Proud!

[tortoise]

I couldn't see on the tutorial video I watched about how they managed to trim around the anus. So I didn't mess with that area at all. I took the hind legs off carefully before gutting the rabbit. I don't save hides, so I had the pelvis/spine, hide, and guts all attached at the butt. Whatever. I got the meat I needed and clean too.

Can you show a better tutorial of that part?

Later I realized that kitchen shears would work better. I used to work at a dog kennel where we fed 100's of pounds of raw meat. (about 100# per day). The kitchen shear would cut right through chicken leg bones. With those, I could definitely handle ribs.

The spine is hard because rabbit vertebrae interlock. It's not like you can just separate a joint and cut the ligaments. So I left it alone. The tutorial I watched they cut off the legs and then cut the remaining body into 6 - 7 slices. That seemed like a waste of the tenderloin to me! I fileted out the tenderloin.

I did figure out to pop the joints... eventually. I hope to learn to do this better and faster. I will definitely see what I can do for a hock hook. And next time I'm using real butcher paper - not newspaper!

I bled them out in a utility sink. Should I skin them there too? Just trying to figure out where I should put hock hooks.

 

[Wildsky]

OMG you people are eating your avatars..............!

 

[Farmfresh]

I originally got a rabbit cleaning guide from the USDA of all places. When you are done you end up with 7 pieces.

The back vertebrae snap actually pretty easy IF you bend them backwards! You can cut the rabbit into: 2 hind legs, 2 front leg rib sections and then bone out the tenderloin and make medallions. I used to do it like that a lot when I was cleaning a whole litter at a time. Then I would package the "breast quarters" for use in stews, soups and casseroles, the legs together as fryer/stew/rabbit cacciatore meals and the tenderloins as their own special recipe packs.

The anal section is EASY IF you have shears. You just point and snip! It also makes things easier if you withhold feed - only water - for about 6 to 8 hours before cleaning.

As for the hock hook ... SHHH .. looks both ways ... OK I can tell you.

For years I had a plant hook in the ceiling WELL secured in the rafter stud. I would attach to that a chain with a hook on the end of it at JUST the right height (took some practice) right OVER my kitchen sink!!

I would bonk them outside and bleed them hanging over a bucket then bring them into the sink and finish the job!

You hide the skinning hook BEFORE the MIL comes over for dinner!

 

[kcsunshine]

You're just not right FF!

 

[lalaland]

hey tortoise, that is really admirable! I'm impressed with the rabbits - having been vegetarian for years, I'm still learning to cook meat - not quite ready for prime time yet. I might try to work my way up to slaughtering some of the chickens.

 

[valmom]

Congratulations, and good for you!

(unfortunately, it will take hunger around here before *someone* will actually eat something they know)

 

[tortoise]

I never said I ATE it!

Mayeb today I'll drown it in BBQ sauce and hide it in a sandwich. I'm REALLY FUSSY about trying new foods. I'll get over it (I hope!)

 

[TanksHill]

You have not even ate any yet??? Either way yo did it. Great job!!!

 

[lorihadams]

I'd be in a whole mess of trouble if I ate my avatar!

 

[Farmfresh]