why raise rabbits?
Rabbits have been raised for centuries as a low-cost, highly nutritious source of protein. Rabbit meat is higher in protein and lower in fat than beef, chicken, turkey, or pork. Rabbits are easy to care for, mature very quickly, provide luxurious & warm pelts, are easy to process, their meat is incredibly lean and easily digested, and their manure makes excellent fertilizer that can be applied directly to the garden without composting! I like to think of rabbit as "the people's meat." While livestock such as cattle, pigs, and sheep require the ownership of acres of unforested land, rabbits can be raised in a small backyard and have very little impact on the ecosystem in which they are raised.
Before the turn of the century when industrialization prompted the migration of humans into cities, keeping a few rabbits at home was a common practice. Faced with increasing global environmental and economic instability, our mission is to revive these small scale farming practices in order to provide high quality, humanely raised meat for our family and neighbors. Part of our mission is intentionally disengaging from inhumane and ecologically degrading factory farming systems and raising our animals with the kindness and dignity all living beings deserve.
Before the turn of the century when industrialization prompted the migration of humans into cities, keeping a few rabbits at home was a common practice. Faced with increasing global environmental and economic instability, our mission is to revive these small scale farming practices in order to provide high quality, humanely raised meat for our family and neighbors. Part of our mission is intentionally disengaging from inhumane and ecologically degrading factory farming systems and raising our animals with the kindness and dignity all living beings deserve.
why raise heritage breeds?
You may be wondering- what exactly is a heritage breed? A heritage breed has been around for a long time and was generally developed in a particular place for a certain purpose. Many heritage breeds are in danger of becoming extinct. According to The Livestock Conservancy, half of the domestic livestock breeds that existed in Europe in 1900 are now extinct, with many more at risk of following suit. Often, the unique qualities of heritage breeds that are the reason they do not do so well on factory farms make them a perfect fit for homesteads or family farms. Some breeds are adapted for heat, others for cold. Some are best for meat, while others excel in providing eggs or dairy. Many have an easier time reproducing naturally & have superior mothering instinct, or are more docile, are better foragers, or hardier than industrial breeds.
Industrial breeds often use artificial insemination and focus only on bloodlines with the highest production value. This can lead to a highly inbred group of animals, making them very susceptible to disease or sensitive to changes in climate. For example, a lack of genetic biodiversity in potato crops was a major factor in the Irish Potato Famine (in addition to sociopolitical factors) and reliance on a single breed of milk or meat animal could have similar consequences to our modern agriculture system which now faces unprecedented challenges due to climate change. Currently, only 14 breeds of livestock provide 90% of our animal products in the worldwide food supply. Having many small but genetically different groups of livestock makes it less likely that one disease or environmental problem would impact the majority of a particular breed.
Industrial breeds often use artificial insemination and focus only on bloodlines with the highest production value. This can lead to a highly inbred group of animals, making them very susceptible to disease or sensitive to changes in climate. For example, a lack of genetic biodiversity in potato crops was a major factor in the Irish Potato Famine (in addition to sociopolitical factors) and reliance on a single breed of milk or meat animal could have similar consequences to our modern agriculture system which now faces unprecedented challenges due to climate change. Currently, only 14 breeds of livestock provide 90% of our animal products in the worldwide food supply. Having many small but genetically different groups of livestock makes it less likely that one disease or environmental problem would impact the majority of a particular breed.
the champagne d'argent breed
Champagne d’Argent means “Silver [rabbit] of Champagne.” Contrary to what you might think, the word Champagne does not refer to the silvery color, but rather to the region in France where the breed was developed. Champagne d' Argents are one of the oldest recorded breeds of French domesticated rabbit. Champagnes are a dual purpose breed, known for both their large body size suitable for meat production and their beautiful silver fur. Champagnes are born solid black and the silver hairs develop as the rabbit matures. They are a calm, friendly breed and the does (female rabbits) are excellent mothers.
our rabbits
Our rabbits are raised in social groups in large pens with 24/7 access to grass, fresh air, and sunshine. Besides grass we feed organic, local timothy grass hay and a pelleted alfalfa feed to ensure balanced nutrition. Our rabbits are raised without the use of antibiotics or synthetic hormones. Our focus is on the health and comfort of our animals, not maximizing the number of rabbits we produce. The rabbits come into the barn for the winter to stay warm and dry and our mamas get the winter off from raising their young in order to rest and recuperate. The result is healthy, happy rabbits and high quality, flavorful meat.
what does rabbit taste like?
