Eating Javelina?

[FarmerMarley]

Hey Guys,
I'm trying to decide whether or not to try and hunt Javelina next winter in Arizona. Main thing I need to know before I start planning is how edible are these creatures??

I like to hunt stuff that I can eat. If javi's are that bad then I'll just stay home next winter and hunt hogs in the rain. So far I have heard a lot of people say that Javis stink, you can't eat them etc...

I did a search on this forum and found some ideas about cooking em or making jerky, but not too much info. I know that field care is vital, and cooling them is important.

What do you guys think? Are they worth eating? I hear they are definitely fun to hunt...Any recipe suggestions? Are they safe for jerky? I know hogs aren't supposed to be safe for jerky...

Thanks guys!

[Triphammer]

They DO stink! there's a gland on their back, in the skin that oozes stink. If you're careful when you skin them you won't get it on the meat.
 My favoraite recipe:
Dig a pit, line it with rocks & build a big fire in it.
Find a board about 1 1/2" to 2" thick about 8 or 10 inches wide and about 4 feet long.
Dress the javi, chop up the liver & heart.
Chop up about two quarts of apples & cut up a couple oranges.
 Mix the chopped liver & heart with the fruit & pack the javalina full of the mix & tie it closed.
Lay the stuffed javi on the board & wrap it with four or five yards of wet burlap.
 Put the wrapped pig in the pit with the burnt down coals & rocks.
 Cover with dirt.
 Let cook like that for 12 to 15 hours.
 Uncover the pig & take it out of the pit.
 Now carefully, unwrap the burlap. take the pig off the board. Throw the pig away & eat the board.
 Best way to enjoy Javalina!!

[tree dancer]

Go for it!
Ya,they stink. Just be carefull when you skin them.
I like the meat,you don't get much meat even on a big one.
If you do a good job  getting the hide off just cook it like pork.
Like  I said I like it, lots of  guys don,t.
Also  lots of fun to hunt.
I hunt Tx  every winter I can.
George

[Shedrock]

I had some in Texas back in Jan. Not mine, I misssed! Anyway, it was darn good. Meat was cut into chunks, rolled in flour, and deep fried.

[Suty]

Shed, Most down here will take the Backstrap slice it , tenderize it , and chicken fry it..... Others have had sausage and jerky made.
 Just be sure  to use rubber gloves as you skin it, hang it and bring the skin down ( with the scent gland ) over the head. Wash your knife well and change gloves, then butcher up and you should be fine. Granted, Javie's are not a delicacy , but they are good in the above forms.   Tu Compadre, Sutty

[Azwatasha]

Hello Gentlemen/Women,
After nearly thirty years of hunting these guys, the My favorite way to prepar Javelina is to bone out the meat and grind it into burger using 3-1 or 4-1 Javelina to Pork Suet. It makes the best tasting burgers i have ever had, and to evrybody else I have evry served "Pigburgers" to.
I prefer it over Elk, Venison or Beaf burgers as well.
Hope this helps!
Happy Hunting

Tim

[Roughrider]

Javis aren't the best meat I've ever eaten, but are edible.  Probably best when mixed with pork and made into sausage.  

I've tried them grilled, smoked, and fried, and not been real thrilled with the results.  Gonna try making some fajitas one of these days - maybe I can make that work.  

The last one I shot, which was just a couple weeks ago, was a young female that was shot through the heart, dressed, skinned, and hung to cool.  Still not great table fare.