Rural Rabbit and Bacon Pie
Tender braised rabbit and crisp smoked streaky bacon simmered in cider gravy, baked under a golden shortcrust pastry lid.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 70 min
- Total
- 95 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 580 kcal
Equipment
- •Frying pan
- •Pie dish
- •Slotted spoon
- •Pastry brush
- •Rolling pin
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 580 kcal
- fat
- 28 g
- carbs
- 38 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 42 g
- calories
- 580 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat on the hob.
- 2
Fry the smoked streaky bacon until crisp and golden, then remove with a slotted spoon.
- 3
Toss the rabbit pieces in plain flour and brown them in the bacon fat for six minutes.
- 4
Add the chopped onion, carrots, and fresh thyme, cooking for five minutes until soft.
- 5
Pour in the dry cider and warm chicken stock, scraping up any caramelised bits from the pan.
- 6
Return the bacon to the pan, cover with a lid, and simmer gently for forty minutes.
- 7
Transfer the braised meat filling into a deep pie dish and let it cool for ten minutes.
- 8
Heat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
- 9
Unroll the shortcrust pastry over the dish, press the edges firmly, and trim any excess.
- 10
Cut a small steam slit in the centre and brush the top with beaten egg.
- 11
Bake for twenty-five to thirty minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden brown.
Chef's tips
Let the braised filling cool slightly before topping with pastry so the fat in the crust does not melt prematurely. If using whole wild rabbit, braise on the bone first and shred the tender meat directly into the gravy.
Ingredient substitutions
- wild rabbit → boneless chicken thighs, diced
- dry Welsh cider → dry white wine or extra chicken stock
- ready-rolled shortcrust pastry → all-butter puff pastry
Storage
Store leftover pie covered in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat uncovered in an oven preheated to 180°C for twenty minutes until piping hot throughout.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Topping boiling hot filling with cold pastry, which causes the base of the crust to become soggy.
- •Boiling the rabbit too rapidly during the braise, which tightens and dries out the lean game meat.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Rural Rabbit and Bacon Pie?
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