Rabbit is very similar in color, texture, and flavor to chicken. The difference is rabbit meat is leaner and there isn't any 'dark meat.' Rabbit can be prepared in very similar ways to chicken, however because is so lean it can dry out easily. It is most flavorful when slow cooked and served with a rich sauce.
rabbit recipes
Lapin Campagnard a veloute
Don't let the French name fool you into thinking this recipe is stuffy! This is casual country comfort food at its finest. The rabbit is slow cooked until it is falling off the bone and served with a rich, classic French veloute sauce (a.k.a. gravy). I like to serve this dish with a warm, buttered baguette. This is my favorite way to prepare rabbit and my go-to meal on chilly days. Serves 6.
You will need:
a Crock Pot or Instapot
a heavy bottom pan (not nonstick)
a medium sized pot
mesh strainer
whisk
kitchen gloves
Ingredients:
1 whole rabbit, cut into 6 pieces (2 front quarters, 2 hind quarters, 2 loins, and the carcass for stock)
2 -3 shallots, minced (approx. 1/2 cup)
3 celery stalks, minced (approx 1/2 cup)
2 cups carrots, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 cup parsnips, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 cup dry white wine
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried leaves
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon, or 1 1/2 tsp crumbled, dried tarragon
2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves or 1 tsp crumbled, dry rosemary
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 Tbsp salt
1/4 ground black pepper
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour (you can substitute gluten free flour)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Directions
1. Make the stock. Place the rabbit carcass in a pot. Add the scraps from your shallot, celery and carrots and if you are using fresh herbs throw the stems in too. Add water to pot until carcass is just covered. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low with the pot lid slightly cracked opened for 1 hour. Strain and reserve stock. Discard carcass and vegetable scraps.
2. Cook the rabbit and vegetables. Add all the remaining ingredients except for the butter, flour and parsley to the Instapot. If you are using a crock pot, add the carrots and parsnips halfway through cooking so they don't turn to mush. Add enough stock to just cover the ingredients. Cook for about 4 hours on low in the crockpot, or 35 minutes in the Instapot.
3. Strain the stock. When the meat is tender and easily falls off the bone you can remove it from the heat source. Strain stock back into your stock pot and simmer over medium heat, uncovered, to allow it to reduce while you work.
4. Remove the bones. Allow the rabbit and vegetables to cool slightly. Wearing gloves to protect your hands remove bones from rabbit and discard. Leave the rabbit in large pieces.
5. Make the veloute. Taste your stock. Add salt, if needed, to taste. To make the roux that will thicken your stock, melt the butter in a large, heavy bottom pan over medium low heat. Add flour and whisk frequently until flour just starts to turn a golden color. Turn heat to low. Add stock, one cup at a time, whisking constantly until you have a smooth sauce that is a thickness you like. It should be pourable but not too thin. You may not use all of your stock and that's ok. Once your stock is incorporated into the roux, continue to heat the veloute until it just simmers, then turn off the pan and add your rabbit and vegetable vegetable mixture and the parsley. Serve immediately in shallow bowls with warm bread.
You will need:
a Crock Pot or Instapot
a heavy bottom pan (not nonstick)
a medium sized pot
mesh strainer
whisk
kitchen gloves
Ingredients:
1 whole rabbit, cut into 6 pieces (2 front quarters, 2 hind quarters, 2 loins, and the carcass for stock)
2 -3 shallots, minced (approx. 1/2 cup)
3 celery stalks, minced (approx 1/2 cup)
2 cups carrots, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 cup parsnips, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 cup dry white wine
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried leaves
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon, or 1 1/2 tsp crumbled, dried tarragon
2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves or 1 tsp crumbled, dry rosemary
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 Tbsp salt
1/4 ground black pepper
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour (you can substitute gluten free flour)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Directions
1. Make the stock. Place the rabbit carcass in a pot. Add the scraps from your shallot, celery and carrots and if you are using fresh herbs throw the stems in too. Add water to pot until carcass is just covered. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low with the pot lid slightly cracked opened for 1 hour. Strain and reserve stock. Discard carcass and vegetable scraps.
