Cooking wild boar questions.

[Pete Judd]

I was given some wild boar, one piece feels like a ham, but uncured, about 15 lbs, some chops, and some steaks. The boar was shot about a year ago and processed in a butcher shop, and wrapped. I has been in a freezer for about a year. I understand the boar was a male, and might taste gamey. Any hints for cooking the "ham/roast" and the chops/steaks for the best results. We have very few wild ones around here, and nobody know much about the cooking.

 

[Storm56]

I have eaten wild boar, remember at the end of the day it is just a pig, so how ever you cook your pork should be just fine. Usually do it up in a marinade and it is just delicious. So pick your favorite marinade and have a go. One note, I am a hunter and have taken quite a few species of NA game. The biggest secret to cooking game meat, no matter what it is, is to NOT over cook it. Most game meat is leaner than farm raised animals and there is less fat in the meat. Over cook it and it gets dry and tough in a hurry.

 

[forgeblast]

To get some of the game taste out we soak the meat in a apple cider vinegar/water solution before cooking.

 

[greasemonkeyok]

Or, drink so much beer you can't taste anything before you eat it. I hear it (wild boar) can be awful.

 

[RobertBrown]

Some big boars can get "rank". That's how we refer to the condition here. They get a strong odor as a result of some type of hormone condition.
No doubt has to do with the mating process similar to deer or elk. If it's bad, you can smell it from a long ways off if down wind. When you smell that, a subsistence hunter will just let it walk.
I'm guessing here, but people generally don't give away meat unless they don't want it, or don't like it. If they are willing to give it to you it's probably not all that great. If the boar is rank you'll know it when it thaws out, you won't have to hold it to your nose either.
On the other hand if they didn't cook it right then they just think it's not good and in that case it may be worth your time.
At any rate, I wouldn't invite a bunch of friends over and I would have a backup plan for dinner that night just in case.
I agree with storm56 to an extent, overcooking meat, especially deer can really ruin it. But since this is a pig, and a wild one at that, it should be thoroughly cooked because of the parasites it can harbor, and they can be some bad ones. You don't want brucellocis or trichinosis or anything else, so cook it thoroughly. Wild pig, unlike domestic pig have a much stronger imune system but they don't get vaccinated ether, so cook it until it's done.
Having said that, you need to understand that the meat, if very lean, is going to get dry. If it has a lot of fat, cooking it until well done or 160-180F is not going to matter it will be moist.
If it's lean then you have to add something to give it moisture so use fruits and vegetables and have lots of liquid in the pan while roasting. I have cooked it just about everything you can think of including peaches and sprite yes Sprite the beverage. Beer is good for adding liquid and what ever vegetables you like in particular. These should go in within an hour of when the meat is done so they don't get too overcooked, unless you like them that way. I suggest the last hour with the vegetables, the meat should be covered.
Do not expect this to look like or taste like a beef rib roast or prime rib. Think of it more like a pot roast and it that will be your best bet.
good luck and keep us informed.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001623/

 

[lockhaven]

is it wild hog or wild boar there is a difference, the European wild boar has a different taste then a boar hog wild or otherwise

 

[CowboyRon]

To get rid of the gamey taste, we get a small feral pig and put him in the ice chest. We open the drain plug and put a bag of ice on him. Put a bag of ice on him every day for 3 days, then he's ready for the smoker.

 

[Pete Judd]

There were some domestic hogs let go in the woods about 30 miles from here about 20 or so years ago, and they seemed to have survived and multiplied. I think that this may be one of them. All the meat is in the freezer right now, except some Sausage. Will try that Tue am with breakfast, and I think I should see how it tastes. (Robert where did you find that avitar, It is great.)