How Do Wild (Feral) Hogs Taste??

[Nala]

Hey all,

I am going to south Florida for a while in a few weeks and am thinking of trying some feral hog hunting.  I have never done it before and it looks like it might be exciting.
I have also never had the chance to eat any of the meat from a feral hog or wild boar.  I have asked a couple of people who are NOT hunters and they tell me that the meat isn't as good as you think it will be and if you think it is going to be as good as pork in the store you are going to be disappointed.  I know there are LOTS of people here that have hunted them or had the chance to eat some of the meat so I thought I would ask and see what you all think.

Does the meat have a real gamey taste to it?  Tell me about the flavor of these hogs and what to expect if I get one and what NOT to expect.

Thanks for your help.

Nala

[mooseman76]

Nala, I killed a wild boar about 3 years ago.  I thought the meat was fantastic.  I'm constantly looking to go back down south to hunt them all the time.  Something always comes up.  I'm seriously thinking of trying one of the high fence places here, just cause I want some more meat.  The ribs were out of this world and I had a spicy ground sausage made as well.  I think they are as good as domestic pork without all the fat...Mike

[Dirty Bill]

I have a friend lives down there.He kills them all the time,he eats em all up too.  

[NorthShoreLB]

What mooseman76 said, ...just as good without the fat, mind you it depends on where they feed to, the ones here that live in the fern forests aren't near as good as the ones that feed mostly in the forests with guavas, lilikoi, and avocados  

[JBiorn]

DELICIOUS!! The crock pot is a good thing.

[el cazador]

As with all game the taste starts with field care.  Process them quickly and cleanly and you're on your way to some fine eating! It's been a couple of years since we've had store bought pork.  That "wild" stuff makes for some good eats! Given the choice try to take a small "dry" sow or a young boar, over a large boar.  Good luck!

[Apex Predator]

Much better than venison in my book.  My family usually eats 4-5 pigs every year.  Be very careful skinning, so as not to contaminate the meat with hair and dirt.  Cut away all the fat, and remove the large glands as you would on a deer.  Hard to beat slow cooked on a smoker.

[killinstuff]

I'd rather eat a small wild sow then anything sold at the corner butcher shop. Big boars make nice pictures for your freinds to say wow when you show them but for eating, small sows. If you do shoot a big one, soak the cuts in a brine of water and Morton Tender Quick for an hour of so and pulls the blood and some of the so called "wild taste" out. When cooking don't over cook unless you crock pot it and cook it all day.

[varmint]

Love 'em on a big cooker cooked whole for hours.The littler ones are by far better eatin than the big nasty boars.

[Precurve]

Have a friend who's a whitetail fanatic that has hunted them several times in Tennessee, and claims they're as lean as a whitetail but much better tasting.

[mcgroundstalker]

Yum! YUMMY! Tastes Like Chicken!  

... mike ...

[Izzy]

Ive had em from Texas and preserves in NY and they are just as tasty but a little dryer.

[woodchucker]

Pork Rules!!!!!

[JImmyDee]

Delicious.  I'd rather hang up a hog than a deer.

[Bjorn]

Feral hogs taste great. But they are not butcher shop pork and won't turn out very good if you cook them like pork-at least that has been my experience.
Google for wild Boar recipes, experiment a bit,  and find what works for you.
JBiorn mentioned a crockpot, and that is a good basis for success. Wild hogs are not fatty enough for BBQ, except completely indirect heat and slow cooking.
Real fruit jellies mixed with Dijon mustard and crushed garlic will work wonders with hogs.

[Ghost Dog]

Great meat, but some of the older males can be way too gamey for my taste. Around here the pigs are very lean and the meat can be almost fat free.

[geno]

slow cooked in mojo and bitter orange and seasonings on the grill in a pan. a little fresh cuban bread and you are good to go.

[Roger Moerke]

I think wild hogs are very good, I disagree with removing all the fat its pork fat and has good flavor unlike venison fat or tallow. As with all wild game the fat is on the outside of the meat and is not in the meat like domestic animals. Go get em!!

[Van/TX]

Agree.  Leave the fat on   ...Van

[Rico]

Anyone turned them into bacon or hams