Skip to content

Meat, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Cider braised rabbit with baby potatoes

Cider braised rabbit with baby potatoes is a French style stew for 4 people, ready in 1 hour 15 minutes, of medium difficulty, at about €3.60 per person. The rabbit browns with mustard before simmering in cider with bacon and shallots. The key is a good sear at the start and a cream finished sauce that coats the spoon without boiling hard.

Tonight we're braising rabbit in cider with bacon and shallots, served with roasted baby potatoes.

Cider braised rabbit with baby potatoes
Total time
1 h 15
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.60
Calories per person
660 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall, Spring

Cider braised rabbit smells like thyme and apples the moment it starts simmering. The meat turns tender, the bacon adds a salty edge, the shallots melt into the sauce, and the dry cider brings a light tang that wakes everything up. Cream goes in at the end to bind and soften the sauce without hiding the cider's flavor.

This is more of a weekend dish than a weeknight one, the braising time needs patience but not constant attention. It suits anyone who enjoys a classic stew, perfect for a Sunday dinner or a meal with friends. Roasting the baby potatoes alongside means one less pan to clean.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Rabbit, cut into pieces 1
  • Smoked bacon lardons 150 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Shallots 4
  • Baby potatoes 800 g

Pantry

  • Dry cider 50 cl
  • Mustardoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Thymeoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Bay leafoften in the pantry 1
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Heavy cream 10 cl

Allergens Lactose, Mustard

The step by step recipe

  1. Rub the rabbit with mustard and brown it in an oiled pot, then set it aside with the browned bacon. 10 min

    Take your time to get a good color on the meat, it's half the flavor.

  2. Cook the shallots in the fat left in the pot, then add the rabbit and bacon back in. 3 min

    Keep a bit of fat, drain the rest.

  3. Pour in the cider, add the thyme and bay leaf, cover and let it simmer. 45 min

    Turn the rabbit halfway through, the saddles cook faster than the legs.

  4. Roast the baby potatoes with oil, salt and thyme at 200 degrees. 35 min

    Don't cut them, their skin stays thin and crisp.

  5. Stir the cream into the pot, let it thicken gently and serve with the baby potatoes. 3 min

    The sauce should coat the back of a spoon without boiling hard.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a dry cider rather than a sweet one, the sugar in sweet cider would make the sauce too syrupy once reduced.
  • Slice the shallots thinly so they melt fully into the sauce instead of staying in chunks.
  • If the sauce is still too thin after adding the cream, simmer uncovered a few more minutes rather than reaching for flour.

The variations

  • Swap the rabbit for free range chicken pieces, the cooking time will be a bit shorter.
  • For a vegetarian version, use button mushrooms and parsnips instead of the rabbit and bacon.
  • To save time, use only rabbit saddles, they cook in about 25 minutes instead of 45.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of dry cider
  • A sharply dressed green salad
  • Crusty bread for the sauce

Storage

Cider braised rabbit keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well, without the baby potatoes, for up to 2 months. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water or cider if the sauce has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can I use sweet cider instead of dry cider?

Yes, but cut back slightly on the cream at the end since sweet cider already adds sugar. The sauce will taste milder and less tangy than the original.

Do I need to marinate the rabbit before cooking?

No, the mustard rub before browning is enough to flavor the meat. The 45 minute braise does the rest of the work.

Can this dish be made ahead?

Yes, and it's actually better reheated the next day. Cook the baby potatoes at the last minute so they stay crisp.

Which rabbit pieces should I pick if I'm not using a whole rabbit?

Legs hold up better to long braising than saddles, which cook faster and can dry out. If mixing pieces, pull the saddles out a bit before the braise finishes.

How long does it take to make a cider braised rabbit with baby potatoes?

Count 1 h 15 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a cider braised rabbit with baby potatoes?

About 660 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a cider braised rabbit with baby potatoes cost?

About €3.60 per serving, or €14.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose, mustard. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

Cuisine from Northern, Eastern and Western France

See all

Recipes with cream

See all