Jackrabbit (Hare) Ragu

Jackrabbits are considered trash by most American hunters I know.  They don't even bother with them. I've always found this odd as all a jackrabbit is, is an American hare.  Hares are eaten all over particularly Europe.  I seen recipes from England, France, Germany, and Italy among others.  Hares are so popular that D'Artagnan sells Scottish hares to American gourmands for $60 a piece.  So I've wanted to try to see if I could make this meat palatable to my fellow hunters.  I believe I have.  I found an Italian hare recipe from my Culinaria Italy cookbook that I have modified somewhat that is tasty and makes the jackrabbit less gamey and taste more like stewed beef.

 

Ingredients

• Jackrabbit
• A Bold Red Wine
• Carrots
• Celery
• Onions
• Garlic
• Bay Leaf
• Thyme
• Sage
• Rosemary
• Juniper Berry
• Dried Porcini Mushrooms
• Canned Tomatoes
• Tomato Paste
• Grated Parmesan
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Italian Parsley
• Pappardelle

Dice carrots, celery and onion into same size pieces.  In a pot sauté the vegetables for a few minutes, do not cook all the way.  Crush the juniper berries and add with the fresh thyme and bay leaves.  Add half the bottle of red wine and boil until alcohol is cooked away.  Remove from heat and let cool.  While the marinade is cooling, butcher the jackrabbit into bite sized pieces.  Once the wine is cool add to the butchered jack and place in the fridge overnight.

The next day remove all the meat from the marinade and pat dry.  Strain the vegetables and discard the red wine marinade liquid.  In a cast iron pot brown the meat with olive oil.  Do this in batches.  Remove from the pan and place the partially cooked meat aside.  Now in the same pan add oil if necessary and cook the vegetables from the marinade fro a few minutes.  Deglaze with the red wine and once boiled add the can tomatoes and tomato paste.  Once it begins to boil add the mushrooms and lower the heat.  Place the meat back into the pot and simmer on low heat for three hours.  The longer it cooks the less gamey the meat.  For the last 10 minutes add the fresh rosemary, thyme and sage.

Cook the pappardelle.  Once cooked strain the pasta and add olive oil and chopped parsley and toss.  Ladle a scope of the ragu atop the pasta and drizzle more extra virgin olive oil, grated parmesan and chopped parsley. 

Tomorrow's menu is the mallard since its done hanging and aging.  I'll figure out how I want to prepare it tomorrow morning.