Hog Hunting: what do i do with the meat?

[pthefree]

I'm going hog hunting this weekend and might grab a couple of hogs. I've never had or cooked and wild hog. I don't want to pay to have it processed. I can cook.just about any part of a regular pig. Is it all the same? Does smoking the the normal BBQ cuts still come out good? Any help is good.help. thanks.

 

[smokeamotive]

You can give it to me, I'll take real good care of it! 

 

[daveomak]

Ryan, evening...  It cooks pretty much the same only better flavor....   I assume you have gutted and skinned an animal before....  Have you scalded and shaved a pig ???   Or skin it and save all the parts.... If there is no disease in the pigs where you are hunting, you are good to go....   To take extra safety precautions..   cut wrap and freeze for at least 30 days in a freezer below -2 deg or something like that and all will be OK after the freeze....   Dave

http://wildpiginfo.msstate.edu/diseases-wild-pigs-public-health.html

http://feralhogs.tamu.edu/files/2010/05/Feral-Hogs-in-Georgia.pdf

* Always cook hog meat to a minimum temperature of 170 degrees F and/or 

freeze at 0 degrees F for a minimum of 20 days.

 

[pthefree]

Gutted and skinned deer, but never hog. Hear they smell a lot worse. Thank you much.

 

[chef jimmyj]

They stink alright but the Meat is much more flavorful than commercial pork. All the cuts are the same and with a few precautions, as Dave pointed out, is great to eat...JJ 

 

[pthefree]

One more question. If I'm making Bacon and wet curing it, is it still necessary to freeze it for a month prior or will the cure take care of that?

 

[chef jimmyj]

One more question. If I'm making Bacon and wet curing it, is it still necessary to freeze it for a month prior or will the cure take care of that?

The Freezing is an extra Precaution to eliminate Parasites like Trichinella, but has little effect on Bacteria. Cure has no effect on Trichinella,  only thorough cooking will make that Piggy completely safe. So since you are asking about Bacon, which will be cooked very well done anyway, the answer is, No you don't need to freeze it if you wish to get started with the curing...JJ

 

[fagesbp]

My first thought is make alot of sausage but I'm not sure on the safety aspect of it. :sausage:

 

[maple sticks]

Gutted and skinned deer, but never hog. Hear they smell a lot worse. Thank you much.

The big bores smell the worst and taste the worst. If you can get a smaller one you may enjoy the meat a little more. They make the best breakfast  sausage I have ever tasted. Cooked it well done and ate on a sammich like you would beef. Was not into smoking back when I got one so no idea.

 

[stillsmokin]

I am in East Texas and trap hogs year round. I process all of them, even the big boars With care, even the big boars will provide excellent meat. You just need to treat it right after the kill. Immediately, or as soon as possible, hang, gut and skin the hog. I do not recommend scraping a wild hog. Skinning completely is the way to go. Quarter and trim the meat from the hog and put in ice chests. Cover the meat with ice. Drain the water and add fresh ice at least once a day,(twice is better) for 3 days. After this, you can remove the meat, rinse well, and process as you wish. We make sausages of many kinds, cut roasts, bbq the ribs, etc. You will rarely,if ever, find a wild hog with enough belly fat for bacon. I have found that wild hogs provide a leaner, healthier, and better tasting pork than you can buy, if handled properly. As mentioned, we even trap in the heat of the summer, and have never had a problem with any of the meat. Smaller pigs can be butchered, chilled and processed immediately after the hunt and not have any gamey taste at all.