Whole Belgian polder hare is truly wild Belgian game with a deep, distinctive flavour. The hare is supplied whole and uncut, allowing you to adapt the cooking method to the different cuts. It is ideal for traditional hare stew or civet, as well as hare in red wine. The legs and shoulders benefit from long, gentle cooking, while the much more tender saddle should be added later. Hares may contain shot pellets from hunting.
The hares are delivered fresh to Gustor, after quality control they are immediately frozen and delivered frozen to our customers.
RECIPE: Hare in Red Wine with Shallots, Mushrooms and Juniper Berries
A whole hare is also perfect for preparing a traditional hare stew or civet. You can find our complete recipe for this classic preparation on the Gustor hare legs product page.
If you use a whole hare for a traditional hare stew, however, bear in mind that the saddle is considerably more tender than the legs and shoulders. Allow the legs and shoulders to braise gently first and add the saddle pieces later. This prevents the finest and most tender meat of the hare from drying out.
We use exactly the same principle in this recipe for hare in red wine. The legs and shoulders are given a long, gentle braise in red wine and game stock, while the saddle is added only during the final part of the cooking process.
The result is a powerful yet refined game dish with a deep red wine sauce, in which every part of the hare receives the cooking method it deserves.
Serves 4 – preparation and cooking time: approximately 2½ to 3 hours
Ingredients
- 1 whole hare, cut into pieces
- 30 g butter
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 tbsp flour
- 4 shallots
- 2 carrots
- 1 celery stalk
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 juniper berries, lightly crushed
- 500 ml dry red wine
- 500 to 750 ml strong game stock
- 150 g smoked bacon lardons
- 250 g small mushrooms
- 150 g pearl onions
- freshly ground black pepper
- salt
To finish the sauce
- 1 tsp redcurrant jelly
- optional: 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 20 g ice-cold butter
1. Joint the hare and keep the saddle separate
Cut the hare into pieces. Keep the saddle pieces separate from the legs and shoulders.
This is important.
The legs and shoulders contain more connective tissue and need time to become tender. The saddle is much finer and more tender and would dry out if subjected to the same long cooking time.
Pat all the pieces thoroughly dry and season with pepper and a little salt.
2. Brown the legs and shoulders thoroughly
Dust the legs and shoulders very lightly with flour.
Heat the oil and half of the butter in a heavy casserole.
Brown the legs and shoulders thoroughly on all sides. Work in batches if necessary so that the meat actually browns rather than steaming in its own juices.
Remove the meat from the casserole and set aside.
The browned cooking juices on the bottom of the casserole are important: they will form the basis of the deep flavour of the red wine sauce.
3. Cook the vegetables
Roughly chop the shallots, carrots and celery.
Cook them for several minutes in the same casserole until they begin to colour.
Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaves and lightly crushed juniper berries and cook for another minute.
4. Deglaze with red wine
Pour the red wine into the casserole.
Use a wooden spoon to loosen all the browned bits from the bottom and allow the wine to reduce for approximately 5 to 10 minutes.
Reducing the wine first concentrates its flavour and softens the sharper character of the alcohol.
5. Slowly braise the legs and shoulders
Return the legs and shoulders to the casserole.
Add approximately 500 ml of game stock. The meat does not need to be completely submerged.
Bring the liquid gently towards a simmer and then reduce the heat.
Allow to braise very gently for approximately 1½ hours, with the lid partially covering the casserole.
The liquid should barely simmer and should certainly not boil vigorously.
Check occasionally and add a little more game stock if necessary.
6. Prepare the garnish
Meanwhile, fry the bacon lardons in a separate pan until lightly crisp.
Remove them from the pan and fry the mushrooms over high heat until nicely browned.
Add the pearl onions and allow them to caramelise lightly.
Set everything aside.
7. Add the saddle later
After approximately 1½ hours, check the legs and shoulders. They should already be noticeably softer, although they do not yet need to be completely tender.
Now quickly sear the reserved saddle pieces in a very hot pan with the remaining butter.
They do not need to be cooked through at this stage.
Add the browned saddle pieces to the rest of the hare in the red wine sauce.
Allow everything to cook very gently for another 20 to 30 minutes.
Check the saddle regularly. The required cooking time can vary depending on the size and age of the hare.
Remove the saddle from the sauce as soon as the meat is cooked but still juicy. Do not leave it to continue braising unnecessarily if the legs and shoulders still need more time.
8. Check the legs and shoulders
The legs and shoulders are ready when the meat is beautifully tender and begins to come away from the bone without much resistance.
If they still need a little more time after you have removed the saddle, simply allow them to continue braising.
With truly wild game, it is difficult to give an absolutely precise cooking time. Age, size and meat structure naturally vary from one animal to another.
Judge the meat rather than relying solely on the clock.
9. Prepare the red wine sauce
Remove all the pieces of hare from the casserole and keep them warm.
Strain the cooking liquid and press the vegetables lightly to extract as much flavour as possible.
Return the strained sauce to the casserole and reduce it uncovered until it is powerful, concentrated and lightly thickened.
Add one teaspoon of redcurrant jelly. This should round out the sauce without making it sweet.
Taste.
If the sauce needs a little more freshness, add a few drops, up to a maximum of one teaspoon, of red wine vinegar.
Remove the casserole from the heat and whisk in the ice-cold butter to give the sauce extra shine and a beautifully rounded texture.
10. Bring everything together
Return the legs and shoulders to the sauce and add the bacon, mushrooms and pearl onions.
Allow them to warm through gently for a few minutes.
Add the saddle pieces only at the very end. They simply need to be warmed through.
From this point onwards, do not allow the sauce to boil vigorously.
11. Serve
Serve the hare generously with the red wine sauce, mushrooms, pearl onions and bacon.
Classic accompaniments include:
- potato croquettes
- mashed potatoes
- celeriac purée
- caramelised Belgian endive
- red cabbage
- poached pear
- cranberries
A powerful yet elegant red wine is naturally an excellent accompaniment.
Gustor's Tip
The secret to preparing a whole hare lies not only in the sauce, but above all in respecting the different cuts of the animal.
The legs and shoulders need time. Slow cooking gradually makes them tender, while the bones and connective tissue simultaneously add flavour and body to the sauce.
The saddle requires exactly the opposite approach. It is the finest and most tender part of the hare and should therefore be added much later and cooked for a shorter time.
The same principle applies both to this recipe and when using a whole hare to prepare a traditional hare stew or civet.
A whole hare should therefore not be cooked according to a single cooking time: each cut should receive the cooking time it needs.
