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Home » Greek » Greek Rabbit Stifado

Greek Rabbit Stifado

By Hank Shaw on January 6, 2012, Updated August 25, 2021 - 30 Comments

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5 from 14 votes
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Stifado is truly a classic of Greek cuisine. I have read at least a dozen different recipes for it, and this one is a rabbit stifado, called kouneli stifado in Greek. You see a beef stifado a lot, too, but that is a different dish.

A bowl of rabbit stifado, called kouneli stifado in Greek.
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

In the case of stifado (stee-FAH-do), debate centers on the tomatoes and wine. Simple chopped tomatoes? Or tomato paste and crushed tomatoes? Red wine or white? Sweet or dry? I use both, largely because I live in Sacramento and have access to the incomparable Greek sweet wine Mavrodaphne. Without Mavrodaphne my rabbit stifado is a shadow of itself, although you can use Port in a pinch.

What does rabbit stifado taste like? The Orient, in its classical sense. It must have been quite the treat when it was invented, most likely in the Middle Ages when Greece was under Venetian rule. Any combination of sweetness with exotic spices such as cinnamon and allspice in an otherwise savory dish screams 1300 or 1400 to me.

Stifado uses a lot of olive oil, so it is smooth going down. This moistens the rabbit as well, which is braised slowly until it is about to fall off the bone. You can pull the meat off the bone before serving, as I do, or just leave the pieces in the stew. The Greeks typically leave the pieces as-is.

The spices give the stew zing without heat, and the tomatoes, which are obviously a post-1492 addition, add a bit more sweetness as well as needed acidity. There’s a reason stifado is such a strong part of Greek cooking.

You’ll want either a nice Greek red wine, a lager beer, or ouzo with a glass of water as a chaser to go along with this stew. And don’t forget to have lots of good crusty bread around, too.

If you want to make this part of a Greek feast, try starting with my favorite Greek fish recipe, and maybe serve Greek venison shanks after this stew.

A bowl of rabbit stifado, called kouneli stifado in Greek.
Print Recipe
5 from 14 votes

Greek Rabbit Stew. Kouneli Stifado

I have made this rabbit stew many times, and I always seem to like it better with the skinny cottontails here in California, although it is very good with domestic rabbits, too. You could use snowshoe hare or pheasant, too, although you’d need add another 30 to 45 minutes on the cooking time. Freaked out about rabbit? Use chicken.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time1 hr 30 mins
Total Time1 hr 50 mins
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Greek
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 557kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

  • 2 cottontail rabbits or 1 domestic rabbit
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 medium red onions, sliced
  • 5 cloves chopped garlic
  • 10 allspice berries
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 large tomatoes, grated, or 1 14-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 1/2 cup sweet red wine
  • 1/2 cup chicken or rabbit stock
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

  • Cut up the rabbits and cut into serving pieces. Be sure to include little bits, like the belly flaps, the front legs, the kidneys and such; they become yummy surprises in the finished stew. Salt the rabbit pieces well and set aside for 30 minutes.
  • Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a frying pan and brown the rabbit well. As each piece browns, move it to a brazier or Dutch oven or other heavy, lidded pot. When the rabbit is browned, sauté the onions for 4 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat, until they begin to brown. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Sprinkle with salt. Do not let the garlic burn.
  • Turn the contents of the frying pan into the brazier or a Dutch oven, then arrange the bay leaves, oregano, allspice berries and cinnamon stick over them.
  • In the pan you browned the rabbit and the onions, add the wine, sweet wine, vinegar, stock, tomato paste and grated tomatoes — cut tomatoes in half and run them through your coarsest grater to leave the skins out of your pot. Cook this down over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, then pour over everything in the pot.
  • Cover the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook slowly for 1 hour, then check. It may need up to another hour. You want the rabbit to be just about falling off the bone. You can pull the rabbit meat off the bone, as I do, or just let your guests do that. Grind some black pepper and drizzle some really good olive oil over everything right when you serve.

Notes

If you want to serve this as a main course, have some crusty bread or rice to serve alongside. 

Keys to Success

  • Brown the rabbit really well. Take your time. It makes a difference in the finished stew. 
  • Include the sweet wine (Mavrodaphne if you can find it), as well as allspice and cinnamon. If you can't find Greek Mavrodaphne, which is highly likely, use Port or any other sweet red wine. 
  • Like many stews, this one is best a day or two after you make it. It will keep a week in the fridge. 

Nutrition

Calories: 557kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 75g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 270mg | Sodium: 223mg | Potassium: 1625mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 779IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 12mg
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Filed Under: Greek, Recipe, Wild Game

Avatar for Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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Comments

  1. Avatar for IraIra says

    April 17, 2022 at 7:02 pm

    I made this yesterday, removing the bone, shredding the meat and serving it today. Great!

    Reply
  2. Avatar for John LovroJohn Lovro says

    February 29, 2020 at 5:40 am

    I’ve used this recipe a couple of times now and it’s one of my favorites for rabbit. It can be improvised a little by adding chopped carrots and celery to the mix. I also debone the rabbit as it’s easier to serve and eat.

    Reply
    • Avatar for zakzak says

      August 25, 2020 at 4:50 pm

      Love it, Folk should eat more Rabbit, I’tl help the planet!!!!!!

      Reply
  3. Avatar for ipeHayleyipeHayley says

    January 29, 2020 at 2:31 am

    Made this while away in Greece, lovely authentic recipe and the wonderful aroma filled the house whilst it was cooking. I’m going to try it with chicken thighs now I’m home .

    Reply
  4. Avatar for Ken MeaneyKen Meaney says

    January 24, 2020 at 4:51 pm

    I lived in Athens for 3 years and often ate this at a local taverna during winter –
    delicious.

    Reply
  5. Avatar for ArtemisArtemis says

    January 18, 2020 at 11:51 am

    This is a fantastic recipe and being Greek, I can say it is authentic stifatho!! Thank you!

    Reply
  6. Avatar for Jeremy ChambersJeremy Chambers says

    September 28, 2018 at 7:21 pm

    This is our go-to recipe for introducing rabbit to family and friends. Most people give us sideways looks when we tell them we raise rabbits and eat them. Until they get a taste of this fantastic stew! Thanks for sharing all of your fabulous recipes.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Elena ZajechowskiElena Zajechowski says

      February 23, 2022 at 7:41 pm

      Truly authentic deliciously Greek stifathou. I am Greek but live in southern Maine now. Delicious with rabbit and with venison or moose. thank you and efhatisto!!

      Reply
  7. Avatar for Tom EtheridgeTom Etheridge says

    May 18, 2017 at 8:34 pm

    Magnificent! The only substitution I made was ruby port for the Mavrodaphne (not readily available here). I cooked it on Monday and then refrigerated it until Thursday. Wow! Beautifully complex and rich but not heavy.

    Reply
  8. Avatar for KateKate says

    October 10, 2016 at 12:53 pm

    We have just eaten this dish tonight. I followed the recipe quite closely. An all round ‘excellent’ from the family – reminded us of Greece. Thank you.

    Reply
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Hi, my name is Hank Shaw. I am a James Beard Award-winning author and chef and I focus my energies on wild foods: Foraging, fishing, hunting. I write cookbooks as well as this website, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild game, fish, or edible wild plants and mushrooms, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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