Rabbit stew is the taste of the Newfoundland woods, where for generations a snare line was part of every family’s winter provisions. Rabbits were plentiful in the island’s forests, and a man could come home with a brace of them after an afternoon’s walk, which meant fresh meat on the table when the pantry was running thin. The rabbits were skinned, jointed and simmered with salt pork for richness, since the lean wild meat needed a little fat to bring out its best.
What makes it great is the gentle, clean flavour of the rabbit, which soaks up the savoury gravy like nothing else, and the way the salt pork perfumes the whole pot. Carrots, potatoes and turnip turn soft and sweet in the same broth, and the gravy is made for mopping up with bread. It’s a humble, honest supper that tastes of woodsmoke and snow, and it’s been warming Newfoundland kitchens for a very long time.
