How to Fillet a Rabbit

Rabbit meat is lean and not complicated to cook. The meat is tasty, mildly-flavored, fine-grained and is a good source of protein. The best rabbit meat is of a fryer (young rabbit) that is no more than 12 weeks of age and does not weigh more than about 4 lb. The meat of a roaster (older rabbit - over 8 months of age) is good as well, but the meat is less tender so it is best used in stews or braised. Fortunately, filleting rabbit meat is not as tough as you may think.

Things You'll Need

  • Cutting board
  • Karesuando knife
  • Whole rabbit (not skinned)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Put the rabbit on the cutting board and turn it face down. Make a slit with the knife over the back. Catch the skin on the back in a loose pinch and make a slit half way along the length of the body of the rabbit.

    • 2

      Push your fingers into the newly made slit and start tearing the skin all around it. With a young rabbit, the skin should tear very easily. Once you have a firm grip, pull one side of the skin towards the legs (as you would do trousers) and the other towards the head. You need not take the skin off completely.

    • 3

      Slit the rabbit along the backbone from the base of the ribcage to the pelvic bone. Be careful that your knife does not go too deep or you may cut the guts. Repeat on the other side of the rabbit.

    • 4

      Use your fingers and the knife to slowly pry away the meat from the bone. Once it is pulled away from the backbone, cut at the tendons and pull it away.

    • 5

      Put the knife towards the hip joint following the leg bone. Go from the belly to the back, then from the back to the end of the leg bone. You will end up with two solid chunks of leg meat.

    • 6

      Repeat the process on the other leg and you will have another two pieces of leg meat. Once all the meat is de-boned, throw the rest of the rabbit away, unless you wish to use the bones for a stock.