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Meat, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Hunter’s rabbit with steamed potatoes

Hunter's rabbit is rabbit simmered in a white wine sauce with mushrooms and tomato, served with steamed potatoes. This recipe serves 4, takes 65 minutes, and stays easy to make, at €3.80 per serving. The key is browning the meat well before simmering and keeping a gentle heat so it doesn't dry out.

Tonight, we're heading to the woods with hunter's rabbit, white wine sauce, mushrooms and tomato.

Hunter’s rabbit with steamed potatoes
Total time
1 h 05
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.80
Calories per person
680 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

Hunter's rabbit is a cocotte that simmers quietly while the sauce builds up flavor from white wine, browned mushrooms and tomato. The meat stays tender, the sauce coats nicely thanks to the flour, and tarragon brings that light anise note that gives the dish its character without ever taking over.

This is the kind of dish to make on a Sunday, when you have time to let it simmer without rushing, but it also works as a weeknight dinner if you start early. Kids usually like the tomato sauce and the potatoes, and rabbit meat, milder than chicken, tends to go over well at the family table.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Rabbit, cut into pieces 1

Fruits and vegetables

  • White mushrooms 300 g
  • Shallots 3
  • Potatoes 1 kg

Pantry

  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Dry white wine 20 cl
  • Flouroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Tarragonoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Roll the rabbit pieces in flour, season with salt and pepper, then brown them in oil in a Dutch oven.

    Brown them in small batches, too crowded and they release water instead of coloring.

  2. Set the meat aside, then sweat the shallots and sliced mushrooms in the pot.

    Let the mushrooms color before stirring, they develop a nutty flavor that way.

  3. Deglaze with the white wine, add the tomatoes and tarragon, then return the rabbit to the pot.

    Scrape the bottom well with a wooden spoon, those browned bits are the flavor of the dish.

  4. Cover and let simmer over low heat, turning the rabbit halfway through cooking. 45 min

    Rabbit dries out fast, a gentle simmer and a well fitted lid are all you need.

  5. Steam or boil the peeled potatoes in salted water and serve them alongside the rabbit. 20 min

    Salt the water as you would for pasta, it's your only chance to season them all the way through.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick firm, not too wet mushrooms, they brown better and keep the sauce from getting watery.
  • If the sauce looks too thin at the end, remove the lid for the last ten minutes so it reduces.
  • Ask your butcher to cut the rabbit into even pieces so it cooks more evenly.

The variations

  • Swap the rabbit for free range chicken pieces, the cooking time drops slightly.
  • For a meatless version, use a larger quantity of mixed mushrooms plus a bit of tempeh, keeping the same sauce.
  • For kids in a hurry, blend the sauce before serving and cut the potatoes into small cubes.

What to serve it with

  • Crusty bread for the sauce
  • Green salad with vinaigrette
  • A glass of the same dry white wine

Storage

Hunter's rabbit keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well, without the potatoes, for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in a saucepan, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.

Questions about this dish

Can you make hunter's rabbit ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually a good idea, the sauce gets better after resting overnight in the fridge. Reheat it gently over low heat the next day before serving.

Which white wine works best for this recipe?

A simple dry white wine is enough, no need for anything fancy. A muscadet or sauvignon blanc works well without weighing down the sauce.

Can you skip the tarragon if you don't like it?

Yes, you can swap it for thyme or a bay leaf for a more neutral sauce. Tarragon adds a distinctive anise note, but the dish still works without it.

How do you keep the rabbit from drying out?

Keep the heat low enough for a gentle simmer and make sure the lid fits well the whole time. Turn the meat halfway through so it stays moist on both sides.

How long does it take to make a hunter's rabbit with steamed potatoes?

Count 1 h 05 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a hunter's rabbit with steamed potatoes?

About 680 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 hunter's rabbit with steamed potatoes cost?

About €3.80 per serving, or €15.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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