A classic Flemish braised rabbit stew in which rabbit pieces are slow-cooked with dried prunes and dark Belgian beer until fall-from-the-bone tender, the sauce achieving a characteristic sweet-sour balance. Traditionally served on Sundays and feast days with potato croquettes or fries.
Rabbit was historically a staple protein across Flanders due to its wide availability, while dried prunes were common winter provisions in the Low Countries. Using Belgian beer rather than wine to braise meat is a defining hallmark of Flemish cooking; dark malt ales and sour kriek lend a complexity no wine replaces. The combination of prunes, brown beer, and mustard evolved as a Sunday and festive dish, passed down through the grandmother's kitchen tradition across generations of Flemish home cooks.
Tender, fall-from-the-bone rabbit with a sauce that is simultaneously malty-bitter, sweetly fruited from prunes, and brightened with a touch of vinegar at the finish.
Rabbit is lean with low collagen content; gentle braising at 85-90 degrees C dissolves what collagen exists into gelatin, giving the sauce its silky body without drying out the meat. A light flour coating creates a simple roux when the meat is browned, thickening the braising liquid. Prune sugars and sorbitol caramelize over long heat and blend with the beer's maltose for the characteristic sweet-sour profile; a final splash of vinegar restores acidity and sharpens the palate.
Variations
Some cooks use kriek (cherry lambic) instead of dark beer for a sharper tartness. Prunes can be partially replaced with dried figs or apricots. A stronger mustard finish is common in certain family recipes; some versions also add a clove or two for warmth.
On the Palate
Where Konijn met pruimen sits in the Belgian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
7 steps · 30 min
- 110 min
Season rabbit pieces with salt and pepper, then dust lightly all over with flour
- 215 min
Brown rabbit in butter over medium-high heat until golden on all sides; set aside
Watch outBrown the floured rabbit to golden on all sides — that flour coating turns to a roux that later thickens the braise, and the crust builds the fond.
- 310 min
In the same pan over medium heat, cook sliced onions until soft and lightly caramelised
- 45 min
Stir in mustard, pour in the dark beer, and scrape up all the browned bits from the pan base
- 55 min
Return rabbit to the pan; add chicken stock, dried prunes, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves
- 690 min
Cover tightly and braise over the lowest possible heat for 90 minutes until the meat is very tender
Watch outBraise on the very lowest heat — rabbit is lean, and a gentle 85–90°C keeps it moist; a hard simmer dries it stringy.
- 710 min
Remove rabbit; taste and adjust sauce with a splash of vinegar and seasoning, then serve
Watch outFinish with a splash of vinegar off the heat — it brightens the sweet prune sauce and sharpens the whole dish.
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