Do different breeds taste any different?

[rickerra]

Odd question... I feel sorta silly for asking. Don't recall ever reading about this.

Do different rabbit breeds taste any different?

The Californians and NZs seem the most popular meat varieties... is this only due to their feed-to-meat and bone-to-meat efficiencies? Or is that also due to taste... their fur... their color... their temperament?

Cheers!

 

[dewey]

All things being equal, domestic rabbit is domestic rabbit and the meat all basically tastes the same. Texture and tenderness is another matter.

Texture and tenderness is mostly determined by age at processing, where's there's a world of difference between processing at 8 weeks of age or 12 weeks of age, and even more between 12 and 16 weeks old, and so on...though it's all tasty, whether fryer or stewer age. Similar to chickens, where fryers are young and tender, usually no more than 6 weeks old, while stewer chickens are a bit older and require slow cooking for tender results, yet they both taste great and have perfect textures for their ages when cooked accordingly.

With the breeds you mentioned the bone to meat ratio is a factor, but combined with that is the very important feed to meat ratio. Commercial breeds have large litters and it takes less feed to produce a pound of meat, hence the ability to produce very tender meat at a lower cost.

Now, if you'd asked if wild rabbit tastes different from domestic...

 

[Legacy]

I wondering if there is a difference in the texture and tenderness in the meat based on the size of cage and the amount of activity. I love to put my bunnies in a "play pen" several days a week where they have room to run and jump and boy-do-they-ever. Just wondering if that is making my meat tougher. It's not a big deal, I'll still do it but I am curious.

 

[smalltimer]

i have nz flemish crosses and i just butchered my first one at 10 weeks i also let mine run in open pens and i found there meat very tender a lot like chicken in my apinion