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Feral pigs in Texas.

berndcrisp
berndcrisp Posts: 1,166
in EggHead Forum

Can you cook them like a farm raised one?

Piece by piece; hams, ribs, bellies, etc?

Hood Stars, Wrist Crowns and Obsession Dobs!


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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,109
    They're much leaner, but you can cook them the same.  I would caution not to cook on the rare side, unlike some cuts of farmed pork, as they could have trichinosis, although pseudorabies and swine brucellosis are probably more worrisome.

    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • Smokin_Trout
    Smokin_Trout Posts: 506
    Sounds like they would make great pulled pork, you over cook the crap out that. That is of course if there is enough fat. 
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  • SmokingPiney
    SmokingPiney Posts: 2,319
    In my youth, my family hunted for most of our meat, and feral hog was the top freezer stuffer.

    It's definitely much leaner than commercial pork, but tastes just as good if prepared carefully.  
    Living the good life smoking and joking
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  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 10,228
    Yes. Probably should cook to at least 145 or 150 if cooking individual cuts.  But best done as pulled pork. Injection and/or foiling helps keep it moist as it is really lean. Our family is split as to whether it tastes better than storebought pork. It does taste better than storebought pork. The other half of the family is wrong. 

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

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  • ibanda
    ibanda Posts: 553
    We trapped about 8 young 125 pounders a few years ago so The game cameras showed the 250# boars jumped over the top of the trap which we were not disappointed about as I have heard so many times about how stinky they are to clean (I hear differing opinions about how they eat, but universally hear about how smelly they are to butcher).

    We quartered the sows and put them in an ice saltwater brine for two days. They were very good eating.
    "Bacon tastes gooood, pork chops taste gooood." - Vincent Vega, Pulp Fiction
    Small and Large BGE in Oklahoma City.
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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    Y'all keep your feral hogs confined.
    We like our hogs up here nonferal, thank you very much.
    Yotes are bad enough.
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

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  • SmokingPiney
    SmokingPiney Posts: 2,319
    ibanda said:
    I have heard so many times about how stinky they are to clean (I hear differing opinions about how they eat, but universally hear about how smelly they are to butcher
    Butchering was NOT a fun task. Those damn things STINK. 

    But they tasted good.  :)
    Living the good life smoking and joking
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  • Hntnhrd
    Hntnhrd Posts: 713
    Sitting in a blind right now hoping to reduce one to small enough pieces to fit in a cooler. So far only deer walking around
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  • Hans61
    Hans61 Posts: 3,901
    Was it on purpose putting the pigs in the wild?
    “There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body.”
    Coach Finstock Teen Wolf
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  • SmokingPiney
    SmokingPiney Posts: 2,319
    Hans61 said:
    Was it on purpose putting the pigs in the wild?
    I can only speak for south GA - escaped hogs, abandoned farms, who really knows? The feral hogs have been around quite a while now, and they're becoming a problem, not only in Texas. 

    They breed like rabbits, and even young, small hogs can tear up lots of good farm land in a short time rooting around for food. They are also dangerous and aggressive....the tusks are no joke.

    But they look great mounted right next to the mashed potatoes.  =)
    Living the good life smoking and joking
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  • SmokingPiney
    SmokingPiney Posts: 2,319
    edited February 2017
    There should be "super likes" on this forum.

    Awesome video, Focker.....shades of my youth! 
    Living the good life smoking and joking
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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    edited February 2017
    SmokingPiney said:
    There should be "super likes" on this forum.

    Awesome video, Focker.....shades of my youth! 
    Thanks, was pretty cool of Ramsay to do that.
    For the record, I'd love to drop the hammer on one.  My buddies and I have kicked around a hog hunt trip. 
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

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  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,540
    Maybe we can do a group buy on a helicopter? ;)

    https://youtu.be/89UliEiQQyU
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
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  • SmokingPiney
    SmokingPiney Posts: 2,319
    Focker said:
    SmokingPiney said:
    There should be "super likes" on this forum.

    Awesome video, Focker.....shades of my youth! 


    Thanks, was pretty cool of Ramsay to do that.
    For the record, I'd love to drop the hammer on one.  My buddies and I have kicked around a hog hunt trip.
    We hunted them every chance we got and it didn't take long to stuff a big chest freezer. Tree stands were the preferred method.......a pissed of big bore in full charge is nothing to mess with if you blow the shot and they will come after you.  

    They also get BIG. My largest hog was 325 dressed.......big, bad momma.

    Thanks again for the video, Focker.........lots of memories there of good times and good eats.  :)
    Living the good life smoking and joking
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  • Dobie
    Dobie Posts: 3,458
    Love Gordon and who am I to argue but boiled ribs, WTF? 
    Jacksonville FL
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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    edited February 2017
    SmokingPiney said:
    Focker said:
    SmokingPiney said:
    There should be "super likes" on this forum.

