Rabbit

Rabbit: Nutrition, History and Cooking Guide

The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) was domesticated in France during the early medieval period, with monks in southern France among the first to breed rabbits in captivity for food. Wild rabbits have been hunted and eaten across Europe since prehistoric times. For centuries, rabbit was a common protein across Britain, France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal — affordable, widely available, and suited to the peasant cooking of braising and stewing that transformed simple ingredients into sustaining meals. It fell from favour in much of Britain and North America during the twentieth century, partly due to the trauma of myxomatosis — the disease introduced in the 1950s to control rabbit populations — and changing food culture. In France, Italy, and Portugal, rabbit has remained continuously popular and features on restaurant menus as a matter of course. Today, rabbit is experiencing renewed interest in Britain and North America as consumers seek sustainable, flavourful proteins from animals raised with minimal environmental impact.

Nutritional Value of Rabbit

Rabbit provides 136 kcal and 20.1 g of protein per 100 g, with 5.6 g of fat of which 1.7 g is saturated — lean, with a flavour often compared to delicate chicken. It is a good source of B12, niacin, B6, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc. Wild rabbit tends to be leaner and more gamey in flavour than farmed.

Health Benefits of Rabbit

Rabbit is a lean, nutritious white meat with a lower environmental impact than cattle and pigs — rabbits are very efficient converters of plant material into protein and require much less land and water per kilogram of meat produced. Its protein quality is complete, and its B12 and zinc content make it a nutritionally meaningful choice. As with all meats, moderate consumption within a balanced diet is sound practice.

How to Select and Store Rabbit

Sold whole, jointed, or as saddle (the loin). Farmed rabbit is paler and milder; wild rabbit is darker and more flavourful. Refrigerate for up to three days; freeze for up to three months. Wild rabbit benefits from marinating to help tenderise the lean, firm muscle.

How to Cook Rabbit

Rabbit responds best to low, slow braising — the lean muscles toughen quickly at high heat. French lapin à la moutarde (braised in Dijon mustard and cream) is the classic preparation: brown the jointed rabbit, deglaze with white wine, add stock, Dijon mustard, cream, and thyme, and braise covered for sixty to seventy-five minutes until tender. Italian coniglio alla cacciatora — hunter's rabbit with tomatoes, olives, and capers — is equally rewarding. The saddle (loin), being the most tender part, can be briefly roasted with butter and herbs.