Sex and what’s for dinner.

[asaxon]

So I need advise from the “pros” on some general guidelines on cuts of meat from boars.

By way of background, we just got back from 10 days in Baja, molesting whales in San Ignacio lagoon (see photos) and diving in Bahia de los Angeles and decided to have hog spare-ribs for dinner after all that lovely Mexican food. My wife and I really liked the ribs we had so far from your first three pigs. However,#1 & 2 were 80-10 little girls and #3 was a 150lb sow. Tonight when we went to chow down on the ribs, it was clear we had met the boar (#4 was a 175 lb boar). The meat was clearly much tougher and stronger tasting. Passable but not really nice like before. I know sows are better then boars and under 150lb is best http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/showthread.php/214314-Best-Sizes-On-Down-For-A-Wild-Meat-Hog but one doesn’t always get that – its hunting after all, not shopping…

So my question is; "What cuts do you keep on boars of say 150 lbs on up and what do you turn into sausage that you might keep as meat cuts from a sow?" Clearly every animal is “different” and if one runs into a stinker like discussed under the post http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/showthread.php/213765-Wanton-Waste-vs-Bad-Taste all bets are off. What I’m looking for is some general guidelines? Got to keep the wife liking pig meat as she's coming hunting with me early in the summer. Thanks.

 

[sancho]

a boars testoterone will affect the meats flavor. that is why some ranchers will castrate the animals. (ouch). so the sows will always taste better.

"living high on the hog" isnt just a great saying. in general, the higher on the animal, (and further forward) the meat gets better. i would sausage the rear hinds, unless you get someone to make ham steaks. lean meat is for fast cooking, fattier, and tougher cuts are best slow cooked.

 

[BigSurArcher]

As far as eating, I prefer a 150 lb boar over any other pig on the mountain. When doing the ribs, I put the rack in the crock pot until they act like they're about to fall apart. Then I take them out and toss onto the BBQ to get that crust and smoke flavor. Slather with BBQ sauce, and thats that. Extremely tender this way, and the crock pot brings out a lot of extra flavor from the bones.

I also really like the loins. Marinate in Italian dressing and set the 'Q very low (like 200 degrees) and slow cook the loin in there for a nice long time with the lid shut. Cook until medium. When you poke it the juices should be almost clear.

 

[BigSurArcher]

Oh ya- an excellent way to do ham steaks is to freeze the hams whole, then run them through the band saw across the grain in 3/4" slices. When you take the steaks out of the freezer, toss them right into your marinade to thaw. BBQ over medium/ high heat. Or you can thaw them out and do a dry rub before BBQing. This is making me hungry.

But if you really wanna be sure to get some post-dinner sex, forget the wild pig and go with oysters on the half shell.

 

[asaxon]

In hindsight, I should have called this "Sex OF what's for dinner". I was concerned about the sex of the animal, nothing more. I'm sorry to disappoint BigSur but oysters only work for the first 30 years of marriage - I've been married for 41. You'll have to buy the book to learn what works after 30....

Thanks for the input so far guys. The idea of cooking ribs in a crockpot before is brill - do you put in liquid or what?? Please advise. I am well aware of the fact that the testosterone is the issue, that is why we shoot does & sows to eat if at all possible too. Testosterone not only makes meat taste strong but according to a friend who is an ER Doc, it the most dangerous "drug" in the world. There is no end of injuries he sees due to "testosterone" effect, primarily in young males who are being pig-headed.

But back to pig meat. The idea that front cuts are better seemed too simple to be true so I checked it out and Sancho is right, at least partially. According to what I read, 'High' didn't mean forward so much as 'up'. I quote Random House; "The saying high on the hog began to the mid 1940s. Living high on the hog meant originally that you ate what were regarded as the superior cuts of meat, the ones on the higher parts of the animal (the cuts above?)--pork chops, hams, etc.--as against the belly, feet, knuckles, jowls, and the like."

Anyone got any more specifics on parts to turn into sausage on the boars in particular that would be generally ok in sows? I've got a lot of meat to eat before going hunting at the end of this month.

 

[myfriendis410]

I'm not a big wild hog rib fan and usually grind anything other than choice cuts. I don't shoot sows so all of our meat is boar hog. I usually crock pot butt roasts and make pulled pork or carnitas, and do schnitzel with the loin. The shoulders are grind (or a picnic ham). Sometimes we'll keep a rack of pork ribs for my hunting partner's son, but usually don't bother.

I slow cook piglets though. I put 'em in the smoker for a couple of hours then bring in and cook in a covered roaster at low temp until the fall apart. There's nothing better. Think of just right turkey dark meat with a smoky taste........

 

[easymoney]

IMHO,
I make it all into sausage, except for the tenderloins or a chop or two...

 

[BigSurArcher]

In hindsight, I should have called this "Sex OF what's for dinner". I was concerned about the sex of the animal, nothing more.

LOL, I knew what you meant... just thought I'd throw it out there for a little humor.

 

[asaxon]

LOL, I knew what you meant... just thought I'd throw it out there for a little humor.

I know, I was just "giving it" back to you. And "the book" is still in draft form.

Since the boar I shot was my first boar, I had them make all sorts of cuts to try them out as part of my learning curve. I do get the picture that many people make a lot of sausage from the pigs and esp. boars. Indeed, I just had German sausage from the boar for lunch and it was great. In future, I'm going to be a bit more careful to see if I can determine the sex of the beast and try to get sows. And if I get a bigger boar, I'll be following the advice I got here. Tx again all and hope to see you Aug 2-3 to put a face to the name.