Smoked Rabbit (Brined in Buttermilk)

If you need an impressive, tender, and juicy main dish for dinner, it’s time to make smoked rabbit. A quick brine and smoke, and this beautiful tender meat will make the perfect meal for your weekend BBQ.

It’s not every day we have rabbit for dinner! (or lunch)

I love serving smoked rabbit to my friends and family – it’s a special treat, a great conversation starter, and it sure tastes delicious.

The secret is in the preparation and cooking. The rabbit meat needs to brine for 4-6 hours. This is great as even if you find out on the morning of and want to serve a rabbit for dinner – you can make it happen!

🐰 Ingredients

Rabbit – You can sometimes find this frozen at your grocery store, at a farmer’s market, or at your local butcher, but you may have to go to a specialty store.

Buttermilk – You can usually find this with the heavy cream at the grocery store.

Salt

White Wine

Dry Rub – You can use your favorite dry rub for this. We have a homemade all-purpose dry rub recipe that works very well.

BBQ Sauce – We used the Stubb’s brand, but whatever you have is going to be perfect.

⏲️ Equipment and Tools

Smoker. We use a Big Green Egg or a Traeger.

Container for brine. Use a glass bowl to make sure the rabbit stays submerged. You can also use a zipped plastic bag.

⅛ Sheet Pan. I like to have several of this size on hand to use just for the smoker.

⅛ Sheet Pan Rack. You just need a rack that fits into your sheet pan to hold the rabbit up off of the wine. Look for a cooling rack that fits.

🔥 Instructions

Step One: Mix the smoked rabbit brine, including buttermilk, salt, and water. Use a whisk and make sure to dissolve the salt in the buttermilk.

Note: You really do not need much salt. If you are sensitive to it, use a bit less.

Step Two: Place the rabbit in a glass bowl with the brine. Cover and refrigerate for four to six hours.

Step Three: Remove the meat from the liquid. Rinse the meat thoroughly and pat it dry.

Step Four: Coat it with the dry rub or seasoning of choice.

Step Five: Place the meat on a rack that is on a sheet pan. Pour the wine into the sheet pan. Place the pan in your smoker which should be preheated to 275ºF.

Step Six: Smoke the rabbit until the internal temperature is about 145ºF. At that point, brush on the sauce (if desired). Use your favorite sauce or try something new! Continue smoking until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.

How long does it take to smoke a rabbit? Our rabbit is just under 3 pounds and took about 1 hour and 45 minutes total. Adjust timing given the size and always cook or smoke your meat to temperature, not time.

❗ Recipe Tips and Tricks

Rabbit is very lean and so easy to overcook. Don’t be tempted to keep it on the grill past 160ºF. Check it often. A wifi-enabled wireless meat thermometer is a great idea, if you don’t have one yet get one.

Use a mild-flavored wood for smoke — apple wood, cherry, pecan, or maple work wonders. Avoid hickory or mesquite unless you just really love the strong flavor, because it overwhelms the rabbit.

🧑‍🍳 Storage and Reheating

Remove the cooked rabbit from the bone and dice it up. Place it in airtight containers in the refrigerator for a couple of days or in the freezer for a few months or longer in a deep freeze. You can seal it in freezer-safe baggies.

Reheat the diced rabbit in a soup or stew.

Meal Prep

If you are smoking rabbit for company, prepare your dry rub the day before so that it’s ready to go and not wasting precious time you need to be spending elsewhere getting ready for your guests.

Make sure to allow at least four to six hours for the brine. That will be enough to tenderize the meat and add extra moisture and flavor.

Additions and Substitutions

You can use a similar approach for smoking quail or Cornish hens with buttermilk brine.

Change up your BBQ sauce to completely change the flavor. Use a nice sweet BBQ one month, a vinegar-based sauce the next month and a regional favorite like Mambo Sauce from D.C. the next time and you will never tire of this smoked rabbit recipe.

Serving Suggestions

Smoked Rabbit pairs nicely with Grilled Baked Sweet Potatoes in Foil, Grilled Carrots with Balsamic Glaze, or Grilled Beer Corn on the Cob. It will also work well with mashed potatoes, biscuits, or a fresh salad. Since it uses BBQ sauce, it will go perfectly with any dish you would serve with BBQ meat.

Pair your smoked rabbit meal with good white wine. The white wine you place in the bottom of the sheet pan doesn’t need to be high quality, but you can step it up a notch for your drinking wine with a good Chardonnay or Sauvignon-Blanc.

❓ Recipe FAQ

Related Recipes

Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!