Going hog hunting for the first time
#11
How they taste depends a lot on what they have been eating. I've boiled it down to good times of the year and poor times of the year. I usually fill my freezer (when I have the room) shortly after harvest time and before the Acorns fall. Here the hogs eat better than I do, fresh from the farmers field.
Nothing at all wrong with a smaller Sow, a hundred pounds or so. Here they only mate once a year, so the Hogs come in sizes, first year, second year etc.
I make a lot of Goulash, you can smell quick when you brown the meat what it is likely to need for spices. Most of the Hogs I get aren't gamey and as good as or better than beef. Everybody has different tastes though, maybe it is just me.
Nothing at all wrong with a smaller Sow, a hundred pounds or so. Here they only mate once a year, so the Hogs come in sizes, first year, second year etc.
I make a lot of Goulash, you can smell quick when you brown the meat what it is likely to need for spices. Most of the Hogs I get aren't gamey and as good as or better than beef. Everybody has different tastes though, maybe it is just me.
#12
It's really about what they are feeding on Rock. If they are in good eating territory with higher fat contents like acorns and nuts along with high protein then you will have some really fine table fare hogs. Hogs feeding really heavy on beans and and such are really good as well. Fatter the hog, the better the flavor. I don't mean "bigger" in that but I'm sure you know what I am talking about. As far as cutting one up, it's pretty much the same as domestic but your spare ribs and bacon cuts will be dependent again on food sources. 4 of the hogs I got down in Texas this past week and weekend seriously surprised me with some REALLY good fat on them. Even had good bacon slabs which is VERY rare on Texas hogs! Sorry Hunters Feeding The Hungry program, them girls are now cut up and being smoked for bacon and hams as we speak! I don't think they will complain much. All in total we brought back a little over 240 pounds cut, ground, and wrapped for them and we kept around 200 for ourselves this trip. We were all running a bit low on hog meat Pappy had a blast (literally) but DAMN I'm tired! My git up and go got up and WENT!
OT and Rock, if you need a sausage recipe, just yell... I have around 30 tried and true from Sage to Maple. And OT, a few of them would make Jimmy Dean get up and slap his momma for ever telling him he had a good sausage recipe
OT and Rock, if you need a sausage recipe, just yell... I have around 30 tried and true from Sage to Maple. And OT, a few of them would make Jimmy Dean get up and slap his momma for ever telling him he had a good sausage recipe
#13
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,227
If you clean one be sure to wear rubber gloves. I didn't once and got scabies off a boar. Nasty stuff that you don't want! If they have been rolling in mud they can be hard on the edge of a knife too so make sure you have a couple of blades on hand if one gets dulled.
#16
They all taste good if taken care of. I use a brine on all the big boars I've gotten and they turned out good. Good luck on your hunt. I also take an extra knife and sharpener like Flags they will dull a knife