Freezing rabbit without skinning first.

[mikewiz]

Hey,

A guy I work with hunts rabbit and gave me one to try. He gutted it but didn't skin it before he froze it. Will it still be OK for me to eat after I let it thaw or should I get rid of it? I've always gutted and skinned my kill in the past so this is new to me.

Thanks, Mike

[Pygmy]

That's a new one on me, too.... ??? ......

I suppose it would be one way to avoid freezer burn...

As long as the bunny was gutted and fresh when he froze it, I see no reason why you couldn't thaw it, skin it, clean it up, cook it and eat it...

Let your nose be your guide.... :-\ .....

[Robinson446]

My girlfriends dad hunts rabbit constantly, i do also, (obviously during the  legal season only) and he says its fine to do. As long as it smells alright becasue sometimes it wasnt froze imidiatly after killing and gutting and it wont be too good. Wont hurt you any though. A easy way outta ruining meat from not gutting it is simple. With a rabbit if u dont gut it imidiatly it goes bad quick from the guts. Well, Grab the rabbit by its chest just under the front legs with both hands. Kinda like holding a baby infront of u holding it in the air making it laugh. Then squeeze the ribcage at the top until you feel the guts give way. Then work ur hands down to the butt making sure you started from the top and working your way down. Then its going to get hard to squeeze, squeeze reallly hard, and the guts and all will come shooting out of its butt. Its quick, clean, and it takes off weight. then throw it in your bag and keep going. Just a little tip!

[bellmorekennels]

Alot guys i hunt with leave fur on to freeze, they say it preserves the meat better from freezer burn. I myself like to skin before freezing, first because sometimes the pellets make blood pool under the fur, and i like to clean any blood from the meat. Second, my wife would have a heart attack if she opened freezer and opened a bag and found a head looking at her, LOL ???

[Pygmy]

I skin, gut and disjoint them right after I shoot them..I take the four legs and the back and leave the ribcage and offal for the predators...Then all I have to do when I get home is clean 'em up a little and they are ready for cooking or freezing...One rabbit (disjointed) fits nicely in a quart freezer bag..I run some cold water in the bag to discourage freezer burn..Works well, I have some from last season that are still good.. I do squirrels the same way..

[mikewiz]

Thanks everyone I'll give it a try.

[Karpteach]

Pygmy, adding water to the bag or tupperware always keeps game from freezer burn.

[wildcat junkie]

Pygmy, adding water to the bag or tupperware always keeps game from freezer burn.

I always put the cut up & washed pieces in a quart freezer bag, filled it about 3/4 full W/water, squeezed out ALL the air & sealed the zip lock.

Rabbits (& any meat) will keep a year or more frozen like that.

DO NOT use the bags W/the slide clip as they WILL NOT seal completely & they can leak all over the freezer before the water freezes. They also let in air which is the cause of freezer burn.