# How to smoke a rabbit



## VickieB

I got my husband a propane smoker for Father's Day. Can anyone tell me how they smoke their rabbits?


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## animalmom

You got Zig Zags that big, or do you find a cigar wrapper works better?  Wow!


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## farmgirl01

Never smoked a rabbit, just slow cooker.  I wonder if there are any Youtube videos.


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## secuono

Smoked by weight, like anything else. Though, we smoked a chicken and it was creepy, thus, haven't tried a rabbit [other white meat.] It turned out rubbery and seemingly not cooked. All the red meat we cooked before and after the white meat, turned out fine. We don't want to waste a rabbit if all white meat turn out nasty.


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## VickieB

Oh no! I was really looking forward to smoking them in my husband's new smoker!   Has anyone else had this problem with smoking rabbits? I guess I may have to be checking into those large Zig Zags, Animalmom.


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## frustratedearthmother

LOL @ animalmom


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## P.O. in MO

I have only butchered 7 rabbits and still have one in the freezer.  I did cook 1 in my electric smoker but I didn't write down exactly how I did it so will try to remember as best as I can.  My smoker has a thermostat so controlling the temperature is pretty exact.  I had smoked a couple of chickens prior to trying the rabbit and thought it came out a little dry(good flavor just dry) so I did the rabbit a little different.  I think I set the temp at 225 and put the rabbit (cut up) in a pan lined with aluminum foil big enough to cover it up after it smoked a while.  If I don't use too many chips they are usally gone in 30 to 40 minutes which is fine for me because I  don't like too much smoke flavor.  I put some water in the foil and let it cook opened up for 45 minutes and then opened up the door and wrapped the rabbit up with the foil.  I think I cooked it a couple more hours and brought it in.  It came out ok but I think it would have been better if I had used apple juice instead of water and maybe a rub.  I am new at smoking too so am still trying different things.  I know I ate it all.  The only thing I have tried that I didn't like was brining a rabbit to make it really tender, which it did, but it was so salty I ended up giving the last 2 pieces to the chickens.  I am sure you will probably try some experiments with your smoker so let us know what works and what doesn't. PO


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## animalmom

On a less frivolous note, my husband has an electric smoker and he puts the rabbit in an oven roasting bag in a pan in the smoker.  During the last part of the cooking he slices the top of the bag carefully so the juices don't run out and lets the rabbit finish.  He said to just follow the directions for smoking chicken but remember you don't have any skin to protect the meat from drying out... which is why he uses the oven roasting bag.  Not much help, slightly better than the old corny joke of Zig Zags.

Please let the rest of us know what you do, and how it turned out.


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## Citylife

Awwwwwwwwww  and I just went out and bought zig zags.


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## animalmom

Citylife you crack me up.  I alternate from chuckling to being envious with your air conditioned rabbitry.  On no account are you to tell my bunns that some live the highlife!  I keep telling my herd that they should be grateful and happy with their barn fan and misting system but whoa man, air conditioning.  Can I move into your rabbitry?


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## Citylife

animalmom said:
			
		

> Citylife you crack me up.  I alternate from chuckling to being envious with your air conditioned rabbitry.  On no account are you to tell my bunns that some live the highlife!  I keep telling my herd that they should be grateful and happy with their barn fan and misting system but whoa man, air conditioning.  Can I move into your rabbitry?


Animalmom,  LOL  I wouldn't do that to you its a houseful in there..    when I say air conditioned, what I mean by that is when it gets 90 and is going to get hotter........  it is turned on.  Its a small unit for like a small room.  I breed all year round and can not afford to have bucks go sterile for up to 90 days.  I try to keep the temp at the worst part of the season or day under 90 and if I can get it to 85 in 3 hours I will.  My rabbitry is 13x24 and is an insulated shed that was there when I bought it.  As you know,  I started out, with my rabbits outside.    this set-up has given me much freedom from babysitting hot rabbits and giving them frozen bottles every hour when its 103 and a heat index of 115-120 in the land of Missery.  LOLOL  Or is it Missouri?  I always get them messed up.   rofl
I thank you for the compliment.
I am out of town working right now but will be home all next week and I am a smoking fool when I can be.  I have some idea's on how to do rabbit, I just have not had the time to do it.  I will post when I am successful at it.  I have rabbits to process so if I have the time and energy, I will try it.


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## Prairiechick

animalmom said:
			
		

> You got Zig Zags that big, or do you find a cigar wrapper works better?  Wow!


Crack me up!  I was going to say something sarcastic like that!  LOL


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## happy acres

So, how did they turn out? And how do you keep the durn things lit?


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## VickieB

I'm afraid I haven't tried cooking them in the smoker yet. But I did find they have a natural mild flavor with no aftertaste when rolled in Zig Zags...


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## Freezer_pets

We smoke a lot of critters... Fish, birds, game... All Without papers . 

I'd suggest soaking in a light brine of salt, brown sugar and  black pepper for 12-24 hours.  The brine should be light, not too much salt... Maybe 1/2 cup to a gallon of water then smoke it until the internal temp reaches 168 (dead zone for bacteria).  Just stick a meat temp probe in the thickest part.

You could also do a dry rub, almost anything really... Pappy's, Penzy's Bicentennial rub.  I have a rib run that would be great.  Equal parts salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika, sugar and black pepper.  I wonder if it will tenderize while smoking or be kind of tough?

Your post got me thinking a lot about smoked bunny and i am so gonna try that!  Thank you!


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## happy acres

Do let us know how it turns out! I'm thinking of putting in a smokehouse, and want to know if it's worth it.


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