Wild rabbit with bacon, barley and stout

Winter

Wild rabbit is one of the most sustainable meats we could hope to eat, so it’s a shame we don’t cook more of it. It was popular once, especially if you lived and worked in the countryside. This recipe, which I really love, is inspired by the romance of rural cooking and traditional farmhouse fare. I can see a pot of rabbit, bacon, barley and stout simmering away over a woodsman’s campfire as he sits quietly splitting hazel or whittling spoons.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 wild rabbit, jointed into 2 front legs, 2–3 portions of saddle and 2 back legs
200g (7oz) smoked or unsmoked bacon lardons, or streaky bacon, cut into pieces
2 onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 bay leaves
about 300ml (10 fl oz) stout or dark beer
100g (3½oz) pearled barley, soaked for about 1 hour in cold water
10–12 small–medium carrots, scrubbed or peeled, larger ones halved lengthways
2–3 thyme sprigs
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Set a large, wide casserole dish over medium heat. Add the oil, and when it’s hot add the rabbit pieces. Season them with salt and pepper, then fry them all over until they are smelling lovely and the meat is golden brown. Lift the rabbit out of the pan and set it aside.

Add the lardons or bacon pieces to the hot pan and allow them to sizzle away, stirring regularly so they colour evenly. Once the bacon is looking good, add the onions, garlic and bay leaves and continue to cook until the onion is sweet and soft. Return the rabbit pieces to the pan along with the carrots and thyme sprigs and pour over the stout or beer and enough water to cover the meat. Let the rabbit cook for about 1–2 hours, with a lid set just ajar. Lift the lid after an hour or so and check how tender the rabbit is. Sometimes the meat can be falling off the bone within the hour; other times it can take more like 4 hours. It all depends on the age of the rabbit itself. You’ll also need to make sure you top up the pan with a splash more water if the meat’s not covered.

When the rabbit’s almost tender, rinse the barley, drain it and scatter it into the pan. Cook the rabbit and barley together for 35–45 minutes. It’s likely you’ll need to top up the liquid at some point, as the barley will take up quite a bit. Just remember, the pan shouldn’t look dry.

The meat and grains should be tender before you take the pan off the heat. Taste the rabbit sauce and adjust the seasoning with a little more salt and pepper. Leave to stand somewhere warm for 5–10 minutes before serving.

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