tiercel Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiercel Posted October 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 Next you chop the four feet off 2 at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiercel Posted October 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiercel Posted October 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 Next you grab the skin in the middle of the back and cut it through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiercel Posted October 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiercel Posted October 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 The finished job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammergun Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 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!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiercel Posted October 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammergun Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Antipodean Posted October 30, 2003 Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammergun Posted October 30, 2003 Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Columbus Polumbus Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 HG Where do you buy the ingredients??? I never heard of alum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammergun Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marky123 Posted December 15, 2003 Report Share Posted December 15, 2003 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammergun Posted December 15, 2003 Report Share Posted December 15, 2003 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velveteens Posted January 29, 2004 Report Share Posted January 29, 2004 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbit hunter Posted February 3, 2004 Report Share Posted February 3, 2004 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velveteens Posted March 26, 2004 Report Share Posted March 26, 2004 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." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilishdave Posted November 7, 2004 Report Share Posted November 7, 2004 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oddbob Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malc Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 My way's slightly different too. As an apprentice butcher, many moons ago, I was taught to skin rabbits brought to the shop by local keepers. Sometimes skinning 2-300 at a time, I would use a large meat cleaver for the job. The routine went like this: Chop feet off. Cut tail bone. Pull socks off. Peel skin up to the neck. Chop head off. Split groin and clean. Done. This takes about 10 seconds unless you encounter a broken leg bone when pulling the socks off, which can be very painful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmywidge Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 I`m knew to hunting but want to get as involved as possiable. I`ve seen how you have skinned a rabbit and everything. But I`d like to know and sorry mate if this sounds dumb but what about removing the guts and stuff of the rabbit ? Do ya just slit it open and pull the lot out or is there more to it then that ? Please explain Jimmy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millo2 Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 I tend to slice the rabbit from kinda in between the back legs upwards, then take hold of the front legs in one hand, and the back legs in the other, then quick it a short, sharp swing which normally removes them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fert Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 i dress same way as tiercal but skin first, gut after, me mum showed me how to do it. she was a butcher for 35 years quite handy when i come back with big bags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 I'm same as fert skin first and gut next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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