    Awesome video, Focker.....shades of my youth! 


    Thanks, was pretty cool of Ramsay to do that.
    For the record, I'd love to drop the hammer on one.  My buddies and I have kicked around a hog hunt trip.
    We hunted them every chance we got and it didn't take long to stuff a big chest freezer. Tree stands were the preferred method.......a pissed of big bore in full charge is nothing to mess with if you blow the shot and they will come after you.  

    They also get BIG. My largest hog was 325 dressed.......big, bad momma.

    Thanks again for the video, Focker.........lots of memories there of good times and good eats.  :)
    Yeah, got my attention when that Focker in the cage snarled and glared as they walked up. Lol

    325 dressed, yikes! 
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

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  • SmokingPiney
    SmokingPiney Posts: 2,319
    Dobie said:
    Love Gordon and who am I to argue but boiled ribs, WTF? 
    Field kitchen..... =)
    Living the good life smoking and joking
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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    Dobie said:
    Love Gordon and who am I to argue but boiled ribs, WTF? 
    They need help @Dobie.  I thought he did the hog justice.  None of the soldiers complained.
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

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  • SmokingPiney
    SmokingPiney Posts: 2,319
    It sure looked good to me! 
    Living the good life smoking and joking
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  • Killit_and_Grillit
    Killit_and_Grillit Posts: 4,326
    One thing that hasn't been brought up is diet. I think this makes hands down the difference in the animal, especially with hogs. 

    I have had feral hogs less than 100 lbs taste terrible because they were eating acorns and roots and scrub brush and 200 lb boars taste fine because they were fat and happy living under deer feeders and not stressed by predators or people.

    My granddad and I caught a few when I was a kid and fed them feed for 3 months and butchered them and they were great. We also killed one when we caught them and it was gamey because it had been living in the Mississippi River bottom, running constantly, and coyotes were rampant down there. 

    So a lot of factors. 

    "Brought to you by bourbon, bacon, and a series of questionable life decisions."

    South of Nashville, TN

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  • Dave in Florida
    Dave in Florida Posts: 1,157
    Now Texas is planning to poison feed stations to reduce the pigs.  
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Welcome to the Swamp.....GO GATORS!!!!
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  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    edited February 2017
    Feral pigs and douche canoe's like this in the Lone Star State. 
    https://youtu.be/u2gFAanTF-Q
    I'm not into abusing handicap people but, I'm not sure if I'd be able to restrain from making it to where this **** couldn't even use his joystick controller again! :angry:

    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
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  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    https://youtu.be/blyUtVUpXLQ
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,109
    NPHuskerFL said:
    Feral pigs and douche canoe's like this in the Lone Star State. 
    https://youtu.be/u2gFAanTF-Q
    I'm not into abusing handicap people but, I'm not sure if I'd be able to restrain from making it to where this **** couldn't even use his joystick controller again! :angry:

    If I saw that, I would be in jail right now.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • Toxarch
    Toxarch Posts: 1,900
    nolaegghead said:
    They're much leaner, but you can cook them the same.  I would caution not to cook on the rare side, unlike some cuts of farmed pork, as they could have trichinosis, although pseudorabies and swine brucellosis are probably more worrisome.

    Hepatitis E virus would also be a big concern. Don't cut yourself while field dressing the Hog. Avoid letting fecal matter contaminate any meat, and cook the meat thoroughly. 

    I've slow smoked 250 pound boar legs and the meat came out awesome. Cleaning them absolutely sucks. If I get hold of a local guy, he'll cook them on a trailer smoker and feed the homeless.
    Aledo, Texas
    Large BGE
    KJ Jr.

    Exodus 12:9 KJV
    Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.

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  • Smokin_Trout
    Smokin_Trout Posts: 506
    Anyone need help down there eliminating a few? My son and I would love to do some hog hunting.
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  • GregW
    GregW Posts: 2,678
    edited February 2017
    What's the deal with parasites being in wild hogs? do they have them like domestic hogs had in the past?
    Do you have to be sure and cook a wild hog to a high temp to kill the parasites? assuming they have them?

    I've posed this question many times before on various forums with nobody having a answer. 
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  • Wardster
    Wardster Posts: 1,006
    I watched a show on The Discovery Channel once, about feral hogs.  They said if a farm raised pig were to escape, it would start to change back to feral within 7 days, or some crazy short amount of time.  Elongated snout, grow fangs, hair and such.
    Apollo Beach, FL
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  • Dobie
    Dobie Posts: 3,458
    Wardster said:
    I watched a show on The Discovery Channel once, about feral hogs.  They said if a farm raised pig were to escape, it would start to change back to feral within 7 days, or some crazy short amount of time.  Elongated snout, grow fangs, hair and such.
    Yep in 14 days this is what you get


    Jacksonville FL
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