Wild Boar Meat: Edible or Not?
Some people enjoy having in their plate an uncommon type of food. One of these is wild boar meat, one of the hunter's favorite. The consumers will enjoy it with admiration towards the person who caught it, while the hunter will eat it with pride. It is a very interesting meat, not only in terms of its taste, but also in terms of its spreading and the fact that it is unknown by many people.
What you must know is that the meat of an old boar is not edible. Only the meat of a young hog can be enjoyed at its finest taste. The piglets must be castrated in order to have a good taste. People want to have piglets castrated; otherwise the meat is not edible. Castrating prevents the boar's fat from turning into "boar taint", which makes the meat less appetizing.
However, there are other techniques which are used, as well. For example, some people keep the boar away from the female for 30 days, claiming that in this way "boar taint" does not occur. Others claim that if you castrate the boar immediately after killing it, the fat does not have enough time to turn into "boar taint". Some species are said to not even suffer such transformation.
What you must know is that the meat of an old boar is not edible. Only the meat of a young hog can be enjoyed at its finest taste. The piglets must be castrated in order to have a good taste. People want to have piglets castrated; otherwise the meat is not edible. Castrating prevents the boar's fat from turning into "boar taint", which makes the meat less appetizing.
However, there are other techniques which are used, as well. For example, some people keep the boar away from the female for 30 days, claiming that in this way "boar taint" does not occur. Others claim that if you castrate the boar immediately after killing it, the fat does not have enough time to turn into "boar taint". Some species are said to not even suffer such transformation.
5 Tasty Hog Recipes
Below we will present you 5 tasty hog recipes which we hope you will enjoy cooking & eating together with your family and friends.
Wild Boar Stew We need:
How to cook: Put the pieces of meat into a large non-aluminium bowl and pour in the wine, save the rest for later, add the bay leaves, rosemary, sage, garlic, carrots and onions. Cover and leave in a cool place or refrigerate for 24 hours.
Next day heat the olive oil in a large cooking pot. Add the meat, cooking over a high heat to seal and brown on all sides. Add some salt and freshly ground black pepper, then pour in the marinade. Stir in the tomato sauce and add another glass red wine.
Cover and cook in a preheated oven 180c/350f, gas 4, until the meat is very tender. This should take two-two half hours. Fish out the bay leaves. Serve the Wild Boar Stew with vegetables fried in olive oil and peaches simmered in sweet white wine and brown sugar.
Wild Boar Casserole in a Rich Italian Style We need:
How to cook: Mix the meat with all the marinade ingredients and marinate in cool place for 24 hours. Drain from the marinade, pat dry. Heat the butter or oil in a heavy frying pan and brown the meat all over, sprinkling in the flour to brown a little too. Do not overfill the pan or the meat may stew, not brown, and you must keep the heat up. Remove to a casserole, preferably earthenware, Deglaze the pan with the marinade and wine and pour over the meat.
Cover closely, cook in a very slow oven (250F/130C/gas 1) for about 2 1/2 - 3 hours until the meat is very tender, and the sauce reduced. Cook with the lid off if not well reduced for the sauce should be little more than a sticky substance that coats the meat. Degrease any excess fat and serve with polenta or creamy mashed potatoes.
Grilled Wild Boar Salami on Celeriac Remoulade As well as being a good baguette filling, the wild boar salami from Simon is good grilled. Serve with a couple of sourdough rye toasts (either Leakers or Long Crichel bakery is best local Organic bakery). Serve with a remoulade dressing on celeriac.
We need:
How to cook: Blanch the celeriac juliennes in boiling water, refreshing in iced water after 1 min. (Don't 'overcook' the celeriac to prevent it going 'mushy'). Drain well, and squeeze out excess water. Blend the capers, mustard and anchovies with the lemon juice and a little of the mayo. When smooth, fold into the rest of the mayo.
You may need to 'adjust' the levels of the additions to the mayo here, depending on their 'strength'. If the mix is a little to 'stiff' slacken it off by adding a little good-quality olive oil. The remoulade should be a smooth sauce with a little 'after bite' of mustard, anchovy and lemon flavours - all evenly balanced).
Wild Boar cured meat Salad with Cherry Beer dressing We need:
How to cook: Remove the stones from the cherries and cut them into quarters. Place them in a bowl and cover with 6 tablespoons of the beer to marinade (for a few hours if possible).
Drain the cherries and set aside. Add the mustard to the marinade and stir to dissolve. Add the oil and check the seasoning. Wash and dry the lettuce. Arrange the meat around the edge of each plate. Carefully arrange a small amount of salad in the centre, then spoon the cherries around and drizzle some dressing over it.
Roast Haunch or Saddle We need:
How to cook: Marinate the joint for 8 hours. Drain, dry and lard' it with butter, cook in preheated oven at 220c, gas mark 7 for 10 mins, turn down to 200c gas mark 6, and baste frequently with melted butter and some of the marinade for another hour. Make a sauce with the pan juices, and glass of brandy (burnt) and enough of the marinade to absorb all the crusty bits sticking to the pan. Serve with roast potatoes and vegetables of your choice.
