liquid, and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

  7. Step 7.

    Drain the rabbit and reserve the marinade. Pat the pieces of rabbit dry and whisk together on a plate: 1 cup flour; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper

  8. Step 8.

    Dredge the pieces in the flour to coat. Heat in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat: 3 tablespoons bacon fat or vegetable oil

  9. Step 9.

    Brown the rabbit pieces on both sides, in batches if necessary. Transfer the pieces to a plate, discard the fat, and reduce the heat to medium. Melt in the pot: 2 tablespoons butter

  10. Step 10.

    Add and cook until translucent and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes: 1 large onion, chopped

  11. Step 11.

    Add the reserved marinade and browned rabbit. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the meat is done throughout and tender; roaster rabbits will take about 40 minutes, tougher wild rabbits and hares may take up to 2 hours. Serve with: Buttered egg noodles, Spätzle, or Potato Dumplings

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