69 replies to this topic

[tiercel]

As they say in all cook books first catch your rabbit. then comes the best part skinning it this is how i do mine.
You need two knives, one large one small ,both sharp.

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[tiercel]

Next you chop the four feet off 2 at a time.

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[tiercel]

Next you twist the neck of the rabbit till it breaks,put down the big knife and pick up the small one. Once you have cut through the skin of the neck cut off the tail.

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[tiercel]

Next you grab the skin in the middle of the back and cut it through.

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[tiercel]

And the last part you grab the two pieces of skin each side of the cut and pull. There you have one skinned rabbit, if you practice you can get really quick doing it this way.

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[tiercel]

The finished job.

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[Hammergun]

OK, heres how you skin for keeping the pelts.

Make an incision from the end of one leg, under the ********, and up the other side.

Ease off the skin to the tail, trim the sinews back around the tail to expose the tailbone, and pull the tail from the bone as shown here between your finger and thumb.

Pull the skin back over the head

Cut off the ears at the base and peel back over the head, trimming round the eyelids, nose and lips, being careful not to cut them.

Peel away sinew from the skin (pay particular care around the hindquarters as the skin in this area is easily torn), and flesh from round the base of the ears.

Finished tanned skin. (no, the skin is from the actual bunny in the picture and not one I did earlier!!)

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[tiercel]

Well done hg got it right second time now you have the skin what are you going to do with it.
P.S.
If you want to keep the years straight pin bits of thin wood to them to keep them in shape, while they dry, thats what taxidermist do.

[Hammergun]

Just used a tanning kit from Lorne Supplies, or Snowdonia Taxidermy Supplies

Tel 01542 840176

Havent decided what to do with the skin yet - maybe a mini rug?

On the continent it is common to leave the head attached and cook complete. The tongue is considered to be a delicacy.

[The Antipodean]

Anybody got any good ideas on tanning chemicals and methods of use (instead of the expensive box kits) now we have a rabbit skin to tan?

[Hammergun]

Rinse the prepared pelt in lukewarm water and squeeze out to remove the grease,

Dissolve 8 oz alum in 1 gallon of warm water, then add 2oz washing soda and 4 oz salt, stir well and add the pelts. Leave in solution for 1-2 days, rinse well several times in warm water, then make an emulsion of neatsfoot oil 1/2 oz to 1 pint warm water and soak the skin in this for 12 hours, working the skin.

Take the skins out and dry with a towel, being careful to keep the fur going in the right direction. As they dry out, work them by stretching in different directions betwen your fingers, being careful not to chafe the ears or nose end as the hair in these areas may fall out. Dry the skin with the tail lying flat as in my photo.

As Tiercel says, put the ears between two pieces of wood to prevent them curling up as they dry.

[Columbus Polumbus]

HG

Where do you buy the ingredients??? I never heard of alum

[Hammergun]

Try an internet search.

Alum is a common industrial chemical. I will have a look later and if I find out I will add it to this post.

You can get alum in little blocks from many chemists shops. It is an astringent and they are sold as antiseptic shaving blocks you use on cuts from wet shaving (stops the bleeding quickly). The last one I bought cost about £1, and should be enough to do one skin provided you get the proportions of other chemicals right.

However if you want to do a few skins, I doubt you will be able to find anyone doing it cheaper than Lorne Supplies, unless you buy it in bulk by the 25kg bag!!

Some old fashioned chemists may sell it loose, but this will be very refined and will be an expensive way of buying it.

[marky123]

Hello There
I skinned my first rabbit tonight,and it stinks.My question is about gutting it,I cut off the feet and head with an axe,unzipped its skin and pulled most of the guts out,but right at the end when I was rinsing it in the sink I noticed I had left its poochute in,right under the tail,along with those really stinky green glands.How does that bit come out?
MARK

[Hammergun]

To avoid the smell, you need to try not to slit the guts so you can get then out whole. This is best done by pinching the belly skin and slitting it where you pinch it. Put your fingers in the hole and tear it apart, or carefully insert the knife flat against the underside of the belly and cut away from the gut.

After you have skinned it, you will have a bit of skin round the ******** (look at my photo earlier in this topic). Grab hold of this and use a narrow pointed sharp knife to cut around the edges whilst pulling it gently this way and that. When it is free, it will come away with the rubbish attached. You can also push your finger through from the inside to help it.

In my opinion you are best leaving the head on until you pull the skin over its neck.

After you have skinned it, rinse it and lay in cold salted water for at least an hour, or preferably overnight. This gets the blood out and the meat absorbs moisture to help it cook.

[velveteens]

Well as the newest kid on the block I suppose my twopenny worth can't hurt.The first step is always to depiss the rabbit .Run your thumb down the stomach and as you near the groin press firmly and you will empty the bladder.Holding the rabbit by both front paws make a small cut with a sharp knife an inch long on the chest.Now grasp both sides of the cut, pull firmly and the skin will split neatly to the groin.A small nick on the skin of the chest hold front legs in your left hand & back legs in your right hand face the stomach away from you and a strong flick and the whole bag holding entrails ect will fall out complete.Reach into the cavity and pinch out stomach bag & drop into a small predug hole.Now pich out the bladder and the job is done.Do a hundred rabbits a day and you soon find the easiest way and this is mine.Try it.

[rabbit hunter]

Well as the newest kid on the block I suppose my twopenny worth can't hurt.The first step is always to depiss the rabbit .Run your thumb down the stomach and as you near the groin press firmly and you will empty the bladder.Holding the rabbit by both front paws make a small cut with a sharp knife an inch long on the chest.Now grasp both sides of the cut, pull firmly and the skin will split neatly to the groin.A small nick on the skin of the chest hold front legs in your left hand & back legs in your right hand face the stomach away from you and a strong flick and the whole bag holding entrails ect will fall out complete.Reach into the cavity and pinch out stomach bag & drop into a small predug hole.Now pich out the bladder and the job is done.Do a hundred rabbits a day and you soon find the easiest way and this is mine.Try it.

I see you like the flicking method then? How old are you velveteens? I am assuming your about my age (16). When i first started rabbitting, i always used the flicking method, but it is a hell of a lot easier to get your hands stuck in.
I hold rabbits from back legs
shake it so that its guts go to its rib-cage (so when you slit, you wont bust the ****bag.
slit it
pull the slit apart (if needed)
stick hand in
pull the lot out

[velveteens]

To Rabbit Hunter. I wish I was your age. 60 in May in answer to your question.Thirty five years a gamekeeper.When you are handling hundred rabbits a day ".Wot,s quickest is best."

[Devilishdave]

Like a cat: there is more than one way to skin a rabbit.

I tend to dislocate the anckles then cut through rather than choping with the knife.
this way you dont leave the jagged fractured broken leggs.
I slice straight up the side of the sternum through all the ribs.
put the knife throgh the pelvis and open the pelvis
slice from the groin down both back legs
then the skin comes off in seconds few

[oddbob]

I remember the very first rabbit I shot, I proudly brought it home and spent ages skinning it. I was going to keep the tail as a keepsake, and had put it up on the ledge in the outhouse to dry. When I came back out the dog was happily chewing away at something. You can guess what that was can't you?