# Rabbit Jerky A Success!



## katduck (Jul 10, 2008)

A while back Maggie mention that belly flaps could be used for jerky or stir fry. At that time I had not yet processed any rabbits and didn't know what a belly flap looked like, but I filed that information because my husband is a champion jerky maker.

Our first litter, I just packed whole in vacuum bags, but I did see the belly flaps. The second litter I parted up before I sealed it and I took the belly flaps off the loins and showed my husband who agreed to try and make jerky out of it. 

He was pleased with the uniform thiness of it. He soaked it for about 24 hrs but thinks it a little too salty (we use low sodium soy sauce anyway), so will soak for less hours next time. I didn't think it was too bad. It came out very well and will be our process of choice for the belly flaps from now on.

Thanks Maggie :bow:

Kat


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

You're welcome, Kat! I'm glad it worked. :goodjob: I'll have to try that myself sometime, but I have to find a really low-sodium recipe. I'd love to have some low-sodium jerky... ultimate snack food for the low-carb diet!


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## turtlehead (Jul 22, 2005)

How did you make it? I've found conflicting information. Some recipes say you have to cook the meat first, others say marinade or rub and dehydrate.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I'll have to try it on the belly flaps.
So far all I've made is venison, beef & wild turky jerky.

turtlehead, when I make any kind of jerky here I marinade or rub then put it in the dehydrator for the desired amount of time. That is how it is preserved. No other cooking needed.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

From what I've read, whether you cook or not depends on how you want to store it. If you are going to eat it up quick, or keep in frozen, then you don't need to get the temp up as high and just dehydrating will work.

If you want to seal it and store for longer periods at room temp, then it is recomended that you get the internal temp up to something like 160 deg either right before or right after dehydration (don't let it cool down between). 

Now, this is what recomendations are to make sure you kill any bad stuff, but many people do it otherwise and say "I have not died yet" so it's up to you. I'm just passing along what I've found from my own research.

Cathy


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## katduck (Jul 10, 2008)

He soaks in a marinade of low sodium soy with spices and garlic. Puts it in our Excalibur dehydrator and drys until it feels right. 6 fryers gave me 1 lb of belly flap meat, so it wasn't a big batch, and it did not last very long at all. I came out from typing the message last night to see my husband with and empty bag on his lap and the last piece in his hand! I only got 1 piece! :duel: The next time he said he will be more careful to get off all the little pieces of fat clinging to it before hand because that wasn't good.

Even when he makes beef jerky in large batches (which we ziplock or vacuume seal) it doesn't last long enough for me to worry about spoilage. But I suppose you could put it in the freezer.

Kat


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## Bamboorabbit (Jan 22, 2009)

I sent 16 Florida whites to camp this week and saved the belly flaps for jerky. It came out very good.....I was quite impressed. We just did them in the oven hanging the flaps over the oven racks at it's lowest temp of 170 and left the oven door cracked open.


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## JCWehking (Jun 2, 2009)

Does someone have a picture of what the "belly flap" is. I haven't butchered anything yet, but everyone here LOVES jerky.


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

Bamboorabbit said:


> I sent 16 Florida whites to camp this week and saved the belly flaps for jerky. It came out very good.....I was quite impressed. We just did them in the oven hanging the flaps over the oven racks at it's lowest temp of 170 and left the oven door cracked open.


Bamboorabbit, did you use anything on them - a marinade or rub - or did you just dry the plain meat? I'd like to find a method for making jerky without salt or soy sauce... I don't need the sodium.



JCWehking said:


> Does someone have a picture of what the "belly flap" is. I haven't butchered anything yet, but everyone here LOVES jerky.


The belly flaps will be obvious to you when you butcher a rabbit. It is the thin, rather tough meat that encloses the abdominal cavity from the end of the rib cage to the pelvis. On a fryer each side is about the size of the palm of your hand. It is ideal for jerky because it is already in a thin flat piece.


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## Bamboorabbit (Jan 22, 2009)

JCWehking said:


> Does someone have a picture of what the "belly flap" is. I haven't butchered anything yet, but everyone here LOVES jerky.



Poke yourself in the ribs....now your belly. That is the belly flap. It extends from ribs to loins on the back and around the belly. When you clean the rabbit and split the bun down the middle you create two sides, two flaps. You will know it when you see it.....it is very very thin 1/16 of a inch?? and about the size of a womans hand, palm to finger tips or almost.

We did terriaki garlic and hickory liquid smoke and soy sauce (low sodium) garlic hickory smoke.


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## Bamboorabbit (Jan 22, 2009)

MaggieJ said:


> Bamboorabbit, did you use anything on them - a marinade or rub - or did you just dry the plain meat? I'd like to find a method for making jerky without salt or soy sauce... I don't need the sodium.


If you look at my reply to JC that is what we used. Wife loved them as well and my dogs salivate over them when we get the bag out lol. Monday 15 smuts go to camp and we are already planning the next jerky batch. We are going to do a rub out of some using Lysanders hickory rub.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

I've got ten to send to freezer camp, think I'll make jerky too. Besides, I haven't had a reason to use my dehydrator is a few months. If I remember, I planned on making ground beef jercky too - have plenty of that.

I'm going to experiment to make some that isn't actually "cured" as DH is suppose to be watching his salt. I'll plan on storing it in the freezer, so I won't need it for the preservatives. 

Cathy


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