The best tips for cooking rabbit meat depend on the size of the rabbit, its age and the cut of the meat. Rabbit is cut into sections like chicken — two hind legs, two front legs and two to four sections of saddle or loin — and each part is ideal for certain types of cooking. The meat typically is lean and should be basted often during cooking to keep it moist. It should not be overcooked. Basic chicken recipes can be used when cooking rabbit meat.

The saddle or loin cuts of rabbit meat are the most tender and should be sautéed, grilled or roasted. The back legs are tougher, especially in older rabbits, and should be stewed or braised. The front legs have little meat but can be used in stews and soups. Thin strips along each side of the loin, called tenderloin, are considered the best cuts.

Fryers, which are farm-raised rabbits less than 12 weeks old, have tender meat, and roasters, which are farm-raised rabbits older than eight months, have tougher meat. Farm-raised rabbits have a light pink tint to the color, like white meat in chicken. The meat of wild rabbits, which are hunted in many places, is darker and has a more gamey flavor. By not being grain fed, a wild rabbit tends to lack tenderness and is usually tough. It has a slightly higher protein count, but it has less overall nutritional value than farm-raised rabbits and is higher in cholesterol.

Before the rabbit meat is cooked, it can be marinated or seasoning can be applied to both the outside and inside of the body cavity. Rabbit meat has no marbling and is very lean. Basting it while it is cooking will help prevent it from becoming too dry. Rabbit meat has a smooth texture and a mildly sweet taste. It is all white meat, and some people say it tastes like chicken.