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I've recently been doing a bit of 'pest control' and I've got a couple of rabbits. My knowledge is that they should be paunched and ideally prepared asap after the kill, but my father, always willing to help, is convinced that you leave them 'intact' and hang them for a couple of days. This is because of a memory of seeing them hanging outside a butchers shop. I have given in and tried this method but I do want the rabbit to be edible, and I've read lots of things saying that they need to be paunched so the meat isn't spoilt. HELP!!
wingstoo
14-06-2006, 19:18
Hi Ralph,
Have a look at this link...Loads of useful info...
LS
http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/foods/458-878/458-878.html
Ogri the trog
14-06-2006, 19:24
Personally,
I'd want to paunch it as soon as possible. As soon as you pick it up, squeeze the urine out of it, and then paunch as soon as practical after that. Skinning can be left for a while but in this weather I'd skinning and heading for the fridge/freezer pretty soon.
Please don't forget to check for internal parasites when you're paunching.
ATB
Ogri the trog
jamesoconnor
14-06-2006, 23:34
whenever i have done this, i paunch the rabbit imediately. this is the way i had been taught by my old man who's passion is his shooting and his gundogs.
regards
james
Ok. thanks for the replies. It also makes it easier without rigamortis as I've now discovered. I will carry on as I did before. :)
Ogri the trog
16-06-2006, 19:21
.... It also makes it easier without rigamortis
...and is some welcome warmth on a frosty winters night :cool:
ATB
Ogri the trog
rabbit mittens with central heatin o natural
love the thought
demographic
17-06-2006, 00:00
I know some people like to hang game but I have never bothered as I think it's a manky practice.
I always paunched the rabbits straight after shooting them and either ate them the next day or sold them (well my mate sold em cos he was working just across from them) to the local butchers that day.
Ogri the trog
17-06-2006, 02:39
I know some people like to hang game but I have never bothered as I think it's a manky practice..
I didn't think rabbit were "game", hare certainly are but not rabbit.
Game animals have a tough meat if they are cooked immediately after the kill, hanging merely allows the natural enzymes to begin breaking down the flesh, therefore making it more palatable and imparting a richer flavour to the meat
Ogri the trog
redfox72
18-06-2006, 12:52
Ok. thanks for the replies. It also makes it easier without rigamortis as I've now discovered. I will carry on as I did before. :)
the first thing i do wether my rabbits have hung or not is to cut through the tendons at the back of the ankle and across the wrists, the feet come off easily and the body becomes more pliable.
***if you intend to skin your rabbits dont shoot too many at a time! i made the mistake of shooting three one morning just after sun-up. i then spent the next three hours skinning and jointing! now i am semi-pro!!!
The eastern saami, from what I have read somewhere, smeared the fresh meat with the inner bark of the scotch pine to tenderize it quicker.
Torjus Gaaren
If you shoot too many then just paunch them and sling them in the freezer until you have the time to deal with them. They skin ok once defrosted.... just make sure you tie the bag well otherwise people rooting thru the freezer tend to *complain* for some reason :lmao: