Smoked Hare Saddle
The delicate hare saddle is cured in a fine pepper brine and gently hot-smoked at low temperature. The lean meat absorbs the mild beech smoke perfectly and stays juicy thanks to the gentle cooking method. An elegant game recipe for connoisseurs, suitable as a starter or main course.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Preparing Brine and Curing
24-36 hoursBring water with curing salt, sugar, pepper, juniper, and bay leaves to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Cool completely to below 4 °C. Submerge hare saddle, weigh down, and cure for 24–36 hours at 2–4 °C.
Drying
3 hoursRemove hare saddle from brine, rinse under cold water, pat thoroughly dry, and place on a rack in a cool, airy spot for 3 hours until the surface develops a slightly tacky pellicle.
Smoking
2-3 hoursPreheat smoker to 100–110 °C and add beech and apple wood. Place hare saddle in smoker and gently smoke to an internal temperature of 70–74 °C. Check core temperature regularly.
Resting and Serving
10-15 minutesRemove hare saddle from smoker and rest loosely covered for 10–15 minutes. Serve warm with game jus and lingonberries, or slice cold.
Pro Tip
Do not cook the hare saddle above 74 °C internal temperature – the very lean meat dries out quickly. An instant-read thermometer is especially important for this delicate cut.
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