Jugged Hare
Submitted by BabyDoll
Jugged hare braised for hours in a rich bone stock with mace, cloves, and mixed herbs, finished with port wine. A classic British game recipe served with redcurrant jelly.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
6 hrsREADY
6 hrsJugged hare is one of the grand old dishes of British cooking, and this recipe holds nothing back. The hare is jointed, floured, browned, then slow-braised in a deeply flavored stock made from its own bones, blood, heart, and liver. It’s not a quick dinner. It’s a 6-hour labor of love that rewards you with meat so tender it falls from the bone and a thick, dark gravy that tastes like the countryside.
The stock is where the depth comes from. Simmering the bones, offal, and blood with carrots, a clove-studded onion, mace, pepper, and a muslin bundle of herbs for 3 to 4 hours extracts every bit of flavor. Skimming regularly keeps it clean and free of grease. This stock becomes the braising liquid for the browned joints.
Mace is the unsung hero of this recipe. It brings a warm, slightly floral note that’s more delicate than nutmeg (they come from the same plant) and complements game meat beautifully without overwhelming it.
The port wine stirred in just before serving adds a sweet, fruity richness that brings the whole dish together. Don’t add it during cooking or the alcohol flavor cooks out and you lose that fresh berry warmth.
Redcurrant jelly on the side is traditional for a reason. Its sharp sweetness cuts through the rich, heavy gravy.
Chef Tips
- The gravy should be thick, almost coating consistency. If it’s too thin after straining, reduce it on the stovetop before pouring over the hare
- Mix the thickening flour with cold water to a smooth paste before adding to the hot stock. Lumps in the gravy are unforgivable in this dish
- A low, steady oven temperature is key for the 2-hour braise. Too hot and the meat toughens instead of softening
- If hare is unavailable, wild rabbit works as a substitute, though the flavor is milder
Variations
- Use red wine instead of port for a drier, less sweet gravy
- Add a tablespoon of Dijon mustard to the gravy for a sharpened, more modern version
- Serve over buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes instead of the traditional heaped platter
Ingredients
Directions
Remove the insides from the hare (place aside)
Skin the hare, wipe it, and cut into joints. Wash the head, heart, and liver in some cold salted water, put in the a saucepan with the blood and the bones, which have also been washed.
Add four pints of cold water and a teaspoon of salt, and bring to a boil. Remove the scum, add the herbs tied in a piece of muslin, add also the pepper and mace.
Scrape and wash the carrot, peel the onion, and stick the ingredient for three or four hours; keep well skimmed to remove the grease.
Flour the joints of hare, melt some butter or shortening in a pan, then place in a large brown jar or casserole.
Mix some flour to a smooth paste with water.
When the stock is ready in about three to four hours, strain it into another saucepan and add the thickening flour mixed with water, stir well and boil for a few minutes.
If necessary add a few drops of browning.
Strain the gravy over the fried hare.
Place in a moderately hot oven, and cook for about two hours.
Just before serving, add to it the port wine.
To serve. Heap the hare into a large dish, pour some of the gravy round, the remainder is served separately.
Serve with red current jelly.
NOTE: the gravy should be quite thick.
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