2. Cook the rabbit and vegetables. Add all the remaining ingredients except for the butter, flour and parsley to the Instapot. If you are using a crock pot, add the carrots and parsnips halfway through cooking so they don't turn to mush. Add enough stock to just cover the ingredients. Cook for about 4 hours on low in the crockpot, or 35 minutes in the Instapot.
3. Strain the stock. When the meat is tender and easily falls off the bone you can remove it from the heat source. Strain stock back into your stock pot and simmer over medium heat, uncovered, to allow it to reduce while you work.
4. Remove the bones. Allow the rabbit and vegetables to cool slightly. Wearing gloves to protect your hands remove bones from rabbit and discard. Leave the rabbit in large pieces.
5. Make the veloute. Taste your stock. Add salt, if needed, to taste. To make the roux that will thicken your stock, melt the butter in a large, heavy bottom pan over medium low heat. Add flour and whisk frequently until flour just starts to turn a golden color. Turn heat to low. Add stock, one cup at a time, whisking constantly until you have a smooth sauce that is a thickness you like. It should be pourable but not too thin. You may not use all of your stock and that's ok. Once your stock is incorporated into the roux, continue to heat the veloute until it just simmers, then turn off the pan and add your rabbit and vegetable vegetable mixture and the parsley. Serve immediately in shallow bowls with warm bread.
buttermilk brined chicken fried rabbit
I've found that rabbit can be substituted for chicken in my favorite Southern-fried chicken recipes, however you want to make sure not to skip the brining/marinating step before frying! I like to serve this with hush puppies, chow-chow, and a creamy, spicy dipping sauce. This recipe is adapted from The Food Lab. Serves 3-4.
You will need:
a gallon ziplock bag
mixing bowls
a large, heavy bottom pot or wok
instant read thermometer
baking sheet
2 wire racks
tongs
fine mesh strainer
Ingredients
● 2 tablespoons paprika
● 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
● 2 teaspoons garlic powder
● 2 teaspoons dried oregano
● 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
● 1 cup buttermilk
● 1 large egg
● Kosher salt
● One whole rabbit, about 4 pounds, cut into 8 pieces (2 front quarter, 2 hind quarters, 2 loins cut in half)
● 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (you can substitute your favorite all purpose gluten free flour if desired)
● 1/2 cup cornstarch
● 1 teaspoon baking powder
● 4 cups vegetable shortening or peanut oil
Directions
You will need:
a gallon ziplock bag
mixing bowls
a large, heavy bottom pot or wok
instant read thermometer
baking sheet
2 wire racks
tongs
fine mesh strainer
Ingredients
● 2 tablespoons paprika
● 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
● 2 teaspoons garlic powder
● 2 teaspoons dried oregano
● 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
● 1 cup buttermilk
● 1 large egg
● Kosher salt
● One whole rabbit, about 4 pounds, cut into 8 pieces (2 front quarter, 2 hind quarters, 2 loins cut in half)
● 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (you can substitute your favorite all purpose gluten free flour if desired)
● 1/2 cup cornstarch
● 1 teaspoon baking powder
● 4 cups vegetable shortening or peanut oil
Directions
- Combine the paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and cayenne in a small bowl and mix thoroughly with a fork.
- Whisk the buttermilk, egg, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 tablespoons of the spice mixture in a large bowl. Add the crabbit pieces and toss and turn to coat. Transfer the contents of the bowl to a gallon-sized zipper-lock freezer bag and refrigerate overnight, flipping the bag occasionally to redistribute the contents and coat the rabbit evenly.
