This Mexican Rabbit Recipe is made with rabbit which is steamed with a spicy sauce made out of guajillo chilies, onion and garlic.
Rabbit used to be widely consumed in Mexico before Spain introduced cows, chicken and pork. This recipe originates from the Pre-hispanic era of Mexico, which uses mixiote to cook the rabbit. The mixiote is the leaf that emerges from the cuticle of the maguey, or agave, and was used for steam cooking by the Mayans, Aztecs, and Otomi. This is obviously very difficult to find nowadays, so I suggest using an oven safe bag instead.
If you love this recipe, feel free to try my Pork in Peanut Sauce and my Discada Recipe.
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Why you will love this recipe
Versatile: Rabbit has a very neutral taste, so feel free to get creative with the sauce.
Full of flavor: The combination of the guajillo, onion and garlic blended together and mixed in with the rabbit is so delicious.
Great for any weather: I love making this during the summer and winter months.
Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Rabbit
- Guajillo chilies
- Onion
- Garlic
- Broth
- Peppercorns
- Oven safe bag
See recipe card for quantities.
How to cook rabbit
Make the sauce: Bring a pot to boil and add the guajillo, onion and garlic. Boil for 15 minutes. In a blender, add the chilies, onion, garlic, broth and peppercorns. Blend until smooth.
Add the rabbit into a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Strain the sauce into the rabbit bowl and marinate for 20 minutes.
Add the rabbit into the mixiote or an oven bag, and pour in the sauce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Secure the bag and repeat with the rest.
Add the bag into an Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. You could also steam in a pot for an hour.
Substitutions
Rabbit: You can buy rabbit from Fossil Farms, D'artagnan, and Meat N' Bone. You could also try calling your local butcher shop to see if they carry.
Chilies: I used guajillo chilies for this which is a milder heat. It blends perfectly with onion and garlic. You could use chile ancho, pasilla or even cascabel.
Broth: You can use beef, chicken or vegetable broth.
Oven bag: The oven bag helps keep the rabbit marinating well as it cooks.
Variations
Cooking is a chance to be creative! Have fun with it and feel free to make your own variation.
- Spicy - add more seeds for more heat, or less seeds for a milder heat.
Check out my Avocado Lettuce wraps with Walnut Salad Dressing as an appetizer.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Stone bakeware takes longer to heat up than metal pans, and also retain heat for longer, which could make the recipe more watery, or burnt on the outsides.
I love using my Instant Pot to make this recipe.
Storage
This will be good in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
These Mexican Rabbit Recipe ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.
Top tip
Make sure to tightly secure the bag before steaming or pressure cooking.
Mexican Rabbit Recipe
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Mexican Rabbit Recipe is made with rabbit which is steamed with a spicy sauce made out of guajillo chilies, onion and garlic.
Ingredients
- ½ rabbit, cut into four pieces
- 5 guajillo chilies, destemmed
- ¼ yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 cups beef or chicken broth
- 2 whole peppercorns
- 4 oven safe bags (or mixiotes)
Instructions
- Make the sauce: Bring a pot to boil and add the guajillo, onion and garlic. Boil for 15 minutes. In a blender, add the chilies, onion, garlic, broth, and peppercorns. Blend until smooth.
- Add the rabbit into a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Strain the sauce into the rabbit bowl and marinate for 20 minutes.
- Add the rabbit into the mixiote or an oven bag, and pour in the sauce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Secure the bag and repeat with the rest.
- Add the bag into an Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. You could also steam in a pot for 45 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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