# What does rabbit taste like? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 23, 2015, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533 "2015-10-23T13:25:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/1 "2015-10-23T13:25:29Z")
inspired by [today’s SD column.](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/3259/why-don-t-we-eat-rabbits) I like chicken, but I’m not a fan of duck. I like beef and pork, but I’m not a fan of lamb. I’ve never had rabbit. In terms of flavor, which of the above would you say it is most similar? Given my preferences listed above, is there a fair chance that I might like it if I dared try it? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/2 "2015-10-23T13:27:20Z")
Not a joke, it tastes like chicken. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/3 "2015-10-23T15:05:02Z")
It tastes like chicken, if chicken was a mammal. Seriously. Most recipes fro rabbit are similar to chicken recipes, but when you deal with the rabbit you are constantly reminded that a rabbit is a mammal. The bone structure is mammalian. Once you’ve got the carcass cut in pieces, you’ve got what looks like parts of a cat or small dog. Nothing chicken or duck-like about it. Now that I’ve got you positively salivating, cook the sucker up. Rabbit is delicious. Mild, like chicken, but definitely MEATY. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/4 "2015-10-23T15:07:39Z")
Also, it takes longer to cook than poultry. I’ve had broiled, grilled, and fried rabbit, but it’s best after a long, slow braise, when the meat is very tender and coming off the bones. Elmer Fudd was no fool. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/5 "2015-10-23T15:09:57Z")
Like very dry chicken breast. Braising is bets. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/6 "2015-10-23T15:17:11Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Not a joke, it tastes like chicken. I concur. Chicken’s as close as it comes, and sometimes I think the “[xxx] tastes like chicken” jokes come from rabbit. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/7 "2015-10-23T15:46:21Z")
Depends on your source of rabbit meat. Wild jackrabbit hunted and brought home and skinned & cooked has a stronger gamier taste than rabbit meat bought in the supermarket in a shrinkwrapped package. Hmm, to be fair I haven’t gone into the woods and shot a wild chicken for the sake of comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/8 "2015-10-23T15:53:03Z")
Domestic raised rabbit intended for human consumption _really does_ taste more like chicken than anything else, as someone else said, more specifically like chicken breast. Haven’t had wild rabbit or hare myself. If you like chicken or turkey there’s a good chance you’ll like rabbit. As noted otherwise, though, it is a very lean meat. I recommend either larding it if you’re going to grill or roast it, or using some olive oil or butter if you’re sauteing. Rabbit soup or stew can benefit from little added fat as well. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/9 "2015-10-23T18:06:19Z")
Regret. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/10 "2015-10-23T18:17:58Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Domestic raised rabbit intended for human consumption _really does_ taste more like chicken than anything else, as someone else said, more specifically like chicken breast. > > Haven’t had wild rabbit or hare myself. > > If you like chicken or turkey there’s a good chance you’ll like rabbit. As noted otherwise, though, it is a very lean meat. I recommend either larding it if you’re going to grill or roast it, or using some olive oil or butter if you’re sauteing. Rabbit soup or stew can benefit from little added fat as well. I’ve had wild hare in a hasenpfeffer and it’s definitely a little more…gamey? But that,s relative to a pretty bland chickeny flavor for raised. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/11 "2015-10-23T18:26:36Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I’ve had wild hare in a hasenpfeffer and it’s definitely a little more…gamey? But that,s relative to a pretty bland chickeny flavor for raised. Yep, wild rabbit does have a gamey taste. Farm raised rabbit tastes a lot like chicken. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/12 "2015-10-23T18:34:24Z")
I had it once and never forgave my mother. I had a pet rabbit at the time and although she didn’t feed me my own pet it was still a betrayal or sorts as she claimed it was chicken. I realized as I was eating it that the bones were wrong and I probably didn’t have more than a couple bites before I confronted her but I remember it was a lot like chicken just drier and sort of denser. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/13 "2015-10-23T18:41:34Z")
If I didn’t know it was Hasepfeffer, I’d swear it was carrots. Seriously, I don’t ever remember thinking either the wild or domestic variety tasting like chicken. Squirrel is the best comparison I can think of, but I realize that doesn’t tell most people very much. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/14 "2015-10-23T18:42:06Z")
Does anybody think it tastes like chicken? I’ve heard it tastes like chicken, but don’t have a cite. Can anybody back me up on this? Anybody else heard it tastes like chicken? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/15 "2015-10-23T18:44:41Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Does anybody think it tastes like chicken? I’ve heard it tastes like chicken, but don’t have a cite. Can anybody back me up on this? Anybody else heard it tastes like chicken? Is this a whoosh? I mean, like _everyone_ here has said it tastes like chicken. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/16 "2015-10-23T18:48:55Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > It tastes like chicken, if chicken was a mammal. Seriously. > > Most recipes fro rabbit are similar to chicken recipes, but when you deal with the rabbit you are constantly reminded that a rabbit is a mammal. The bone structure is mammalian. Once you’ve got the carcass cut in pieces, you’ve got what looks like parts of a cat or small dog. Nothing chicken or duck-like about it. > > Now that I’ve got you positively salivating, cook the sucker up. Rabbit is delicious. Mild, like chicken, but definitely MEATY. This is great. I also came in to say, “like meaty chicken”. But like dark-meat chicken, not chicken breast. Meaty dark-meat chicken. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/17 "2015-10-23T18:50:16Z")
Yeah. I mean, I’ve eaten rabbit and I’d say it was more chicken-like than anything else. Which is not to say it’s _exactly_ like chicken, it’s not, but that’s what it’s close to. Again - not _exactly_ like chicken, but rabbit tastes more like chicken than it tastes like a lot of other things. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/18 "2015-10-23T19:13:11Z")
> [@P-man](#): > > If I didn’t know it was Hasepfeffer, I’d swear it was carrots. Seriously, I don’t ever remember thinking either the wild or domestic variety tasting like chicken. Squirrel is the best comparison I can think of, but I realize that doesn’t tell most people very much. I agree with others that rabbit tastes closest to dark-meat chicken. I may be one of the few others here who can compare it to squirrel. I think it’s similar, but squirrel is a bit richer (more ducklike). My favorite rodents (yes I know rabbits are not technically rodents) are Guinea pig and paca, both of which taste much like pork. My least favorite rodent is rat, which tastes an awful lot like rat. ---
**Author:** ![Gothic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Gothic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gothic)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/19 "2015-10-23T19:14:08Z")
“I keep my right thumbnail long so I can skin them easy.” That’s what my landlord told me when I was renting a cabin from him in Two Rivers, Alaska. His wife is a great cook, and they tasted delicious. A couple of weeks later he asked me to give his cows water for a couple of weeks when they went to Mexico, and he taught me how to drain the water hose before it could freeze. The day after he left it hit minus 20 on Halloween. The sorrel boots I had used with no problem for years in NH, cracked from the cold. No animals except cute rabbits were harmed in this story. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533/20 "2015-10-23T19:30:55Z")
Durring the 1950’s rabbit was becomming very popular possibly because of the price. It seemed to loose its popularity rather quickly, I would guess it had about a 5 year run where you could find it in any supermarket. I prefer chicken, the taste is very similar but I like chicken better. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-rabbit-taste-like/735533.md?page=2)