You have probably heard of porchetta, but how about rabbitchetta? Celebrity chef Tom Colicchio shares his fun twist on the Italian porchetta dish, using rabbit meat instead of pork. Interesting, huh? Just wait until you try it! Rabbit meat is considered as one of the healthiest meats out there. So if you’re on a diet, this won’t be cheating. 😉
Ingredients:
Rabbit loin
Rabbit mousse (alternative: your favorite stuffing)
Salt
Black pepper
Activa
Slices of pancetta (alternative: smoked uncured bacon)
Equipment:
MEATER Plus
Oven
Ovenproof pot
Plastic wrap
Resting rack
Serving size:
5 real hungry to 8 kind of hungry peeps
Doneness:
125°F
Total time:
According to Tom, this is IRRELEVANT. Plus, you have MEATER to estimate a cooking time for you. 😉
Instructions:
1. Grab the sharpest knife you have and carefully debone the rabbit loin from the underside. Try your best to leave the whole thing intact, including the skin.
2. Now for the flavoring, season the meat all over with salt and pepper and spread some rabbit mousse onto the center of the meat. If you don’t have rabbit mousse, any kind of stuffing that you like will work! A butter, herb stuffing would be an amazing pair with this rabbitchetta as well.
3. Next, sprinkle activa all over the meat, then roll up the loin tightly. The activa, aka “meat glue,” will help keep everything together.
4. This is optional but if you don’t like super lean meat, wrap a layer of fat around the rolled rabbit! Tom used pancetta, but uncured bacon works great too! Lay out several thin slices of pancetta (or bacon) onto a flat surface, then carefully place the rabbit at one end, and roll the rabbit with the thin slices of meat so it is now wrapped in fatty goodness.
5. Grab some plastic wrap and roll the meat with it. Make sure it’s as tight and secure as possible because it’s about to be submerged in water! We don’t want this rabbit drowning with no life vest on! Once you’ve got it all nice and secure, put the loin aside and start boiling water in a pot big enough to fit the entire loin.
6. Once the water is simmering, place the loin in the pot for 2-3 minutes. This is just enough time to let the rabbit firm up a bit. It’s like botox, but for “rabbitchetta.” After the meat’s firmed up, let the loin sit overnight in the fridge. We know it’s hard to wait sometimes, but this will really make sure everything is sealed nicely! Good things come to those who wait.
7. Thanks for waiting! First things first, preheat your oven to 375°F. Then, it’s finally time to take off the plastic wrap. Look at how nice and firm that roll is! Go ahead and season the outside with salt. Grab your MEATER Plus and insert the probe into the center of the thickest part of the meat.
8. Now it’s time to set up the cook in the app. We don’t have rabbit as an option… YET! Instead, select “Other,” then click “Roast.” We recommend an internal temperature of 125°F for juicy tenderness, but it’s up to you and your preference.
9. Before you put the rabbitchetta into the oven, grab a pan, drizzle some oil on there, then place the meat onto the oil. Turn on your heat to medium-high, the oil doesn’t have to be tooooo hot. Once you hear some sizzling, rotate the loin so all sides get an even amount of heat. Next, put the pan directly into the oven.
10. Now just wait until the MEATER app tells you it’s time to remove from heat!
11. Once you get the notification, it’s time to rest the meat! Remove the pan from the oven, and rest the rabbit loin onto a resting rack. Don’t take out the probe just yet. It’ll be worth the wait! Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the aroma of your amazing work until MEATER says it’s time to eat. 🤤
12. Slice and enjoy!
