Hare - any good?
Discussion
Is hare any good? I can buy some tomorrow (as can any of your if you go to the Bishop Auckland Food Festival and go to the Shaw Meats stand) but undecided if I will, my general experience with "exotic" meats is there is usually a reason they're not more popular. I'm not a great fan of rabbit, nothing against it but it's not brilliant.
If it is any good how would you recommend having it? Any kind of stew/casserole type thing basically rules it out for me as it tells me it's not all that as a meat.
If it is any good how would you recommend having it? Any kind of stew/casserole type thing basically rules it out for me as it tells me it's not all that as a meat.
Silvanus said:
Hare is very different to rabbit, it's a dark gamey meat, as different as chicken and beef. Are you looking at getting a whole one, a jointed one, or just a bit to try. I personally think it's excellent meat and certainly worth giving it a go.
I've no idea. As you'll know when you speak to her next 
Mrs Foolish didn't want some today cause wabbit but since I've decided I'm going back tomorrow to the festival to get a couple of things that I should have done today I'm considering it anyway cause new animal to try and variety is spice of life. Any recommendations welcome 
oddman said:
Most likely leg meat. If there are any obvious pieces of saddle - A bit like a tiny whole fillet steak you might want to keep these separate. I would treat this as if it's been frozen and thawed so get it cooked. If you cook it today it'll improve in the fridge for a few days. Any further than Friday I'd be inclined to freeze it - won't do it any harm. Might be a bit whiffy and bloody so a rinse in cold water and pat dry with a cloth. If it smells OK you might just need to pat it dry.
Cut the pieces of leg into even size pieces erring on the big side. Toss in seasoned flour and brown. I like to use bacon fat from preparing garnish.
Chopped stock vegetables onion carrot celery colour these after the meat and retrun the lot to the pan.
Glass of brandy - flame. Then add red wine I'd say about half a bottle for every pound of meat. Bouquet garni. If it's heading for a pasta sauce I'd add half a tin of tomatoes for every pound. Can let it gently stew for at least 3 hours.
Cut the pieces of leg into even size pieces erring on the big side. Toss in seasoned flour and brown. I like to use bacon fat from preparing garnish.
Chopped stock vegetables onion carrot celery colour these after the meat and retrun the lot to the pan.
Glass of brandy - flame. Then add red wine I'd say about half a bottle for every pound of meat. Bouquet garni. If it's heading for a pasta sauce I'd add half a tin of tomatoes for every pound. Can let it gently stew for at least 3 hours.
With minor modifications done for my convenience I have as far as the above now, stewing overnight in slow cooker with the ragu plan the ultimate goal for around Friday. I didn't see anything I'd consider haunches from your description in the meat, did I miss anything?
Just after lunch, my wife and I dropped my daughter off with my parents with instructions for them to continue the slow cook and 20 mins or so before we came back to add a little herb mix I'd prepared. Then once we were back this evening, I'd quickly do the pappardelle and meanwhile pull it apart while thickening it.
And I'm sorry to say that either my initial cooking or my parents had somehow overcooked it. Don't get me wrong, it was perfectly edible. And the sauce was pleasant. So the meal was nice enough in a school dinner/office canteen way. We all finished it. But it was so overdone that it wasn't distinguishable as hare, it could have been any red meat really.
Feel like I've let oddman in particular down
So all I've learned is I don't dislike hare. And maybe don't go mental about cooking it for hours upon hours upon hours.
Thanks anyway - will definitely be giving it another go in the future. It had potential for sure, I just wasted it. Onwards and upwards!
And I'm sorry to say that either my initial cooking or my parents had somehow overcooked it. Don't get me wrong, it was perfectly edible. And the sauce was pleasant. So the meal was nice enough in a school dinner/office canteen way. We all finished it. But it was so overdone that it wasn't distinguishable as hare, it could have been any red meat really.
Feel like I've let oddman in particular down
So all I've learned is I don't dislike hare. And maybe don't go mental about cooking it for hours upon hours upon hours.
Thanks anyway - will definitely be giving it another go in the future. It had potential for sure, I just wasted it. Onwards and upwards!
Edited by Somewhatfoolish on Sunday 28th April 01:23
Looks like Shaw Meats are also gonna be at the Newcastle Food Festival, which is basically the same distance from me as Bishop was. I can't go on Saturday (got more important things to do like MONSTER TRUCKS) but if they're there on Sunday wonder if I should go along and ask about haunches...
Gotta say the festival itself doesn't look like it's gonna be anything like as good as the Bishop one was... probably cause of the lack of awesome-whole-town-owes-so-much-to-him-honestly-there-will-be-thousands-at-his-funeral eccentric billionaire funding it unlike the Bishop one.
Gotta say the festival itself doesn't look like it's gonna be anything like as good as the Bishop one was... probably cause of the lack of awesome-whole-town-owes-so-much-to-him-honestly-there-will-be-thousands-at-his-funeral eccentric billionaire funding it unlike the Bishop one.
Edited by Somewhatfoolish on Friday 3rd May 23:12
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