The autumn king of the Limburg sweet-and-sour stews, from the same family as zuurvlees and knien in ’t zoer: hare legs marinated overnight in red wine with vinegar and spices, simmered for hours and thickened with peperkoek and apple syrup. Deep, dark and rich, game season the Limburg way.
Hazenpeper (Dutch hare stew)
Hazenpeper (Dutch hare stew)
Method
01
Marinate
Put the hare legs in a dish and add all the marinade ingredients; make sure the meat is completely covered. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 24 hours, turning once halfway.
02
Brown
Take the legs out of the marinade (keep the marinade!), pat very dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Render the bacon lardons in a casserole, lift them out and brown the legs in the bacon fat with a knob of butter until dark brown all over.
03
Braise
Put the meat and bacon in a stewing pan and pour in the marinade, vegetables and all. Bring to the boil, stir in the apple syrup and leave to simmer gently for 2½–3 hours with the lid slightly ajar, until the meat almost falls off the bone.
04
Thicken the sauce
Take the legs out of the pan and strain the sauce. Bring back to the boil, crumble in the peperkoek and thicken, stirring. Taste and season with salt, pepper and, if needed, extra syrup or a splash of vinegar until the sweet-and-sour balance is right. Return the legs and heat through well.
05
Serve
Traditionally with potato croquettes or creamy mash, red cabbage and caramelised little apples with cranberry compote.
Tips & notes
Like zuurvlees, hazenpeper gains from a night's rest, so feel free to make it a day ahead. Can't get hare? Rabbit legs work in exactly the same recipe; allow 2–2½ hours for braising. Pour a sturdy dark beer or a round red wine to go with it. Keeps for 3–4 days in the fridge, and freezes very well (up to 3 months); the flavour often deepens further the next day.
Variations
- Replace the hare with rabbit for a milder weekday variant with a slightly shorter cooking time.
- Add a handful of dried prunes to the sauce for extra depth.
Contains:
Milk
Sulphites
Gluten
Serve with
| Calories | 805 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 19 g |
| Carbohydrates | 147 g |
| Fat | 20 g |
| Fibre | 62 g |
Estimated values, calculated from standard nutritional values per ingredient.
