Fried rabbit is a classic country-style dish with a crispy golden coating and tender, flavorful meat inside. Rabbit has a mild taste that pairs beautifully with simple seasonings, buttermilk, and a crunchy flour-cornmeal crust.
This recipe is prepared much like traditional fried chicken, making it comforting, hearty, and perfect for serving with biscuits, gravy, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, or your favorite dipping sauce.
Ingredients
1 whole rabbit, cut into serving pieces
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
Vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
Rinse the rabbit pieces under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels.
Place the rabbit pieces in a large bowl and pour the buttermilk over them. Make sure the pieces are well coated.
Cover the bowl and let the rabbit marinate for at least 1 hour. For more tenderness and flavor, you can marinate it longer in the refrigerator.
In a shallow dish, combine the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper if using.
Remove the rabbit pieces from the buttermilk and let the excess drip off.
Dredge each piece in the seasoned flour mixture, pressing gently so the coating sticks well to the meat.
Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or heavy pot to 350°F (175°C). Use enough oil to fry the pieces evenly.
Carefully place the coated rabbit pieces into the hot oil. Fry in batches so the pan does not become overcrowded.
Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the rabbit is golden brown, crispy, and cooked through.
Remove the fried rabbit from the oil and place it on paper towels to drain excess oil.
Serve hot.
Serving Suggestions
Fried rabbit is delicious with warm biscuits, country gravy, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or a fresh salad. It also pairs well with honey mustard, spicy dipping sauce, or creamy garlic sauce.
Cooking Tips
Marinating the rabbit in buttermilk helps make the meat more tender and gives the coating better flavor.
Do not overcrowd the skillet while frying. Cooking in batches helps keep the oil hot and makes the coating crispier.
Make sure the oil reaches 350°F before frying. If the oil is too cool, the coating may absorb too much oil. If it is too hot, the outside may brown before the inside is fully cooked.
For extra crunch, let the coated rabbit rest for 5 to 10 minutes before frying.