- The next day: Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, 2 teaspoons salt, and the remaining spice mixture in a large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of the marinade from the zipper-lock bag and work it into the flour with your fingertips. Remove one piece of rabbit from the bag, allowing excess buttermilk to drip off, drop the rabbit into the flour mixture, and toss to coat. Continue adding rabbit pieces to the flour mixture one at a time until they are all in the bowl. Toss the chicken until every piece is thoroughly coated, pressing with your hands to get the flour to adhere in a thick layer.
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the shortening or oil to 425°F in a 12-inch straight-sided cast-iron fry pan or a large wok over medium-high heat. Adjust the heat as necessary to maintain the temperature, being careful not to let the fat get any hotter.
- One piece at a time, transfer the coated rabbit to a fine-mesh strainer and shake to remove excess flour. Transfer to a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet. Once all the pieces pieces are coated, place in the pan. The temperature should drop to 300°F; adjust the heat to maintain the temperature at 300°F for the duration of the cooking. Fry the rabbit until it’s a deep golden brown on the first side, about 6 minutes; do not move the rabbit or start checking for doneness until it has fried for at least 3 minutes, or you may knock off the coating. Carefully flip the rabbit pieces with tongs and cook until the second side is golden brown, about 4 minutes longer.
- Transfer rabbit to a clean wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet, season lightly with salt, and place in the oven. Bake until thickest part of the rabbit registers 150°F (65.5°C) on an instant-read thermometer, and thigh/drumstick pieces register 165°F (74°C), 5 to 10 minutes; remove rabbit pieces as they reach their target temperature, and transfer to a second wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet, or a paper towel-lined plate. Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately—or, proceed to step 7.
- Place the plate of cooked rabbit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, and up to overnight. When ready to serve, reheat the oil to 400°F. Add the chicken pieces and cook, flipping them once halfway through cooking, until completely crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet to drain, then serve immediately.
hungarian rabbit goulash
This fragrant, hearty, and delicious stew is a real treat to have bubbling away on a cold winter day! Serves 6.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 rabbit: legs, loins, and rib meat removed (reserve carcass for stock)
- 1 pound mushrooms, such as trumpet or cremini, tough stems removed, halved if larger than 2 inches
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 8 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika, preferably Hungarian
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup rabbit stock (see below)
- 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup chopped fresh dill
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Make the stock: Break the carcass in two and add to a medium pot. Just cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Brown the rabbit: Warm half of the oil in a Dutch oven (or large oven safe pan with lid) over medium high heat. Season rabbit liberally with salt and pepper. Add the rabbit to the pan or Dutch oven, leaving space between pieces. Brown on both sides, 2-4 minutes per side. Remove rabbit from pan, place on a platter and set aside.
- Brown the mushrooms: Add remaining oil and mushrooms to pan or Dutch oven. Season with salt and cook until browned on all sides, about five minutes. Remove mushrooms to platter.
- Cook onion and garlic, season, add liquid, and move to oven: Add the butter to the pot, then the onion. Season with salt and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until the onion just begins to soften . Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes, until the onion is soft and the garlic is fragrant. Reduce the heat to low and add the sweet and smoked paprikas; stir well to combine the spices with the onion. Add the wine, increase the heat to medium and bring to a simmer while you scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the vegetable stock and the crushed tomatoes, then the potatoes, mushrooms, and rabbit along with any liquid that accumulated on the platter. Season generously with black pepper. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture just to a boil. Turn off burner, cover pot and place in oven. Cook in oven for 40 minutes.
- Remove from oven and finish: Carefully return the pot to the stovetop, remove lid, and cook over medium high heat or until the liquid has reduced a bit, about 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the sour cream and flour in a medium bowl, then whisk a few ladlefuls of the hot liquid into the sour cream mixture. Reduce the heat to low, then add the sour cream mixture and herbs to the pot. Stir well, and adjust the texture of the stew with up to ½ cup of remaining rabbit stock if it is too thick for your taste. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like.
- Serve with a hearty sourdough bread and some good white wine. Jo étvágyat!
Sovereign Hilltop Farm
41 Barney Drive
Millerton, NY 12546
(845) 337-7173
41 Barney Drive
Millerton, NY 12546
(845) 337-7173