Râble de Lièvre

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Flexible boning knife
• •Larding needle, or narrow metal skewer and thin chopstick
• •Butcher's twine
• •Large flameproof roasting pan or ovenproof skillet
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Fine-mesh strainer

Instructions

1. 1

   Trim the râble

   Set the râble bone-side down and identify the two long loins running beside the spine. With the point of a flexible knife, lift each strip of silverskin and tendon, then angle the blade slightly upward as you draw it away so the sinew, not the meat, meets the edge. Trim ragged fat and shorten any projecting ribs if the butcher has not done so. Keep the thin belly flaps attached; fold them snugly beneath the loins rather than sacrificing good meat.

   Work cold and wipe the blade often. If you begin shaving red meat away with the membrane, change the angle of the knife. A little patience here gives you a tender slice later.
2. 2

   Lard it finely

   Chill the fatback strips until firm but still flexible. Working with the grain of each loin, pass a larding needle through the muscle and draw a strip of fatback behind it, leaving only the smallest ends visible. Make 12 to 16 fine, evenly spaced threads across the two loins rather than a few thick plugs. Without a larding needle, open each passage with a narrow metal skewer and push the fat through with the blunt end of a thin chopstick. If the fat softens or tears, stop and chill it for 10 minutes. Ça se rattrape. If the meat begins to split, stop adding fat and tie the râble neatly at 1½-inch (4 cm) intervals with butcher's twine.

3. 3

   Marinate only if needed

   If the hare is young and fresh, omit this step entirely. Marinading is not a ceremony, and it is not the dish. Only for a sound piece that has been kept, place the larded râble in a close-fitting nonreactive dish and cover it with the thoroughly chilled Cooked Marinade for Venison (No. 168). Refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours, turning once, then drain, discard the used marinade, and dry the meat meticulously. A marinade cannot rescue game with a sour smell, tacky surface, or doubtful handling; such meat does not belong in the pan.

4. 4

   Season and brown

   Take the râble from the cold 30 minutes before cooking and heat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Pat the meat dry once more, then season it with the salt and pepper; if it was marinated, use only half the listed salt at first. Heat the clarified butter in a large flameproof roasting pan over medium-high heat. Lay in the râble and brown each fleshy side for 2 to 3 minutes without dragging it around the pan. Turn it only when the meat releases cleanly and has taken a deep Maillard bronze.

5. 5

   Roast and baste

   Set the râble bone-side down and transfer the pan to the oven. Roast for 10 minutes, baste with the butter in the pan, then begin checking the thickest part of the loin with an instant-read thermometer. Continue roasting until it reaches 155°F (68°C), usually another 8 to 15 minutes depending on thickness. The temperature should rise to 160°F (71°C) while resting. If the surface darkens before the centre is ready, cover it loosely with foil and reduce the oven to 375°F (190°C). If it overshoots, don't carve it thin; thicker slices and a generous spoonful of jus will protect what moisture remains.

6. 6

   Rest and reduce

   Move the râble to a warm platter, cover it loosely, and rest it for 10 to 12 minutes. Pour away excess fat from the roasting pan while keeping every browned deposit. Set the pan over medium heat, add the shallots, and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the red wine and scrape the fond from the pan floor, then boil until only about ¼ cup (60 ml) remains. Add the stock and reduce to roughly ¾ cup (180 ml), glossy enough to cling lightly to a spoon but still fluid. This is a jus, not gravy.

7. 7

   Mount the jus

   Strain the reduction into a small saucepan and taste for salt and pepper. Remove it from the heat and monter au beurre, finish by whisking in the cold butter one piece at a time, until the jus gleams. Never boil it after the butter goes in. If it separates into oily beads, ça se rattrape: take the pan off the heat, whisk in 1 teaspoon of cold water, then add a fresh piece of cold butter gradually. If it becomes too tight, loosen it with a spoonful of stock.

8. 8

   Carve and serve

   Check that the thickest loin has reached 160°F (71°C) after resting; if it has not, return the râble to the oven for 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the twine. Run a sharp knife closely along each side of the backbone to lift away the loins, free the small underfillets beneath, and cut everything across the grain into generous slices. Arrange the meat on the warm platter, spoon over enough jus to make it gleam, and serve the rest separately. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ask for the whole back of a young hare from a regulated game supplier, with the ribs cut short and the loins left on the bone. Some butchers use râble for the narrower saddle alone, so say precisely what you want; the word names the cut, not a sauce or a style of presentation.
• •Use firm, unsmoked fatback for the larding. Smoked bacon takes command of the hare, while soft belly fat is difficult to thread cleanly. If the butcher will cut and chill the fine strips for you, accept the kindness.
• •Wild-shot hare must be handled by an experienced supplier. Check the meat carefully for shot and damaged tissue, keep it properly chilled, and cook it to a verified safe temperature. Marinade changes flavour; it does not correct poor handling.
• •Serve the râble with pommes purée, a celeriac purée, or glazed root vegetables, something quiet enough to receive the jus. A structured red Burgundy suits the lean meat and wine reduction without bullying either.

Advance Preparation

• •The râble can be trimmed, larded, tied, and refrigerated up to 6 hours before roasting. Keep it covered, then bring it from the cold 30 minutes before cooking.
• •If the sound piece genuinely requires marinading, prepare and chill the Cooked Marinade for Venison (No. 168) according to its own entry. Marinate the larded râble for 8 to 12 hours under refrigeration, then drain and dry it thoroughly.
• •The wine and stock reduction can be made through the straining stage up to 2 hours before dinner. Reheat it gently and monter au beurre only after the meat has rested, since a butter-mounted jus does not improve by waiting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 215g)