Wild Boar Stew We need:
- ● 1 kg diced haunch or shoulder;
- ● 1 carrot diced;
- ● 3/4 bottle red wine;
- ● 2 red onion peeled and quartered;
- ● 2-3 bay leaves;
- ● 6 tablespoons olive oil;
- ● sprigs of fresh rosemary;
- ● salt and freshly ground black pepper;
- ● sprigs of fresh sage;
- ● 300 ml fresh tomato sauce or passata;
- ● 2-3 cloves garlic;
- ● another glass of red wine.
How to cook: Put the pieces of meat into a large non-aluminium bowl and pour in the wine, save the rest for later, add the bay leaves, rosemary, sage, garlic, carrots and onions. Cover and leave in a cool place or refrigerate for 24 hours.
Next day heat the olive oil in a large cooking pot. Add the meat, cooking over a high heat to seal and brown on all sides. Add some salt and freshly ground black pepper, then pour in the marinade. Stir in the tomato sauce and add another glass red wine.
Cover and cook in a preheated oven 180c/350f, gas 4, until the meat is very tender. This should take two-two half hours. Fish out the bay leaves. Serve the Wild Boar Stew with vegetables fried in olive oil and peaches simmered in sweet white wine and brown sugar.
Wild Boar Casserole in a Rich Italian Style We need:
- ● 2 lb generous cubes diced shoulder;
- ● 2-3 tbls oil (or butter);
- ● 1 tbls flour;
- ● 1/2-pint robust red wine;
- ● 2 cloves garlic;
- ● 2 tbls spiced oil;
- ● 1 onion diced;
- ● 2 tbls spiced vinegar/wine vinegar;
- ● 3-4 sage leaves, sprig rosemary leaves, finely chopped;
- ● 2 tbls Masala (optional);
- ● 2 tbls robust red wine;
- ● 2-3 cloves;
- ● 1 1/2 tsp salt;
- ● 2-3 crushed juniper berri;
- ● plenty fresh milled pepper.
How to cook: Mix the meat with all the marinade ingredients and marinate in cool place for 24 hours. Drain from the marinade, pat dry. Heat the butter or oil in a heavy frying pan and brown the meat all over, sprinkling in the flour to brown a little too. Do not overfill the pan or the meat may stew, not brown, and you must keep the heat up. Remove to a casserole, preferably earthenware, Deglaze the pan with the marinade and wine and pour over the meat.
Cover closely, cook in a very slow oven (250F/130C/gas 1) for about 2 1/2 - 3 hours until the meat is very tender, and the sauce reduced. Cook with the lid off if not well reduced for the sauce should be little more than a sticky substance that coats the meat. Degrease any excess fat and serve with polenta or creamy mashed potatoes.
Grilled Wild Boar Salami on Celeriac Remoulade As well as being a good baguette filling, the wild boar salami from Simon is good grilled. Serve with a couple of sourdough rye toasts (either Leakers or Long Crichel bakery is best local Organic bakery). Serve with a remoulade dressing on celeriac.
We need:
- ● 2 kg celeriac, well-peeled, fine-julienned;
- ● 1 tbsp mayonnaise (home-made);
- ● 15 g salted drained anchovies, pulped;
- ● 2 tbsp drained capers;
- ● 2 tbsp strong mustard;
- ● a large squeeze lemon juice.
How to cook: Blanch the celeriac juliennes in boiling water, refreshing in iced water after 1 min. (Don't 'overcook' the celeriac to prevent it going 'mushy'). Drain well, and squeeze out excess water. Blend the capers, mustard and anchovies with the lemon juice and a little of the mayo. When smooth, fold into the rest of the mayo.
You may need to 'adjust' the levels of the additions to the mayo here, depending on their 'strength'. If the mix is a little to 'stiff' slacken it off by adding a little good-quality olive oil. The remoulade should be a smooth sauce with a little 'after bite' of mustard, anchovy and lemon flavours - all evenly balanced).
Wild Boar cured meat Salad with Cherry Beer dressing We need:
- ● 50 g per person of finely sliced boar salami;
- ● 1 oak leaf lettuce;
- ● 1 small bottle of cherry beer or some cherry vinegar;
- ● 12 ripe English cherries;
- ● a small pinch of sugar;
- ● half teaspoon of English mustard ;
- ● 8 tbsp extra virgin rapeseed oil.
How to cook: Remove the stones from the cherries and cut them into quarters. Place them in a bowl and cover with 6 tablespoons of the beer to marinade (for a few hours if possible).
Drain the cherries and set aside. Add the mustard to the marinade and stir to dissolve. Add the oil and check the seasoning. Wash and dry the lettuce. Arrange the meat around the edge of each plate. Carefully arrange a small amount of salad in the centre, then spoon the cherries around and drizzle some dressing over it.
Roast Haunch or Saddle We need:
- ● 1 bottle of red wine;
- ● 4 crushed juniper berries;
- ● 1 glass of brandy;
- ● 2 sliced onions;
- ● 1 clove of garlic;
- ● 1 sliced carrot;
- ● 1 bay leaf;
- ● salt and pepper.
How to cook: Marinate the joint for 8 hours. Drain, dry and lard' it with butter, cook in preheated oven at 220c, gas mark 7 for 10 mins, turn down to 200c gas mark 6, and baste frequently with melted butter and some of the marinade for another hour. Make a sauce with the pan juices, and glass of brandy (burnt) and enough of the marinade to absorb all the crusty bits sticking to the pan. Serve with roast potatoes and vegetables of your choice.
General Info
Tips & Techniques
