There’s something beautifully old-world about jugged hare — a dish rich in red wine, herbs, and slow-cooked depth. Traditionally, it’s a way to celebrate wild game at its finest: dark, tender meat simmered in its own sauce until it falls apart with a fork. Here, we pair it with silky mashed butternut squash scented with nutmeg — a golden contrast to the deep, winey sauce.
This version is scaled down for two hare legs, perfect for a special dinner.
🦋 Ingredients
For the jugged hare:
- 2 hare legs
- 500ml red wine (a robust one — Burgundy or Rhône style works beautifully)
- 1 juniper berry, lightly crushed
- ¼ bay leaf
- Small sprig of thyme
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting
- 1–2 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- ½ knob of butter (about 10g)
- 25g button mushrooms, quartered
- ½ carrot, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp tomato purée
- 750ml venison stock (or good beef stock)
- 75ml hare blood (ask your butcher to reserve this, or substitute with a little black pudding if unavailable — see note below)
For the nutmeg squash:
- ½ medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
- 15g butter
- Pinch of grated nutmeg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
🍷 Method
1. Marinate the hare
Cut each hare leg in three pieces — at the joint, and once more through the thigh — giving you six small pieces in total.
Place them in a non-metal bowl with the red wine, juniper, bay leaf, and thyme. Cover and refrigerate for 24–48 hours to infuse the flavours.
2. Prepare for cooking
Drain the hare, reserving the marinade. Pat the pieces dry, season generously, and dust lightly in flour.
3. Brown the hare
Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan. Fry the hare pieces in batches until golden on all sides, then set aside.
4. Build the sauce
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and gently cook the onion for 3–4 minutes until soft. Add the mushrooms and carrots; cook for another few minutes.
Stir in the teaspoon of flour and tomato purée, then slowly pour in the reserved marinade with the herbs, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
Bring to the boil, then simmer until reduced by half.
5. Braise the hare
Add the venison (or beef) stock and browned hare pieces. Bring back to a gentle boil, cover, and simmer on low heat (or in a 160°C oven) for about 1 hour.
Check for tenderness — the meat should be soft and almost falling from the bone. If not, continue cooking for another 20–30 minutes.
6. Enrich with blood
Remove the hare pieces and set aside. Slowly whisk the blood into the hot sauce and simmer until thickened to a glossy, gravy-like consistency.
Return the hare to the sauce to warm through. Taste and adjust seasoning.
🍠 For the nutmeg squash
While the hare is braising, cook the diced butternut squash in salted water until tender (about 15–20 minutes). Drain and mash with butter, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until smooth and velvety.
🍽️ To serve
Spoon the nutmeg squash onto warm plates and top with the rich, glossy hare pieces.
Ladle over a little extra sauce, pour a glass of the same red wine used in the dish, and enjoy a rustic, deeply comforting meal.
🕯️ Cook’s Notes:
- If hare blood isn’t available, stir a tablespoon of black pudding or a splash of port into the sauce instead — it won’t be traditional, but it’ll lend a similar richness.
- For a faster version, make the sauce ahead of time, then simply pour over seared diced hare fillets for a dish reminiscient of the traditional jugged hare without the lengthy fuss and pre-planning required.
