The taste of big hogs

NE GA Pappy · Dec 22, 2017

I always cooler a hog for at least 3 or 4 days. I put the cooler on a slope, and open the drain on the downhill side so the water can drain out. I keep it covered with ice the whole time

Mexican Squealer · Dec 22, 2017

You will know a rank hog when you get one.

jbogg · Dec 22, 2017

Killer Kyle said:
I had a different experience a couple months ago. Not with taste, but texture. Still have not eaten a rank hog yet, and I've eaten a fair amount over the years. Couple months back, I tried making crock pot pulled pork (I know that's a sin!) from a hog shoulder. Came off a little maybe 100 lb sow I killed. She did about 10 hrs in the Crock-Pot, and was TOUGH. I figured she wasn't done for some odd reason. I left her in there for 14 hours, and that shoulder was hard as a rock. I just had to make sliced and chunked sandwiches. I remove all the silverskin and trim the fat from every piece before I package it. I don't know what the heck was going on, but that was the first and only piece of wild pork I've cooked that was so tough. I blew the other shoulder up pretty bad, so I didn't get to eat it. Anyone ever have a random piece of super tough hog like that?

I had the same experience with a hog I shot last spring. Put a couple of roasts from the hindquarter on the smoker. Wrapped them in foil at about 140* and then let them stay in the smoker until they reached an internal temp of 215*. Could not even begin to pull it apart which was what I was going for. Ended up slicing it up for sandwich meat. She was a good sized pig at over 250 lbs, so not sure if that made a difference. I had the front shoulders made into sausage not realizing that is the best part to put on the smoker. Won’t make that mistake again. I will be after another one in a few weeks.

Hillbilly stalker · Dec 23, 2017

Are y'all cutting the scent glands out the rear hams ? I've seen some boars that are so rank on the outside that they smell like a burnt jock strap. I won't shoot them if I can tell. I haven't cooked a strong one yet tho. I like 175 lbs and under if given the choice. I always clean my own and remove those glands.

Ohoopee Tusker · Dec 23, 2017

Nicodemus said:
Old folks around home wouldn`t even butcher a sow or gilt if it was in heat because they said the meat from one would be nearly as rank as an uncut boar. I don`t think a lot of folks realize that.

That could account for the rank meat sometimes found in stores and eating establishments.

tree cutter 08 said:
Worst smelling animal I been around was a sow in heat.

The last sow in heat that I killed I quartered and packed her out. Got up the next morning for another hunt and when I put on my orange vest from the day before it smelled so bad I couldn't wear it. Had to wash it twice to get all the stink out. To my surprise the meat was fine.

deadend · Dec 29, 2017

I've long heard of rank boars but out of several hundred from north Georgia, north Florida, and South Carolina over the last 15 years I've never eaten a bad one no matter what they smelled like on the outside.

jerry russell · Jan 7, 2018

I guess you can run into a bad one but I have killed far more than I could ever remember and I have never encountered a boar or sow that was bad. Countless 250-500 pound boars included.

Feedingdeer · Jan 7, 2018

Killer Kyle said:
I had a different experience a couple months ago. Not with taste, but texture. Still have not eaten a rank hog yet, and I've eaten a fair amount over the years. Couple months back, I tried making crock pot pulled pork (I know that's a sin!) from a hog shoulder. Came off a little maybe 100 lb sow I killed. She did about 10 hrs in the Crock-Pot, and was TOUGH. I figured she wasn't done for some odd reason. I left her in there for 14 hours, and that shoulder was hard as a rock. I just had to make sliced and chunked sandwiches. I remove all the silverskin and trim the fat from every piece before I package it. I don't know what the heck was going on, but that was the first and only piece of wild pork I've cooked that was so tough. I blew the other shoulder up pretty bad, so I didn't get to eat it. Anyone ever have a random piece of super tough hog like that?

The problem was that you probably cooked it too long. I have done Pork butts/shoulders in a crock pot and in a smoker and if you have an internal temp any higher than 190 degrees, it will be tough. And yes, this temperature works the same with feral hogs and store bought pork. If you try it again, Leave it on high for about for hours, then check temp. If you are not at 180, put it on medium. check hourly. Best between 180 and 185 degrees. it'll pull apart easily with a fork.

The taste of big hogs

NE GA Pappy

Mr. Pappy

Mexican Squealer

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jbogg

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Hillbilly stalker

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Ohoopee Tusker

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deadend

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jerry russell

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Feedingdeer

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