Jugged Hare

Was looking forward to driving over the Snake Pass to Sheffield today for a conference. This was abandoned though, as a last minute demand for information on a planning application had to take priority. This left me little time and subject matter to blip.

Last night, we got home after dark to find a dead hare left to the side of the front door. Not that this discovery was wholly unexpected you understand, or some ghoulish Godfather-type warning. It was simply just builder Eddie doing me a kind favour, with one-for-the-pot. Not sure what monetary value a fresh hare has in universal barter or time-bank index, but Eddie is now in credit.

Eddie has some arrangement with the local estate at Capestone Hall he promises says. He helps them in his free time control and manage their rabbit and hare populations for farming, under the old Ground Game Act. Eddie 'lamps' for them at night, though this particular one was shot by the head Gamekeeper.

Hardly anyone eats hares these days, and you never see them for sale, but I have always been curious. As well as that, a dried hare's 'mask' is the ultimate necessity in any dedicated fly-tiers materials box. A dubbed mixture of guard hairs and dark fur off the ears are used to tie the famous old trout flies called the G.R.H.E or Gold Ribbed Hares Ear.

After hanging it all night and today, I finally turned butcher, taxidermist and then cook. Not a scene for the faint-hearted certainly, but I am a great believer in people knowing how to prepare their food if they are happy to eat meat.

Long story short, the mask is now salted, pressed and drying; and the jointed Hare is slowly marinating in cider for 6 hours. This is the precursor to making some traditional 'Jugged Hare'. I understand a similar dish is called Civet de Lièvre in France.

Sadly, it will be too late to eat tonight once cooked, but I am sure it will be even nicer and thickened-up once re-heated.