I have seen a number of hares on my place and was wondering if they were any good to eat?

These animals are european hares which I think look almost identical to what you north Amercians call jackrabbits, so I'm hoping some of you would like to maybe share some recipes perhaps.

I've shot a few in the past and the meat looks very very red, almost purple/blue in colour it's so full of blood, totally unlike rabbit in every way, and I'm unsure how to handle it to make it edible.
It looks like it would have a very gamey character.

Jugged hare is good:

http://thefoody.com/mrsbpoultry/juggedhare.html

http://honest-food.net/wild-ga...-or-civet-de-lievre/

grilled with a nice bar-b-que sauce there great. The hares I have had hares are a slightly different breed than jack rabbit.

European hare in Germany (hase) are much more tender and fatter than the typical Texas jack rabbit. Do a search on the net for jugged hare, hasenpfeffer, etc and you should find recipes.

yeep Jackrabbit is like chewing an old boot. I tried to cook one once when I was a kid. It only took once

a great way to cook rabbit is in a traditional spanish paella; in fact, rabbit is thought to be one of the original meats used in this national spanish dish.

here are a few links containing pictures, detailed histories and recipes for anyone interested from http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net:

http://foodsoftheworld.activeb...?TID=22&title=paella

http://foodsoftheworld.activeb...le=paella-valenciana

http://foodsoftheworld.activeb...on-paella-de-marisco

http://foodsoftheworld.activeb...=national-paella-day

http://foodsoftheworld.activeb...-national-paella-day

and here is a picture to use as a teaser:



while it is true that most of these feature chicken or seafood, there is absolutely no reason that rabbit cannot be substituted for the chicken and the dish prepared with local fish or none at all ~

for anyone who wats to try some serious historical eating, paella is the way to go. in fact, i'll see if i can bring home some "bunnies" to try this dish, perhaps with fresh trout or walleye!

enjoy!

Ask on the South American thread....the hares they have sound similar and i have eaten them there. Very good if prepared right. Juan Pozzi is a master at it.....

if anyone is interested in the paella idea, here's one i made last weekend with venison and mushrooms. it would be jsut as good (maybe even better) using rabbit:

http://foodsoftheworld.activeb...-los-montaas-tal-vez