So how do you cut a rabbit?

So how do you cut a rabbit? · 12-24-2008, 08:17 PM

Just wondering on this one. Do you cut a rabbit with a sac. fence, or cut it with the rip fence away from the dado stack? Why? I do both, just asking the crowd.

jimwill48 · 12-24-2008, 08:54 PM

Sacrificial fence with part of dado stack buried!

James

Gotcha6 · 12-24-2008, 09:33 PM

Ditto that. If you keep the rabbet cut against the fence & slip with the board, you can always make another pass & clean it up. The other way you cannot correct a blunder & you'll have a bad rabbet - & bad rabbet don't taste good.

merrill77 · 12-24-2008, 09:53 PM

- dado stack buried in fence - 2 passes with regular blade in table saw - router table Choice depends on how many rabbets I need to cut, the depth of said rabbets and what is already setup on the tablesaw and router table.

WoodWrangler · 12-24-2008, 10:32 PM

Cutting rabbits can get a little messy. If you have a Sawstop, make sure the brake is disabled first as rabbits conduct just like people. Just take the cut easy, wear eye protection, and don't let the kids watch.

ptt49er · 12-24-2008, 10:37 PM

I like the idea of a sacrificial fence...never needed to cut one though...

erasmussen · 12-24-2008, 10:39 PM

Meat cutting blade on the band saw

The router table is the way I do them. I have a very large router table that makes it easy

WoodWrangler · 12-24-2008, 10:53 PM

Ok, I will try to be serious just this once.

I think it depends on much of a rabbit (size and quantity) I have to do. Sometimes a handheld router with a rabbit bit for just a few. Other times the router table -- but too many just kills bits and takes a long time. Usually on the tablesaw with the sacrificial fence. The tablesaw does it effortlessly and with a good blade set you will get excellent results.

Travis Porter · 12-24-2008, 10:56 PM

Neither. My saw will not accept a dado.

So, I use a rabbeting bit in the router.

12-25-2008, 12:05 AM

It's been a while but I used to trap and cut a lot of rabbits when I was younger and lived up in Northern IL. There aren't very many rabbits around here in NC but up there they are everywhere.

If recall correctly... these are the steps to cutting big rabbits.

1 Dress rabbit as soon as possible
2 Keep everything clean
3 Cut off the head and feet
4 Hold the rabbit by the loose skin on the back and make a cut down the entire length of only the skin.
5 Peel the skin off the flesh including the tail
6 Remove entrails (Cut open the abdomen, reach inside and remove all internal organs)
7 Rinse and hang in a cool place just a little above freezing around 40 degrees for a little while. An old frig makes a good hanger / cooler.
8 Package and freeze.

Pretty easy really...

You can use the rabbit brain to tan it's hide if you want to save the skin and of course some think rabbit feet are lucky - I never thought that way myself.

Big rabbits are a little bit tough, go for the small tender ones, you'll be glad you did.

Thanks

FredP · 12-25-2008, 12:27 AM

with a fork if he's cooked right.

a rabbet on the other hand I use whatever is handyest to set up at the time. usually a router [if I can find one]

Makinsawdust · 12-25-2008, 12:41 AM

Originally Posted by jeff...

If recall correctly... these are the steps to cutting big rabbits.

1 Dress rabbit as soon as possible
2 Keep everything clean
3 Cut off the head and feet
4 Hold the rabbit by the loose skin on the back and make a cut down the entire length of only the skin.
5 Peel the skin off the flesh including the tail
6 Remove entrails (Cut open the abdomen, reach inside and remove all internal organs)
7 Rinse and hang in a cool place just a little above freezing around 40 degrees for a little while. An old frig makes a good hanger / cooler.
8 Package and freeze.

Pretty easy really...

I thought the first step was to shoot'em and the last step was to eat'em. Rabbit's are good eating!

Seriously, I prefer dado with sac fence but have used router on occasion.
Rob

12-25-2008, 01:09 AM

Originally Posted by Makinsawdust

I thought the first step was to shoot'em and the last step was to eat'em. Rabbit's are good eating!

Seriously, I prefer dado with sac fence but have used router on occasion.
Rob

Yeah it's best to pop em off while they are in the trap with one of those pump pellet guns - a lot less mess that way. My first hunting experience with double barrel 12 ga. loaded with bird shot, poor little rabbit hops right out in front of me... all that was left was fur and bloody rabbit parts scattered in the snow. We were supposed to be hunting ring neck pheasant, I don't know what I was thinking

There are no pheasant around here. Pheasant my friend is some good eating, not to mention just a lot of fun hunting.

I had an excellent bird and rabbit dog when I was a young guy. A full blooded female cocker spaniel named ginger she was red. On one occasion a buddy and I were hunting rabbit and one ran up a steep hill. I was tired of wading through the snow and did not feel like climbing up the hill. So my buddy went up there shot the rabbit, my dog picked it up ran down the hill and dropped it at my feet, that there is a good dog

We still joke around about that one when we talk.

TracyP · 12-25-2008, 01:13 AM

Originally Posted by jeff...

It's been a while but I used to trap and cut a lot of rabbits when I was younger and lived up in Northern IL. There aren't very many rabbits around here in NC but up there they are everywhere.

If recall correctly... these are the steps to cutting big rabbits.

1 Dress rabbit as soon as possible
2 Keep everything clean
3 Cut off the head and feet
4 Hold the rabbit by the loose skin on the back and make a cut down the entire length of only the skin.
5 Peel the skin off the flesh including the tail
6 Remove entrails (Cut open the abdomen, reach inside and remove all internal organs)
7 Rinse and hang in a cool place just a little above freezing around 40 degrees for a little while. An old frig makes a good hanger / cooler.
8 Package and freeze.

Pretty easy really...

You can use the rabbit brain to tan it's hide if you want to save the skin and of course some think rabbit feet are lucky - I never thought that way myself.

Big rabbits are a little bit tough, go for the small tender ones, you'll be glad you did.

Thanks

Rabbits are best roasted over an open fire

, with vinegar and red pepper!!

12-25-2008, 01:34 AM

Originally Posted by TracyP

Rabbits are best roasted over an open fire, with vinegar and red pepper!!

Never tried vinegar and red pepper, but have spit them over a open fire and they are pretty good that way. I still have the roasted rabbit and veggies recipe I used for many years - we would fry the quarters and then bake in the oven. Let me know if you want the recipe and I'll type it up... It works well and taste great... Not to mention very healthy. It's so good as a matter of fact, it's cured many who were reluctant about eating "cute lil bunny foo foo"