Taste testing wild pig meat

[Sam Colt]

They say about 25% of people don't taste/smell boar taint, so if you've never tasted it you're probably immune.

From Wikipedia:

Boar taint is caused by the accumulation of two compounds – androstenone and skatole – in the fat of male pigs. Androstenone (a male pheromone) is produced in the testes as male pigs reach puberty and gives the meat a urine or sweat flavour, while skatole (a byproduct of intestinal bacteria, or bacterial metabolite of the amino acid tryptophan) is produced in both male and female pigs and gives the meat a 'fecal' flavour. However, levels are much higher in intact boars, because testicular steroids inhibit its breakdown by the liver. As a result, skatole accumulates in the fat of male pigs as they mature.

This explains a lot. Wife and I are sensitive. One cube of fat in the skillet tells the tale. Boars with the funk knock us back several feet in short order.

 

[Kaitum]

I cooked up a bunch of cubes in the skillet with light salt and pepper. Zero odor other than what you'd expect from cooked pork. Definitely not tender.

 

[El Jason]

I cooked up a bunch of cubes in the skillet with light salt and pepper. Zero odor other than what you'd expect from cooked pork. Definitely not tender.

Chili verde…

 

[Hem]

I have shot several hundred hogs and usually skip the big nasty’s
best eating is a big fat pregnant sow , next best is a 60-120 young boar or sow , a run down sow with piglets and a big nasty usually are last for table fare but still good eatingView attachment 213005

Guess no stink with that one.

 

[Boarmaster]

I have killed a few hundred over the years All in Florida. I killed quite a few with previous injuries.
The first few I killed with festering injuries were not good to eat so from then on I left them lay. I probably left a few that could have been ok But after the bad experience with a few I was done with that and the farmer was up our rear to keep shooting them.

 

[SC Living Outdoors]

We kill them and eat them all. Never thrown one out. I’m also not a picky eater. If I shoot it I eat it.

 

[ImBillT]

I’ve never had a wild hog taste bad BUT I would assume that the bacteria and various waste products and stenches from that wound have been distributed throughout the meat via the bloodstream. I could be wrong.

 

[Lou (Louis)]

Didn’t want to start a new thread, so

Please rate a smaller (say 50-100lb) hog on 1-10 scale (1=maggot infested road kill, 10=best venison).
Thanks!

 

[jryoung]

Didn’t want to start a new thread, so

Please rate a smaller (say 50-100lb) hog on 1-10 scale (1=maggot infested road kill, 10=best venison).
Thanks!

They can range from 1-10 depending on what they're eating and how you handle it in from field to plate.....with the weight of the scale heavier towards how you handle it between kill and plate. 90% of shitty meat taste is user error.

 

[six7]

Having grown up and hunted my entire life in Texas, I’ve killed a plethora of pigs. For me and my lease mates it’s real simple…if it stinks while skinning and quartering, it doesn’t get eaten. And it’s rare that a boar, even small ones, don’t stink. Sows, even the big ones, are unbelievably delicious and never stink.

Soooo, did it stink while cleaning it? If so I’d toss it because YOU WILL taste it. Even all the ‘methods’ of removing the strong taste don’t fully work on boars.

100% Agree!

 

[six7]

I knew an older man with catch dogs and he would catch the boars, cut them(nuts) and feed them out for a few months. But our rule of thumb is, if they smell, we ain't eating it.

 

[longbow51]

Anything you chase will likely be terrible; that's why some don't like antelope. They chase them around in a truck and then wonder why they taste bad. Spot and stalk and they're great.

 

[Cemetery Sling Blade]

Vermin reduced hogs for many years and I find eat the sows under 150lbs for store bought loin taste. I tried a couple big ones. It tasted ok, but tough and chewy and I went through a pack of toothpicks!

 

[Westxhunter]

Just do what deer meat for dinner used to do. Catch the boars live, then cut off their testicles and kill them a year later. supposed to help the meat.

 

[Boarmaster]

Anything you chase will likely be terrible; that's why some don't like antelope. They chase them around in a truck and then wonder why they taste bad. Spot and stalk and they're great.

This.

 

[WoodMoose]

Definitely not tender.

a sow I shot along the Rio Grande West of Marfa was so tough even the brats I made from her were excessively chewy - good flavor though

I prefer those 50 to 100 lbs and generally shoot sows as I'm trying to lower the # of litters produced