Braised Rabbit in Wine Sauce with Apples

Recipe:

Ingredient Notes:

• Rabbit. For braising, hind legs are your best bet—they’ll turn out wonderfully soft and juicy. The back meat (loin) isn’t ideal for this method, as those lean fillets tend to dry out.
  • Chicken Alternative. If you prefer, you can easily make this dish with chicken legs instead of rabbit. Just note that the cooking time will be shorter.
• Apples. Choose apples with denser flesh that hold their shape well and won’t turn to mush during cooking. Granny Smith is a perfect example.
• Wine. Opt for a dry white wine, ideally a Chardonnay or Riesling. If you enjoy a more aromatic flavor, Sauvignon Blanc works too, but its wine notes will be more prominent. As an alternative, apple cider can be used in place of wine.
  • Concerned about alcohol? Rest assured, the alcohol fully evaporates during the sauce preparation and simmering. However, if you prefer to avoid it completely, simply use chicken stock instead of wine. Keep in mind the aroma will be different, and the sauce will lack the wine’s characteristic tartness.
• Cream. Use cream with a minimum fat content of 20% for the sauce. If you’re using 33% (heavy) cream, you might want to add a little less, depending on your desired consistency.
• Thyme. Fresh thyme is preferred, but if you don’t have it, dried thyme works too. For the given ingredient amounts, 1/2 teaspoon will be sufficient.
• Onion. A regular onion is perfectly fine, but feel free to substitute with shallots if you prefer their milder flavor.
• Garlic. For this recipe, I highly recommend using fresh garlic. Dried garlic will give a noticeably different aroma.
• Celery. This is mainly for aroma. If you’re not a fan of celery, you can simply omit it.
• Cooking liquid. In this recipe, I use water for braising, but for an even richer flavor, you can definitely opt for chicken stock instead.

Let’s start cooking!

Sear the rabbit legs over high heat until golden brown on both sides, about one minute per side.

Place in a pot for braising.

Finely chop the onion and celery. Sauté in vegetable oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.

Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Pour in the wine and cook for a couple of minutes.

Pour the contents of the pan into the pot with the rabbit. Add thyme, finely chopped garlic, salt, and a couple of cups of water – the liquid should not completely cover the meat (see photo).

Bring to a boil on the stove, cover, and place in an oven preheated to 200°C (390°F). It took me about an hour and a half to braise until tender. But the time may vary depending on the age of the rabbit.

20 minutes before it is ready, add the peeled and diced apples. 10 minutes before it is ready, add the cream.

Serve with mashed potatoes, boiled pasta, or rice.

Enjoy!

This Braised Rabbit in Wine Sauce with Apples recipe was checked, prepared and approved by Chef Tatyana Nazaruk - author of FlavorIt.com.
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