Carlton Hill Smoked Rabbit

Fall is the season for slow fires. When the nights cool down and the air sharpens, it is time to fire up the smoker. Rabbit takes smoke beautifully, and this recipe is one of the simplest ways to turn what you’ve raised into a meal meant for cool evenings and crisp days. We always eat the hind legs first while they are hot off the smoker. The rest can be pulled and shredded for smoked rabbit tacos, smoked rabbit alfredo, or folded into an omelet the next morning. You can see more about the many ways we use a rabbit in this post: How Many Meals Can You Make from One Rabbit? Our Real Example.

Ingredients

• 1 whole dressed rabbit

• Dry rub (your favorite blend)

• 1 onion, quartered

• 3–4 cloves garlic, smashed

• 2–3 potatoes, thick sliced

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Directions

1. Pat rabbit dry and coat with dry rub.

2. Stuff cavity with onion and garlic.

3. Place rabbit and potatoes in a foil pan.

4. Add apple cider vinegar to the pan.

5. Smoke uncovered at 250°F for 30 minutes.

6. Cover with foil and continue smoking for 3–4 hours, until meat is tender and pulls away easily.

Why It Matters

Fall cooking slows everything down. A rabbit in the smoker means hours to split wood, stack it, and watch the vent drift steady while the meal takes shape. By the time the lid comes off, the meat is tender and the potatoes have soaked up smoke and vinegar. What comes to the table is more than dinner. It is the season itself, cooked slow and made ready to share.