I smoked a shoulder for 2 hours and finished it off in the oven at 250 for another 8 hours. It was smoky, tender, juicy and all around delicious. Paired with my wife’s dangerously delicious pinto beans and a cold Corona, I felt like I was in a Cuban restaurant. Those who shoot these guys and leave them to rot are missing out. If you take the time to wet age them for 5 days on ice and cold water, they will never taste gamey.
I've had big boars still taste like piss after aging.
When I'm shooting 8 or more in a night, I'll take the back straps out of the small ones, and a couple of hams, but the big boars I'm still going to leave in the field.
Originally Posted By VaFish: I've had big boars still taste like piss after aging.
When I'm shooting 8 or more in a night, I'll take the back straps out of the small ones, and a couple of hams, but the big boars I'm still going to leave in the field.
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Yeah sometimes they just can’t be salvaged especially if they have been eating carrion.
Chicken Farmer by choice hunter of shade tree's and hiding spots by nature.
Originally Posted By VaFish: I've had big boars still taste like piss after aging.
When I'm shooting 8 or more in a night, I'll take the back straps out of the small ones, and a couple of hams, but the big boars I'm still going to leave in the field.
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@ VaFish
Do you think a salt brine could get that taste out?
I've only had one boar taste amazing but I've had enough to think they aren't as bad as commonly thought. That said I don't make much effort to harvest them because they are rarely delicious. If I'm going to eat hog, I prefer to harvest sows about 90 to 120 pounds
I cannot be a poor I have acquired multiple benefits.
I heart MRAPs
Do you think a salt brine could get that taste out?
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I don't know, and I'm not going to bother finding out. When I shoot a bunch, if a big boar smells like piss, I drag it out of the farmers field to the bone pile. I'll cut up the little ones that taste good. I usually don't even bother butchering the whole hog, just take the backstraps and hams out without gutting them. If my son is there he has the knack for pulling the tenderloins without busting the gust open, reached through from the back the pulls them loose.
I've only had one boar taste amazing but I've had enough to think they aren't as bad as commonly thought. That said I don't make much effort to harvest them because they are rarely delicious. If I'm going to eat hog, I prefer to harvest sows about 90 to 120 pounds
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The under 100 lb boars taste fine to me. smoking some backstraps wrapped in bacon right now from a small boar we shot back in October.
We shot 11 last week. Largest was a 191 lb boar. He didn't smell bad and the other guys hunting with me wanted to make a bunch of sausage, so we took the backstraps and hams off of him. I'll hear in a few weeks how the sausage turned out.