What to do with a young boar?

S

samsmix

New member
A friend just came into four, 9mo old pigs. They are un-castrated males of around 125lbs weight. Meat pigs usually ship at about 5 1/2 months and 270lbs.

What do you deep south hunters do with such a pig when you shoot one.
 
Assuming these are domestic hogs, At 9mos old and 125lbs, not much fat on them at all. If domestic, what breed of hogs are they? And do you know how they were raised?

There have been studies done that say, especially on certain breeds of hogs, that boars can be put to pasture to free range for a month or two and that can better the taste of the meat as they are not in a confined small area and have less of a tendency to eat their own feces. Which will cause the meat to taste foul.
But many of these studies have the boars being harvested at 6-7 mos.

Some studies have also included pasturing the boars without the presence of any sows...stating that after a few months that the absence of a female, the boars produce much less testosterone hence having less tendency to have boar tainted meat.

There is much reading that can be done but without knowing a bit of their history or breed, it's a roll of the dice how the meat will turn out.
 
I would quarter it up and smoke both front quarters. The hind quarters I would trim up and inject with ham cure, put them in a cloth bag in a refrigerator for a couple weeks, then either cold smoke them or freeze them for a later trip to the smoker. If in doubt take a little bit of the meat and fry it up in a skillet with little to no seasoning, you will know pretty quickly without seasoning if it is fit to eat. Or go ahead and castrate it and feed it out for a couple months before slaughter.
 
If a normal pig weighs 270 lbs at 5 1//2 months and those your buddy has weigh 125 lbs at 9 months. That tells me those pigs your buddy has need to be fattened up some before slaughter. Have your buddy talk to a local farmer and make a deal to fatten them piggys up.
 
First thing to do is castrate them (they'll gain weight faster and taste better). It's not hard, just need a quick hand and a sharp knife. Then put them in a pen and feed them for a month or so. Then slaughter them. Chops, hams, picnics, and lots of sausage! You can cure the hams and bacon, just buy a utility grade syringe and inject the cure through the arteries. A smallish hog won't give a lot of bacon, but it's still good.
 
I ain't no Southern hunter either but I say 125lb is darn good eatin'.

I would quarter the pig into sections. Half for regular steaks and half for wonton/dumpling filler as well as meat strips (french fry sized) for a nice, healthy stir frying with red onions for one of the best antioxidant Chinese dishes there is. Anything left can be made into sausage.

I had JUST told a coworker of mine less than 5 hours ago, that if one day we are to go into space and inhabit new planets, I hope there will be fauna similar to pork, that can be hunted and eaten. Just like the "spike-nose" that H. Beam Piper talks about in his extraordinary novel "The Cosmic Computer". (Recommended reading for all gun enthusiasts)
 
Well, we are gonna find out. My neighbor ain't equipped to house or feed 'em, so the work starts on Saturday. Will fry a piece and see what we've got, then proceed accordingly.

Just one question left then: .22lr, or .38spl LSWC? I figure either should do.
 
The .22 will work just fine.

Some whole hog sausage or summer sausage might be a good option.
 
Processed one last night. Not a hint of strong taste in the meat. Mighty dang good, actually. Thank you all again for the tips and advice. I wont be doing it "all into sausage", as the chops I fried uo last night were mighty good.
 
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