Rabbit meat: catch it if you can. Here’s the top chef’s recipe

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Jeremy Clarkson attempted to breed rabbits for meat to address the scarcity of locally farmed rabbit in the UK but faced unexpected difficulties due to the animals' aggressive behavior and reproductive challenges. His experience underscores the limited domestic rabbit meat supply, which remains largely reliant on imports, though some specialist butchers and online retailers still offer it.

Jeremy Clarkson has encountered unexpected challenges in his attempt to breed rabbits for meat, shedding light on the limited availability of rabbit meat in the United Kingdom. While the former television presenter found the culinary preparation straightforward, he reported that breeding rabbits proved far more difficult, describing their reproductive behavior as unexpectedly elusive and their temperament surprisingly aggressive.

Clarkson’s initial motivation stemmed from the scarcity of locally farmed rabbit meat in the British market. He observed that many high-end restaurants sourced rabbit from French importers due to a lack of domestic breeding. Rabbit meat is not commonly found alongside more conventional meats such as chicken in supermarkets or online retailers. For example, the online grocer Ocado offers rabbit feed but does not currently sell the meat itself, despite stocking other specialty meats like goat.

Attempting to fill this gap, Clarkson embarked on breeding rabbits himself but quickly encountered difficulties. He humorously compared the rabbits’ reluctance to reproduce to the rarity of panda breeding, further noting that the animals were aggressive enough to cause him frequent injuries. Despite these setbacks, he remains committed to his project.

For consumers interested in procuring rabbit meat, some specialist butchers and online suppliers currently stock it. Notably, the Ginger Pig shops in London offer rabbit meat, and the Dorset Food Company sells whole farmed rabbits at a price of approximately £21.85.

Accompanying Clarkson’s observations is a rabbit recipe adapted from chef Jeremy Lee, intended to demonstrate the ease of cooking rabbit meat. The recipe features six boned rabbit legs marinated with a mixture of minced pork chop, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, and spices, then topped with a mustard vinaigrette, sage leaves, and bacon rashers. The rabbit legs are seared in a hot pan before roasting in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, then rested and served with a tomato and herb salad.

This culinary approach highlights the potential versatility of rabbit meat once sourced, despite the current challenges in local farming and availability.

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