Taste testing wild pig meat

[Kaitum]

I shot my first wild pig this weekend. Turned out to be a big, gnarly boar (only one I had a shot at). He had a ugly wound in top of his shoulders I had to cut way around. I expect to grind most of him. But before I go through the effort, would cutting a serving from his back strap and cooking it give me an idea of the flavor to expect? Has anyone had success making sausage out of strong flavored boars?

 

[BackofBeyond]

Yes, you’ll get a hint of the flavor from the back strap. Better yet, a piece of the ham.

Did he go far from when you shot him? That’s usually why they get pretty nasty is if they are all worked up when they tip over.

Some of the best pork carnitas I’ve ever had was made from the hams of a 250 lb boar. If your trying sausage, depending on how your taste test goes, stick with chorizo or hot Italian. Something with lots of spice.

 

[Big Bore]

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.

 

[Kaitum]

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.

He stank, mostly from the wound (or so I assumed). I was careful when skinning to stay clear of it and not to cut in that area and then taint the meat with the same knife.

 

[npaden]

I’ve eaten several dozen wild pigs from 50 pounders to 300+ pound boars and don’t think any tasted bad. Some have been a little tougher than others but now that I sous vide them that isn’t an issue anymore.

 

[mtmuley]

I shot my first wild pig this weekend. Turned out to be a big, gnarly boar (only one I had a shot at). He had a ugly wound in top of his shoulders I had to cut way around. I expect to grind most of him. But before I go through the effort, would cutting a serving from his back strap and cooking it give me an idea of the flavor to expect? Has anyone had success making sausage out of strong flavored boars?

Nice Jeff. Cool to hunt them I bet. mtmuley

 

[ccc23454]

We try to only shot medium sized sows cause boars are nasty majority of time. If i shot a younger boar or older sow i have found brine helps with long smokes or just grind into sauage mix. With hogs smell is usually a good indicator of quality of meat.

 

[Hem]

The one and only pig I have shot was a younger boar.
Tasted GREAT!
Someday I will hunt them again.

 

[steveshuntn1]

About 4 years ago they started showing up on the National Forrest I hunt. They are thick in there now…I shoot any and all I see. I have not had one yet that didn’t make excellent sausage. I usually take the back straps and cook in a slow cooker and make bbq sandwiches from it. It’s not store bought pork taste…I think it’s better. I ground up a large boar last season…pushing 275/300 lbs and it made excellent smoked brats and breakfast sausage.

 

[CowboyLeroy]

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.

The sniff test never fails

We ran em with dogs for years and years and I think maybe one in one hundred boar hogs wouldn't stink (these are south ga farm coutry hogs btw) and even the ones that didn't stink and had the nice pretty white fat would, under application of heat, release the most foul musk that would just stink up the whole house.
All criticism of wild hogs aside, I grew up on it, and to me it's some of the finest table fare out there.

 

[sneakypete]

I’ve taken a lot of pigs in the past, my wife actually loved it. I always had the hams deboned and smoked and cut in half. They made a great Sunday dinner and leftovers made split pea soup. I also had the chops cut 1” thick, thinner was to tough! Rest was sausage.

 

[Foxtrot1]

Taste test the loins. That will tell you.

The boars we have killed either have a musky smell from several feet away or not. All the 1s that didn't stink were fine.

Just finished making 170 lbs if chorizo, hot Italian, andouille and breakfast sausage out of some from a trip to Texas.

 

[WapitiBob]

Fry up a chunk of fat, you’ll know real quick.

 

[S-3 Ranch]

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 eating

 

[hank4elk]

I've had a couple big boars the dogs would hesitate at eating.

 

[kwyeewyk]

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.

 

[noharleyyet]

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.

I'm definitely not immune...

 

[kwyeewyk]

I'm definitely not immune...

Same here, it taints whatever you use to cook it too, smell it on the grill two weeks later.

 

[hank4elk]

Yep. 350lb boar is good for the skull collection. IMHO.
Damn, I can smell the ammonia scent now. Even the hams smelled like piss on the smoker.

Same here, it taints whatever you use to cook it too, smell it on the grill two weeks later.

 

[noharleyyet]

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

Be the decoy...