Wild pig tastes great — when prepared correctly

Cooking wild hog is a bit different from cooking a domestic porker, but the results can be just as delicious.

First of all there is little or no marbling of fat. Wild hog is more akin to venison in this respect, so it tends to cook a little on the dry side. A long, slow smoke of big pieces — like half a hog — produces great results.

The best “eating size” hog weighs between from 50 to 100 pounds on the hoof. Bigger sows are OK, but boars tend to be musky after maturing. Smaller piglets, split and cooked whole, are excellent.

While domestic, store-bought pork can be eaten safely at lower temperatures, wild hog meat should be cooked to an internal temperature of 150-160 degrees to be on the safe side. Pork to be cooked for pulling should reach 195 degrees over a long, slow cooking process. At 195 degree, the collagen in meat breaks down, creating the tenderness needed for it to be pulled.

A popular use of wild hog is processed sausage, either ground or smoked, and many processors will accept a pig. Many hunters will mix wild hog and deer together in their smoked sausage with excellent results.

Barbecue Boar

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless shoulder or butt

½ pound bacon

1 cup chopped onions

2 cloves of garlic

1 cup ketchup

½ cup red wine vinegar

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup brown sugar

Rice, salt and pepper

Method:

Cut pork into 1-inch cubes. Cook bacon until crips in a heavy pan or Dutch oven, cook bacon until crisp.

Remove bacon, crumble and set aside.

In a bowl, mix other ingredients, except pork and rice.

Brown pork in bacon drippings. Add bowl of ingredients to pork. Stir well. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour, or until meat is tender. Stir occasionally.

Prepare rice, and serve meat over rice.