Name: Coniglio in porchetta
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 130 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1,100 g Rabbit meat (Boneless weight, without liver; ask the butcher to leave the sheet whole.); 70 g Raw rabbit liver (Trim and finely chop.); 200 g Pancetta (150 g thin slices for lining, 50 g finely chopped for filling.); 100 g Cooked ham (Finely chop.); 15 g Wild fennel fronds (Tender fronds, finely chopped.); 2 g Fresh rosemary (Leaves only, finely chop.); 3 g Fresh sage (Finely chop.); 8 g Garlic (Peel and mince.); 50 ml Extra-virgin olive oil (25 ml for filling, 25 ml for browning.); 150 ml White wine; 150 ml Water (For the roasting juices, as needed.); 6 g Salt; 1 g Black pepper

Buy a rabbit already boned for rolling. Keep the liver separate and trim the meat into an even sheet without cutting through it.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 1 hr 20 min
Rest: 10 min
Serves: 6
Difficulty: Medium

Coniglio in porchetta

Prep 40 min · Cook 1 hr 20 min · Rest 10 min · Serves 6 · Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Skip to the method

6 servings

1,100 g2½ lb
Rabbit meatBoneless weight, without liver; ask the butcher to leave the sheet whole.Boneless weight, without liver; ask the butcher to leave the sheet whole.
70 g2½ oz
Raw rabbit liverTrim and finely chop.Trim and finely chop.
200 g7 oz
Pancetta150 g thin slices for lining, 50 g finely chopped for filling.5½ oz thin slices for lining, 1¾ oz finely chopped for filling.
100 g3½ oz
Cooked hamFinely chop.Finely chop.
15 g½ oz
Wild fennel frondsTender fronds, finely chopped.Tender fronds, finely chopped.
2 g2 g
Fresh rosemaryLeaves only, finely chop.Leaves only, finely chop.
3 g3 g
Fresh sageFinely chop.Finely chop.
8 g¼ oz
GarlicPeel and mince.Peel and mince.
50 ml3½ tbsp
Extra-virgin olive oil25 ml for filling, 25 ml for browning.1¾ tbsp for filling, 1¾ tbsp for browning.
150 ml⅔ cup
White wine
150 ml⅔ cup
WaterFor the roasting juices, as needed.For the roasting juices, as needed.
6 g1 tsp
Salt
1 g½ tsp
Black pepper

Equipment

Large board
Kitchen twine
32 cm ovenproof sauté pan
Roasting dish about 30 × 20 cm
Small frying pan

Method

Heat 25 ml oil in the small pan. Add chopped pancetta, ham, garlic and herbs. Cook over medium heat for 4 minutes, then add the liver and cook for 4 minutes more, stirring until no raw liver remains. Spread on a plate and cool for 10 minutes while preparing the rabbit. Heat the oven to 180°C conventional.Heat 1¾ tbsp oil in the small pan. Add chopped pancetta, ham, garlic and herbs. Cook over medium heat for 4 minutes, then add the liver and cook for 4 minutes more, stirring until no raw liver remains. Spread on a plate and cool for 10 minutes while preparing the rabbit. Heat the oven to 350°F conventional.
Open the rabbit on the board, flesh side up. Season with 4 g salt and half the pepper. Cover with the 150 g pancetta slices, keeping a 2 cm border. Spread the cooked filling down the middle. Fold in the narrow ends, roll firmly and tie at 3 cm intervals. Aim for an even roll about 8 cm thick.Open the rabbit on the board, flesh side up. Season with 4 g salt and half the pepper. Cover with the 5½ oz pancetta slices, keeping a ¾ in border. Spread the cooked filling down the middle. Fold in the narrow ends, roll firmly and tie at 1¼ in intervals. Aim for an even roll about 3¼ in thick.
Heat the remaining oil in the large pan. Brown the roll for about 10 minutes, starting seam side down and turning carefully. Season outside with the remaining salt and pepper. Pour in the wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes.Heat the remaining oil in the large pan. Brown the roll for about 10 minutes, starting seam side down and turning carefully. Season outside with the remaining salt and pepper. Pour in the wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes.
Transfer rabbit and pan juices to the roasting dish. Roast for 60 minutes, turning and basting at 20 and 40 minutes. Add the measured water a little at a time only if the juices dry out. The center must be cooked through and the rabbit tender; allow up to 10 more minutes if needed.Transfer rabbit and pan juices to the roasting dish. Roast for 60 minutes, turning and basting at 20 and 40 minutes. Add the measured water a little at a time only if the juices dry out. The center must be cooked through and the rabbit tender; allow up to 10 more minutes if needed.
Rest on a warm platter for 10 minutes. Remove every loop of twine and cut into slices about 1.5 cm thick. Spoon the roasting juices over the slices and divide into portions for serving.Rest on a warm platter for 10 minutes. Remove every loop of twine and cut into slices about ½ in thick. Spoon the roasting juices over the slices and divide into portions for serving.