Sugar Cured Wild Hog Ham

Many hunters and other folks view the feral hog as a nuisance. As a result they are often shot and left to the critters for dinner. Many other hunters have taken the meat only to find it strong tasting and dry.


Savory Sugar Cured Feral Hog Roast

The truth is, the meat is and can be fantastic and it is free of chemicals used in traditional processing.

After skinning and quartering a feral hog, the meat should be placed in a cooler with plenty of ice to allow it to bleed down for a couple of days.

This will remove most of the undesirable hormones and blood from the meat. Remember to trim off all fat from the roast as it will turn rancid if left on the meat, even in the freezer.

The Sugar Cure

Starting with a 3 to 4 lb. roast, mix 1 pint each of sugar and sea or kosher salt into 1 gallon of cold water. Stir until dissolved.

Place the roast in a large disposable plastic bag. Using your turkey injector, draw up two to three full syringes of the solution and inject it in next to the bone in several places on the roast. This will help the curing process to get to the places most vulnerable to spoiling when on a pit .

Pour the rest of the cure solution in the bag with the roast. Squeeze all of the air out of the bag and tie it up tight and close to the meat.

Place the bag in a refrigerator or a cooler lined with plenty of ice and allow it to sit in the solution for 24 hours. Then, remove from the bag, rinse it. It is now ready for the pit.

Pit Instructions

I like to start with about 2 pounds of charcoal, then add a few seasoned apple wood and hickory chunks for smoke and flavor enhancement.

Place the roast in the pit at the far end from the firebox with the temperature at about 250 degrees, and baste every 20 minutes or so.

Flip the roast once and continue basting until a meat thermometer inserted next to the bone registers 148 degrees.

Remove from the pit to a platter and drape a piece of foil over the roast for 15 to 20 minutes before carving, to rest the meat.

Heat remaining baste to a boil on the stove and use it as a sauce when serving. Try not to hurt yourself by attempting to eat the entire roast while carving it.

Enjoy with your favorite sides.

Baste for the roast:

1/2 jar- Texas Gourmet’s mandarin orange serrano jelly

2T-honey

1 t- fresh rosemary leaves – chopped

1/2 stick of butter (salted is ok)

3 T-olive oil

1T- black pepper

2 T- soy sauce

2 cloves- fresh garlic, minced

1 T ground ginger

2 ounces – Crown Royal 

Bon Appétit!

Email Bryan Slaven at

bryan@thetexasgourmet.com

 

See more recipies at thetexasgourmet.com

Email Bryan Slaven at bryan@thetexasgourmet.com

 

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