WapitiBob
Well-known member
My brother told me we're going to Texas to shoot a cpl Hogs next month. Other than leave it there, what's the consensus? Local processor told me I could make breakfast sausage...
What to do with a Hog?
- Thread starter WapitiBob
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VOLhunter
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Meateater has a few episodes on butchering, processing and recipes. I’ve only killed 1 here in TN. Made pulled pork roasts from the hams and shoulders then ground the rest. It was pretty good.
KipCarson
Well-known member
Eat it! However you can think to cook it it’ll be good as long as you use good field care. Large cuts BBQ’d on a smoker, pork roasts smothered in gravy, any variety of sausages, etc. Ignore anyone who tells you wild hogs aren’t good to eat. I’ve killed/eaten dozens and haven’t had a bad one yet. Good luck!
D_Walt
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They’re good to eat, I prefer to smoke whole quarters on my big smoker pit and make pulled pork, But my wife made a crockpot pork loin with beans off a pig my son killed a couple days prior and it was out of sight. I killed two on Saturday but a buddy of mine wanted the meat so I gave it to him. In my experience once the boars get big enough to be stinky they’re not as good to eat, but under 150lbs or so they’re still usually great eating.
npaden
Well-known member
The only negative to wild pigs is the need to cook it to 140 to make 100% sure trichinosis is taken care of. Since I went to cooking with a sous vide it really lets me get there without overcooking the snot out of it.
Before sous vide I would smoke it and make it into pulled pork or other BBQ options.
I've eaten dozens of wild pigs and haven't ever had one that didn't taste perfectly fine. Some have been a little tough but they all tasted fine. There are a few glands in some unusual spots that you need to cut out when you are butchering one. If you are taking it apart like normal into quarters and stuff you will find them.
Before sous vide I would smoke it and make it into pulled pork or other BBQ options.
I've eaten dozens of wild pigs and haven't ever had one that didn't taste perfectly fine. Some have been a little tough but they all tasted fine. There are a few glands in some unusual spots that you need to cut out when you are butchering one. If you are taking it apart like normal into quarters and stuff you will find them.
noharleyyet
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A split side smoked is delicious and makes a cool presentation.
LuketheDog
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Eat it, it's great! Butcher it like anything else you shoot. When I was in high school we'd take marinated pork chops and sausage from the wild pigs we killed down to the beach when we went spearfishing. Then, if the fishing was good we'd cook up a big old surf n' turf meal on the charcoal grill for whoever was around, met lots of new people, it was good times!
SO7mm
Well-known member
I've shot a couple here in CA and agree that you butcher it like anything else. Crockpot carnitas was a big hit in my house with the one I shot last year. All of the front shoulder, neck and anything else that had connective tissue was used for that. The rest was grilled.
What everyone else said about cooking them is accurate: chops, cutlets, roasts, ribs, ground, sausage. It sounds like your local processor may not be experienced with wild hogs (even though the process is exactly the same as farm-raised pork). If that’s the case, your Texas outfitter certainly can recommend someone who will ship your meat to you.
silasd
Active member
Take the quarters. Slow cook them in a gravy and vegetables and herbs. Then grill to brown/crisp up when you reach your desired internal temp. One of my best cooks was a hind quarter I cooked like a lamb leg. Inserted garlic and rosemary into the flesh. Put it on the weber in an aluminum pan covered in foil with an indirect fire. I also cut up potatoes, carrots, parsnips and a thin brown gravy with red wine. I think I cooked it to around 165? Since it had been seaming in the foil bin, the meat wasn't too palatable looking so I put it right on the grill for about 5-10 minutes a side. Best dang meat I ever grilled.
I've heard of guys taking the ribs but I don't think there's enough meat to be worth it.
AvidIndoorsman
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CDC - Trichinellosis - Prevention & Control
A parasite is an organism that lives on or in a host and gets its food from or at the expense of its host. Parasites can cause disease in humans.
www.cdc.gov
Wild pigs get T. Spiralis which can be killed through freezing
Bears get Spiralis, Nativa, T6, and Murelli. Native, T6, and Murelli are cold resistant.
Epidemiology, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Control of Trichinellosis
Summary: Throughout much of the world, Trichinella spp. are found to be the causative agents of human trichinellosis, a disease that not only is a public health hazard by affecting human patients but also represents an economic problem in porcine animal ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Basically you can freeze a wild hog and be safe you can't freeze a black bear. Sous vide is a great option as well, as you can hold the temp longer and reduce the cook temp.
2rocky
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Have not tried Sous vide but Loin (backstrap) roast can be cut into chops (I prefer roast on grill).
Shoulders smoked and shredded for pulled pork,
Smoke one ham. That's enough for me.
Take 15# of trim meat and make 30# of sausage. Bratwurst, Garlic, Italian, and/or Drying sausage. Could do bulk or Breakfast links too. The trim meat can wait for the required deep freeze time...
Shoulders smoked and shredded for pulled pork,
Smoke one ham. That's enough for me.
Take 15# of trim meat and make 30# of sausage. Bratwurst, Garlic, Italian, and/or Drying sausage. Could do bulk or Breakfast links too. The trim meat can wait for the required deep freeze time...
WapitiBob
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Awesome, thanks guys. Really appreciate it.
lifesupport4u
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See if Jesse Griffiths has any recipes. He is a Chef in season 10 and says he enjoys cooking hogs.
geetar
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My brother killed a 200 lb boar in on a WMA in Georgia recently. He made 18 lbs of sausage, cut pork chops, whole loins, saved a shoulder to smoke and one for a ham and he has said it’s all good. He even cooked part of one loin at camp the day they shot it and said it had no off flavor even then.
Desk Pop
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Eat it. They are good and are a nice change from red meat once and again.
elkhnter
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The one I shot in Tennessee this summer is fantastic. Chops and sausage.
LuketheDog
Well-known member
He's got a whole book on just hogs!
