How to skin a rabbit

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john scrivy

Nomad
May 28, 2007
398
0
essex
There is a tutorial simular to the very good fish prep thread Just google how to gut a rabbit and go to the River cottage link sorry should have put this in the fair game bit
 

Greg

Full Member
Jul 16, 2006
4,335
259
Pembrokeshire
Not a bad tutorial but its missing a couple of steps,

1 - With a fresh kill you should point the rabbit away from you hind legs down and squeeze the bladder to extract any urine that might be still inside.

2 - When making the initial cut you should pinch the skin around its stomach so as not to pierce the stomach wall.

One other thing I personally don't find it necessary to cut the legs off as this can cause sharp points on the bone which could inadvertantly cut you.
By nicking the inner membrane around the leg you can push the whole leg through clear of the skin.

Thanks for the link though it is useful.
 

commandocal

Nomad
Jul 8, 2007
425
0
UK
Was ok :) hard to understand i wouldnt be able to follow it though :/ But i think i get the jist of it apart from this urine part and what exactly in their is the guts? Knowing me i would take out all the meat, must find one and try it soon
 

Greg

Full Member
Jul 16, 2006
4,335
259
Pembrokeshire
Was ok :) hard to understand i wouldnt be able to follow it though :/ But i think i get the jist of it apart from this urine part and what exactly in their is the guts? Knowing me i would take out all the meat, must find one and try it soon

You have to squeeze the stomach to expel any urine in the bladder as this can taint the meat if left in before disembowling the animal. (When removing the inards the bladder is likely to rupture which means you will get urine on the meat, not really what you want!)

So,once you have removed the fur coat, You pinch the stomach and make an incision you'll soon find the inards as they tend to fall out, pretty grosse really. then you need to reach up inside the cavity to remove the heart, liver, kidneys and lungs - these you keep the rest you can discard or keep as bait.
Once you have removed the inards (stomach, bladder, intestines, colon etc) get your little finger and push it from the inside out through the rabbits anal canal to expel any droppings still in place.
Once this is all done your ready to joint the carcass.
 

Big Bad Stu

Nomad
Jul 18, 2006
251
0
54
Shropshire
I used the River Cottage tutorial to skin a rabbit on Monday, it was brilliant. I used a small neck knife to part the skin from the beastie around it's back and my Gransfors WIldlife Hatchet to remove the feet and head.

Easier than paunching the rabbit wearing a head torch in a layby on our shoot at 11pm on Sunday night!

Brilliant link.

Stewey.:D
 

Silverback

Full Member
Sep 29, 2006
978
15
England
I am hoping to produce a piece of media film in the future demonstrating the process from field to table. I use several techniques that I have not seen demonstrated before that I believe make the job a whole lot easier and minimises some of the areas where things can go wrong (puncturing guts during initial incision, rupturing the bladder and clean removal of the anal canal etc.). Publications are a good starting point but you can't beat seeing it done in the flesh (no pun intended :D )
 

Matt Weir

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jun 22, 2006
2,880
2
52
Tyldesley, Lancashire.
I am hoping to produce a piece of media film in the future demonstrating the process from field to table. I use several techniques that I have not seen demonstrated before that I believe make the job a whole lot easier and minimises some of the areas where things can go wrong (puncturing guts during initial incision, rupturing the bladder and clean removal of the anal canal etc.). Publications are a good starting point but you can't beat seeing it done in the flesh (no pun intended :D )

I hope this happens Dave. Hopefully it will get bought by some TV company and you make a nice butty and find fame and fortune :D
 

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