Killing animals
So I finally for real killed a rabbit yesterday. There were 3, and 2 of my friends came over for the life experience, including one who had been living with us when they were born and grown rather attached. But she eats meat and wanted to face what that meant. We each did one. I went first. As soon as I realized I was stalling after they arrived, I grabbed the tamest rabbit and got to it. I felt pretty damn anxious about it and as soon as it was over I was shaking with adrenaline, but the thing itself was pretty easy. It was an animal and then suddenly it was meat.
I got a little surge of anxiety before each one, but the skinning and gutting process is actually pretty fun. Once it's dead there's nothing left to feel bad about, and then it's like "SCIENCE!" and is just interesting. Plus I get excited thinking about tanning the furs. I love leather and fur and I'm glad to be able to make some myself when I know the animals led a good life and died quick.
I had planned on slaughtering them earlier since the meat is more tender at about 10 weeks (these guys were more like 18 weeks I think), but older is better for the fur so I think it's actually a good time since the fur is important to me too. They're a little old for this, but I may try frying one of these just to see how it turns out. I have been dying to try fried rabbit.
I waited so long because I was waiting for this neck-breaking thing I ordered to come in and it took forever. Also a thing to hang the rabbits from while I skinned/gutted them, which was exceedingly useful. The "Rabbit Wringer" is just a metal plate with an angled bar; you slide the head in and pull the feet up until it dislocates. I had to pull harder than I thought I would given how easily they break apart once they're dead. Thankfully I screwed it onto a low table so it was easy to pull high and to put my foot against to pull harder. So the neck dislocates and that's it. Boom. Half a second if you pull right. They twitch for a little bit but you can tell they're dead.
It was a strange experience. I didn't feel really good or bad afterwards. It was rather uncomfortable but it was also like a chore, just something that needed to be done. And now I can look forward to trying out new rabbit recipes. :D
After it was done and everything cleaned up and put away, we went out for Thai food (the meat needs to settle a few days ideally). We were ordering appetizers and one of my friends asked if chicken sounded good and I said I couldn't eat it and she asked if I was a vegetarian. I looked at her as she thought about that for a second and we both laughed. "No, just no factory-farmed meat. CLEARLY I'm not a vegetarian!"
I got a little surge of anxiety before each one, but the skinning and gutting process is actually pretty fun. Once it's dead there's nothing left to feel bad about, and then it's like "SCIENCE!" and is just interesting. Plus I get excited thinking about tanning the furs. I love leather and fur and I'm glad to be able to make some myself when I know the animals led a good life and died quick.
I had planned on slaughtering them earlier since the meat is more tender at about 10 weeks (these guys were more like 18 weeks I think), but older is better for the fur so I think it's actually a good time since the fur is important to me too. They're a little old for this, but I may try frying one of these just to see how it turns out. I have been dying to try fried rabbit.
I waited so long because I was waiting for this neck-breaking thing I ordered to come in and it took forever. Also a thing to hang the rabbits from while I skinned/gutted them, which was exceedingly useful. The "Rabbit Wringer" is just a metal plate with an angled bar; you slide the head in and pull the feet up until it dislocates. I had to pull harder than I thought I would given how easily they break apart once they're dead. Thankfully I screwed it onto a low table so it was easy to pull high and to put my foot against to pull harder. So the neck dislocates and that's it. Boom. Half a second if you pull right. They twitch for a little bit but you can tell they're dead.
It was a strange experience. I didn't feel really good or bad afterwards. It was rather uncomfortable but it was also like a chore, just something that needed to be done. And now I can look forward to trying out new rabbit recipes. :D
After it was done and everything cleaned up and put away, we went out for Thai food (the meat needs to settle a few days ideally). We were ordering appetizers and one of my friends asked if chicken sounded good and I said I couldn't eat it and she asked if I was a vegetarian. I looked at her as she thought about that for a second and we both laughed. "No, just no factory-farmed meat. CLEARLY I'm not a vegetarian!"