Caribou Gear Tarp

Ammonia smell/taste to a Javelina

archer wapiti

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New Mexico
Has anybody experienced this before? I killed my first Javelina last weekend and it's mostly delicious, but occasionally I get a hint of a slight ammonia smell and taste.
I've eaten the tenderloins (no ammonia), backstrap (ditto), shoulder (ammonia) and head cheese (ammonia).
I can't figure it out. I don't have any ammonia-based products in the house, and the pieces were all handled the same way - skinned in the field, cooled as fast as temps allowed at 60 degrees in the shade of a creosote bush, and hauled off the mountain in the same game bag (so it wasn't that some pieces were in one bag and others in another). The head was not skinned in the field, but still has the slight flavor/smell in some bites. I'm wondering if it's not in the fascia and some sort of plant secondary compound that is causing this, but it's all speculation at this point. I noticed it when I was browning a shoulder in oil before I braised it, and I thought maybe the oil was contaminated, but the head had the same odor.
I've not shared it with anyone to see if others notice, will do that at work tomorrow, but wondering if anyone else has experienced this in Javelina or another animal. And yes, I was careful to make sure that it was not contaminated by the gland on the back. It's nothing like the smell of the gland anyhow.
Thanks for sharing any similar experiences.
 
Javelina’s smell and in my experience some are worse than others for no apparent reason. All of them I’ve been around have been handled well and some years I just have one with a lot more javelina smell to it
 
I've never had Javelina with an ammonia smell.I have had them taste of Scent gland,dirt,hair and everything else.
I just tell everyone that's how you know it's the real deal and not store bought...
I'm thinking some sort of plant secretion.Possibly a game bag layed on a creosote or sage bush? 〽💥
 
Was it a boar and could it be boar taint? Andosterone and skatole can build up in the fat in domestic pigs, has something like an ammonia smell.
 
I've never had Javelina with an ammonia smell.I have had them taste of Scent gland,dirt,hair and everything else.
I just tell everyone that's how you know it's the real deal and not store bought...
I'm thinking some sort of plant secretion.Possibly a game bag layed on a creosote or sage bush? 〽💥
+1
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I killed a desert buck in AZ about 20 years ago that tasted like ammonia. It was nearly inedible. It was an incredibly dry year and the deer were basically living on yucca pods. We figured that was the reason for the bad taste
 
Thanks for your replies. It was a boar, so maybe there's something to do with that.
none of the nicknames I've heard would be appropriate. I'll have to start calling this one Mr. Clean.
 
I ate several when I lived in Arizona and they all (including a big male) were very good. The only thing that I can think of, is that somehow part of the scent from the back gland got onto the meat. Otherwise, it is a head-scratcher.
 
I have opened a package of pork ribs one time that smelled like ammonia. I cooked them anyway thinking i was just imagining it. They were bad. Not sure if they got warm at the grocery store or what. So in my experience ammonia smell=spoiled.
 
I associate the Ammonia smell with rancid urine. If I mess up and puncture the bladder I wash it off quickly.

The So. Cal Javalina I've tried smelled so strong after Sage, Pine nuts (bitter) and Mesquite no amount of marinade helped.
 
Ammonia is from breaking down proteins. I wonder if part of it was too hot for too long, but not contaminated by bacteria. If bacteria broke it down I don’t think it would smell like ammonia. You said you laid him in the shade under a bush and didn’t skin the head right away. Makes me wonder if the ammonia smell is from the side that was on the ground.

Just a thought. Might not have anything to do with it.
 

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