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Wild boar question
Does anyone know why the wild boar wouldn't shred? Is it the muscle group or perhaps that fact that the boar is so lean?
Comments
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You are right. Not enough fat content to break down and shred like pork butt.
Would need to cook more like a lean hunk of beef roast.
There is a recipe on this forum for a pulled beef dish that is braised in cast iron after the smoke. This should work well.Thank you,DarianGalveston Texas -
Dmb3739 said:So a friend of mine gave me a 5 lb wild boar, bone in roast. It resembled a ham. I decided that I was going to treat it like a Boston butt and do a low and slow at 225°-250° and make pulled pork. After a nice bark was developed (about 160° internal temperature), I wrapped it in butcher's paper and put it back on the egg. I let it run its course and after an internal temperature of 203° was obtained, I pulled it and let it rest for about 1/2 hour. Here's where the confusion set in. Although the taste was incredible, it did NOT shred like pulled pork. I had to slice the roast and although it was very good, if I woukd have known it wouldn't have shredded, I would've pulled it at around 170° for slicing.
Does anyone know why the wild boar wouldn't shred? Is it the muscle group or perhaps that fact that the boar is so lean?Wild swine will almost be far more lean than their domestic counterparts. This is due to diet, breeding and exercise. Wild hogs are always moving. They almost never stop except for sleep and occasional mudding. Also they eat what they can find or scavenge. This is the exact opposite of domestic swine which are bred, fed, and raised in ideal and controlled conditions to produce quality meat.With that said and aside, they still can be cooked to “pull”. We have been doing it for decades and are still doing it to this day. Rather than tell you how to do it, I will share how I do it and it’s up to you if you want to follow suit or not. Because like most all other things, there is certainly more than one way to skin a cat.We always cook them very low and slow. Anywhere from 215-230 degrees. I usually try to hold 225 degrees from take off to touchdown as this temp seems to work perfect. I do not concern myself with trying to speed up the cook when cooking wild swine. When the internal temp hits 140 degrees (yes 140, not 160) I either wrap in foil or pan them with a tight fitting lid. Both work just fine. I like to use the large disposable pans with lids from SAMS. They work great for this.Above you said that you used paper. Try the foil or a foil pan and I think you will be pleased with the results. Foiling and panning gives a far greater steaming affect than wrapping in paper. For wild swine this is what you want due to the lack of adipose and intramuscular fat. The steaming will break down the meat so it will pull. If you foil or pan at 140 degrees like I suggest, I give you my word the next one you do will pull with zero effort. This is not some of my bull$hit. It is simply a fact my friend. It will pull, trust me.Now here is the proverbial hippy in the windstorm. If you simply wrap or pan without adding a liquid to braise (which is perfectly acceptable and what I do) the meat will definitely be drier than its domestic counterpart. But there is a solution to this dilemma. You have 2 options. First and easiest is to add a liquid when wrapping. However I do not do this. Once the meat hits 200-205 internal (depending on its size) let it rest and then pull as you normally would. Once pulled mix in some melted butter or lard. For a real treat use both. This is how you compensate for the lack of fat and adipose. Yeah I know it’s an extra step, but it is well worth it my friend.So in a nutshell, method one looks like this:1. Cook at 225 degrees.
2. Wrap in foil or pan when internal temp hits 140 degrees. Again, not at the typical 160 degrees.3. Depending on its size, cook to an internal of 200-205 degrees. As a rule of thumb on wild swine shoulder I go 200 for anything under 5 pounds and 205 for 5 pounds and heavier. If you get into some sure enough massive shoulders you will have to bump this temp just a touch.4. Rest and pull as normal. Mix in butter, lard or both.5. Enjoy your “wild” pulled pork my friend 👍Now here is method #2. However, it is simply not practical for the majority of folks. But I thought I would share it just the same. This is what we do more than method #1 but only because we have the means to do it.If you have the means, trap (instead of killing) wild swine and pen them. You can castrate and feed them out and and they will cook identical to their domestic kin. The new diet and lack of free range movement works miracles. For male wild swine you should wait at least 6 weeks (preferably 8 weeks) after castrating before slaughter if you are trying to remove the “wild” or so called “gamey” taste and smell. How long you feed them is up to you but the longer the better. If you feed them correctly you will be amazed at how much fat you can pack on them in 6 weeks if they are penned and not allowed to run.Again, I know this is simply not practical for the vast majority of the folks out there. But it is a sure fire way to turn a whole wild hog into one that will cook identical to store bought meat.I hope that this helps you a little my friend. Or anyone else out there in egg land who may be bored enough to read it. Happy cooking my brother 👍Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.
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If I had to guess, I would say it's something to do with the parasites in wild boar meat.I have posed the question a few times, do wild boars have the parasite Trichinosis that once was prevalent in domestic pork?If the parasite is indeed present in wild boar, I certainly would go to 200-205 Degrees as @SGH recommends.If anyone knows for certain about the parasites, please reply.
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GregW said:If anyone knows for certain about the parasites, please reply.With that said, in no way can I speak for the rest of the state let alone the rest of the nation. I can say with 100% certainty it has never been an issue in my lifetime along the Mississippi and Alabama Gulf coast. However, it could be an epidemic for the remaining part of the two states. I have no clue except for the areas we have always hunted and trapped.
Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.
Status- Standing by.
The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. -
SGH said:GregW said:If anyone knows for certain about the parasites, please reply.With that said, in no way can I speak for the rest of the state let alone the rest of the nation. I can say with 100% certainty it has never been an issue in my lifetime along the Mississippi and Alabama Gulf coast. However it could be an epidemic for the remaining part of the two states. I have no clue except for the areas we have always hunted and trapped.Thank you for your reply. I would imagine if it's in the pork, cooking properly is the key.It appears parasite infection from wild boar is possible, but extremely rare.A search turned up following information:
Much of the improvement to domesticated pork comes from controlling their food sources but such management is not possible with wild boar because they are, well… wild. So, how common is trichinella infection in wild boar? It varies with one study showing a 5.7% infection rate and other showing 13%.2, 3 In Texas, however, a study sampling 226 wild boar found 0% infection rate!4 The most comprehensive study, performed by the USDA, sampled from 32 states found an average wild boar trichinella infection rate of 3%.5
All diagnosed cases of trichinosis are required to be reported to the CDC and there were 90 cases total reported from 2008 - 2012. Wild boar meat was the source of only 6 of those cases. Domesticated pork products infected 10 people - more than wild boar!6
How Can I Be Sure Wild Boar Meat Is Safe To Eat?
Cooking wild boar meat to an internal temperature of at least 140°F will make it safe from any potential trichinella.7 To provide a margin of safety, the USDA recommends the final temperature of cooked pork should reach 160°F. The internal temperature of meat cooked on a grill or in an oven will continue to rise 5-10° after cooking. If cooking a tender cut of wild boar, like a loin or a chop ready rack, it can be pulled off the heat at an internal temperature of 150°F. Cooking methods like hot smoking or braising will produce safe temperatures for cuts like stews and roasts.
Freezing wild boar meat is another way to help control safety. Any Trichinella spiralis present in wild boar pork is killed instantly when frozen to -10°F, within 8 minutes at -4°F, and within 4 days at 14°F.7 Here at Broken Arrow Ranch our practice is to keep wild boar cuts frozen at 14°F or less for a minimum of 20 days to ensure safety.
By understanding this potentially harmful organism and using good cooking practice, you can insure that you can safely enjoy the great flavor of truly wild boar.
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@GregW
I am glad that you took the time to look it up my friend. I am currently offshore and have very limited internet. It is all I can do to log into the forum.And again just to be clear, I only have first hand knowledge of the Mississippi and Alabama Gulf coast. But it has never been a concern here since at least 1967. I can vouch for that firsthand my friend.Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.
Status- Standing by.
The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. -
SGH said:@GregW
I am glad that you took the time to look it up my friend. I am currently offshore and have very limited internet. It is all I can do to log into the forum.And again just to be clear, I only have first hand knowledge of the Mississippi and Alabama Gulf coast. But it has never been a concern here since at least 1967. I can vouch for that firsthand my friend.If it's safe enough for @SGH , it's safe enough for me.Stay safe offshore. -
GregW said:Stay safe offshore.
Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.
Status- Standing by.
The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. -
https://www.subsea7.com/content/dam/subsea7-corporate2018/Datasheets/Vessel/rigid-pipelay-heavy-lift/Seven%20Borealis.pdf.downloadasset.pdf
Very cool @SGH It looks like you prefer to travel using Rolls-RoyceSouth of Columbus, Ohio. -
alaskanassasin said:https://www.subsea7.com/content/dam/subsea7-corporate2018/Datasheets/Vessel/rigid-pipelay-heavy-lift/Seven%20Borealis.pdf.downloadasset.pdf
Very cool @SGH It looks like you prefer to travel using Rolls-RoyceLocation- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.
Status- Standing by.
The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. -
I am glad to see these temps posted. Believe it or not tomorrow I will try my very first Boston Butt after owning an Egg for 10 plus years. Domestic of course. I will be able to foil it but the BB is 8 lbs so most pans wouldn’t fit in the medium.
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You're in for a real treat. I recommend a pork butt to many of my friends as something to try. I've done many and all have been a success. I have used foil on all until this wild boar. The reason I attempted butcher's paper is because I find the foil to soften the nice bark that I've worked to develope. I find a pork butt to be very hard to mess up. Enjoy. And thank you to those who responded in regards to my question. Next time I cook a wild boar, I will follow SGH's recommendations.
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Gulfcoastguy said:I am glad to see these temps posted. Believe it or not tomorrow I will try my very first Boston Butt after owning an Egg for 10 plus years. Domestic of course. I will be able to foil it but the BB is 8 lbs so most pans wouldn’t fit in the medium.
Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.
Status- Standing by.
The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. -
Dmb3739 said:The reason I attempted butcher's paper is because I find the foil to soften the nice bark that I've worked to develope.
Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.
Status- Standing by.
The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. -
Going to smoke a Wild Boar Ham for the firsttime on my BGE, looking for good recipes - have seen varying schools of thought on brining - yes or no? Was hoping to be able to slice the ham instead of pulling, any suggestions - thanks in advance.
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