# My Annual Smoked Rabbit Post



## xjcamaro (Sep 23, 2013)

Its turning into that time of year again for us in Pennsylvania. Hunting seasons are approaching and that means for me alotof rabbit hunting. So in prep for the upcoming season we cleaned out the freezer and had ourselves a rabbit feast yesterday. We had alot more rabbit than we thought we had so i split the rabbit two ways, smoked, and slow cooked. I havent slow cooked rabbit in quite a while because after i first smoked it no one ever asked for it any other way. But since we had alot to work with this year i did it both ways.

I started with quite a bit of rabbit, cut up my way, boneless back straps and whole legs. I used all the backstraps for the smoker and the most of the legs went into the crockpot. The rabbit to go into the smoker was put in my brine mixture to sit over night. The rabbit to go in the crockpot was just soaked in water overnight.The next day the rabbit was pulled out of the brine, rinsed, and dried. I wrapped as much of the rabbit with bacon as i had bacon for. The rest was just put in naked.

The rabbit that was in the crockpot was covered with BBQ sauce and left to slow cook for 8 hrs. The rabbit that went into the smoker was sprinkled with cajun seasoning, smoked with Hickory, and as left in the smoker for 2 hrs at approx 275-300* until internal temp was 160-170*.  The crockpot rabbit fell right off the bone and the smoked rabbit was awesome. I ate some that was not wrapped in bacon, and i think im getting to the point where a good brine and slow cooking in the smoker might be enough and the bacon is not needed. But that was just my thought, i know everyone else that ate it had no complaints.

So here is your Q-view for drooling first thing monday morning.

Here is the rabbit all ready for brine and the crockpot













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__ xjcamaro
__ Sep 23, 2013






Here is the pot of brine that was simmered for 30 mins and then left to cool













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__ xjcamaro
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Rabbit in the brine.













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__ xjcamaro
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Rabbit rinsed and dried ready for wrapping.













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__ xjcamaro
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Rabbit all prepped and ready to go into the smoker.













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__ xjcamaro
__ Sep 23, 2013


















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__ xjcamaro
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Rabbit in the smoker.













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__ xjcamaro
__ Sep 23, 2013






All done and ready for consumption!













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__ xjcamaro
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And here is the BBQ rabbit in the crock pot ready to eat!













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__ xjcamaro
__ Sep 23, 2013






Enjoy! I know i did!


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## daveomak (Sep 23, 2013)

Rabbit is soooooo good.....   Not often you see folks cookin' it.....    Nice pics.....   Dave


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## woodcutter (Sep 23, 2013)

Man does that look good! Bacon sure takes a great picture.


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## mr t 59874 (Sep 23, 2013)

It all looks mighty good xj.  Two of the things we miss from the Mid West are wild rabbit and squirrel.

Thanks.  Good hunting.

Tom


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## smokinhusker (Sep 23, 2013)

Looks fantastic!!! Saw loads of rabbits while out deer hunting and when it's time to hunt them, we won't see any!!!


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## xjcamaro (Sep 23, 2013)

Ya thats usually how it goes. I see them running around all over the place during the summer, then as soon as fall hits and we get the dogs out, they are gone.


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## foamheart (Sep 23, 2013)

WoW I love wittle bitty wabbits and wrapped in bacon and smoke is inspirational! Worst thing is most of all the old rabbit hunting places here are all gone now. And most of the rabbit "Ranchers" are gone and those few remaining are loving it.

Its a shame what he lose to the word progress or maybe a better word would be profit.

Those sure look good.


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## Bearcarver (Sep 23, 2013)

Hey Jason----Great to see you!!!

I figured you were about due to make room in your freezer for the new cottontails!!!

They all look mighty tasty from this end of the state!!!

Good luck in the new season!!

Bear


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## redneck1676 (Sep 23, 2013)

Whats in your brine sir? Looks great!


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## xjcamaro (Sep 24, 2013)

Here is my brine, i usually cut it in half for the amounts that i do.

1 1/2 gal water

1/2 cup kosher salt

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

2 tbsp garlic powder

2 tbsp onion powder

2 tbsp cajun spice

2 tbsp celery salt

and i adjusted it a little last time i made it to also include 2 tbsp thyme, 1 cup vinegar, and 2 tbsp basil.


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## mr dirt (Sep 24, 2013)

I have never had the opportunity to eat rabbit.  I've eaten a lot of things, but never rabbit.  I need to find someone that I know who hunts rabbits.  That looks super yummy.


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## bama bbq (Sep 24, 2013)

SWMBO is heading out of town this weekend so I may head to the woods!


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## foamheart (Sep 24, 2013)

I was always taught you can't kill rabbits till after the first frost something about rabbit fever.... <shrugs>  I also forget that not everyone lives in the deep south. LOL

I wonder if that swamp fever thing is for real?


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## toesmasher (Sep 24, 2013)

SmokinHusker said:


> Looks fantastic!!! Saw loads of rabbits while out deer hunting and when it's time to hunt them, we won't see any!!!


Isn't that the way it always goes.


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## Bearcarver (Sep 24, 2013)

Foamheart said:


> I was always taught you can't kill rabbits till after the first frost something about rabbit fever.... <shrugs>  I also forget that not everyone lives in the deep south. LOL
> 
> I wonder if that swamp fever thing is for real?


I never heard of rabbit fever up here, but in Pennsyvania, if you shoot them before the first frost, they could be wormy (under the skin).

Jason would know better than me, as he's shot a lot more rabbits than I have.

Bear


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## xjcamaro (Sep 25, 2013)

Ive never experienced any wormy rabbits but maybe it always frosts before the first day. Ive seen them coverd in fleas, but no worms.


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## kandl (Sep 27, 2013)

I wish we had more rabbits around.  I only see what i assume is the SAME rabbit maybe 2 times a year. LOL  Haven't had rabbit since I was a little kid.  That looks very tasty!


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## catskilltrikker (Sep 27, 2013)

If you can't find wild rabbit to hunt or if you don't hunt there is always farm raised rabbit.A recipe this good will work on both.


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## pier2pier (Oct 6, 2013)

Wow, that looks delicious!  I ate a lot of rabbit growing up, but never tried it smoked.  Well done.


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## kingfishcam (Oct 6, 2013)

Looks delicious to me!
And yes, fleas are the issue until a good frost.


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## greg b (Oct 9, 2013)

What temp do you smoke it to? (internal)


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## fireman81 (Nov 17, 2016)

That looks awesome!  What do you use for a brine and what temp am I looking to smoke at and internal temp am I looking for?


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