Beer-Braised Rabbit (Or Chicken) for the Crock Pot

papergoddess's Note:

Tasty, tangy recipe for rabbit or chicken. Hey, it all tastes like chicken, right?

• Total Time: 4 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 2 -2 ½ lbs dressed rabbit or 2 -2 ½ lbs broiler-fryer chickens , cut up
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 medium potatoes , peeled and halved
• 3 -4 carrots , peeled and bias-cut in 1 inch pieces
• 1 onion , thinly sliced
• 1 cup beer
• ¼ cup chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 garlic clove , minced
• 1⁄3; cup cold water
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• paprika (to garnish) (optional)
• parsley (to garnish) (optional)

Directions:

1. In a crock-pot, place potatoes, carrots and onion.
2. Season meat with salt and pepper; brown in oil on all sides and place in crock pot on top of vegetables.
3. Combine beer, chili sauce,, brown sugar, and garlic; pour over meat.
4. Cover and cook on high heat setting for 3 1/2- 4 hours.
5. Remove meat and drain vegetables.
6. Measure cooking liquid and add beer, water, or broth to make 1 1/2 cups.
7. Put reserved cooking liquid in a saucepan, and return meat and vegetables to the crock pot.
8. Mix 1/3 cup water with 3 tbs flour in a gravy shaker or jar and shake until smooth.
9. Stir into reserved liquid; cook, stirring constantly until thickened.
10. Serve sauce over meat and vegetables, sprinkle with paprika and garnish with parsley if desired.
11. Note: This can be baked in an oven-proof casserole rather than a crock-pot.
12. Bake at 350°F for approx 1 1/2 hours, or until meat and vegetables are tender.

Reviews

[Mille®]

This chicken was beyond fall-off-the-bone – it was so exquisitely tender that it was difficult to spear bite-size pieces with a fork. Due to medical necessity, I seasoned it with sage (which I pulverized in a mortar and pestle) and pepper instead of salt and pepper. The instructions were not clear as to whether the pieces should be browned to a light golden brown or to a dark, almost crispy, brown and so I did half of each – made no difference because both were mouth-watering. I used a strong English brown ale, only because of American “beer”’s close resemblance to H2O. The end result was a taste of well-blended flavours, ever so slightly nutty and not too sweet at all.

[margotdinah]

Only thing I did differently was to brine the rabbit (America's Test Kitchen style) since it was wild rabbit. Yep, asked my son to find some rabbits and, low and behold, within 10 mins. heard the first gun shot! 15 mins. later another close shot and then he came home with two. Well, I*had* promised to skin and clean them...YUCK... bad idea on my part but motivational for him. Really had intended on feeding to the dogs, but thought the dogs wouldn't miss what they never got. My first time cooking rabbit and they both turned out delicious! And, best of all, absolutely NOTHING was wasted! The heads, pelts, feet, and guts all went out for either the crows or coyotes. I cooked the hearts and livers in the crock pot.
Most excellent recipe for the first time rabbit preparing cook.

[Runner Girl]

My son begged me to buy rabbit at the local butcher shop so three weeks later I did. Just made this and my KIDS loved it. It had the look and texture of chicken. I used the oven bake suggestion and 11/2 hours later it fell off the bone and was yummy.