Can someone tell me how to cook a wild hog? Cause apparently I dont know what IM doing!!!! HELP!

Ive killed my fair share of pigs, but not cooked too many of them. I normally give them away. However, lately, I killed a few smaller hogs and thought Id butcher them and cook them up.

First, it was a backstrap I cooked in the oven. I marinated it, and slow cooked it. It came out smelling great and tasting great, except IT WAS SOOOO TOUGH!!!!! I didnt even want to eat it cause it was so tough.

Then I got some ribs, marinated them in beer, then pre-boiled them to softness, then finished them on my grill and put some bbq sauce on them. They looked, smelled and tasted awesome, but they were so tough it almost took a butcher knife to get them off that bone...what gives???

Are they tough because its wild pork or what am I doing wrong? I cant seem to get a tender piece of meat from them...any help or suggestions? Thanks
 
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Cook on the pit for about an hour on 250-300. Take off the pig and wrap in foil or put in a foil pan and cover with foil. Cook for another 4-6 hours or so depending on the thickness at about 200-250. Let it cook in its own juices. If cooking in a foil pan, pour in a little cola of some kind.

The longer you cook it, the more tender it will get.

If you cook it without foil for too long it will just dry out and get tougher.

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I have been cooking chops and pork steak over charcoal too. Cook for about 15 minutes and they turn out pretty darn good. The key is getting a good hog. Some can be a little tough. The butchering has a lot to do with it too.

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I have cooked them like this before. I use the old turkey foil pans to keep from tearing the foil and making a big mess of juice. If you put it on the pit for an hour or so before putting in the oven, it will get all of the smoke flavor and it is easier to keep the oven on a steady heat than the pit.

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Cooking as Yellowhammer said, over mesquite and putting in an oven bag to steam works great on brisket as well.
You can cut w/a fork and none of the smoke flavor is lost in steaming.

Regards,
hm
 
over the years I've tried just about everything. Aging it for as long as you can helps make it tender. I simply age in ice water for up 10 days, I've gone as many as 14 a time or two.

The other thing tough you need to be sure it is cooked thoroughly, you don't want to over cook it either.

Always keep it wet or wrapped so it doesn't dry out.
 
Originally Posted By: YellowhammerIf you can't pull the rib bones out with 2 fingers, it has not cooked long enough.

I could not pull the rib bones out with a backhoe lol
 
thanks for the tips guys...Ill be trying this. I have about 130 lbs of pork in the freezer and I dont want it to ruin, but neither did I want to eat leather all the time either...Ill be trying these methods. Thanks!
 
Choose the slick fat ones to cut up, grind the ones that are a little thin.
Low and slow as described above is great. You can also season and sear on a grill or brown the outside in the oven for 30-45 mins, then put it in a stoneware covered casserole (or wrap in foil) with a little coffee or red wine (sweet muscadine
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) and cook hot and fast (350) for an hour and a half or so in the oven. The high heat breaks down connective tissue just like low/slow cooking and makes the meat tender. It has to be wrapped to keep from drying out though. Rosemary,garlic,red wine, maybe stuffed with mushrooms and pepper jack....
Searing or smoking for a little while and then putting in a crock pot is a great way to have hot pork waiting when you get home. Careful though, the kitchen will smell so good you might start gnawing on the chairs!

If you have some come out tough, you may be able to salvage it by adding a little liquid and wrapping in foil to cook hot in the oven for a while.
 
We all have our tricks to cook them. It takes some practice. Need more practice then just shoot another one. It's as good of excuse as any to go hunting. If you need an excuse. I like the slow method in the foil pan, covered with foil. I like to use a bottle of the apple flavored beer with my spices as a base stock. I rarely marinade anything anymore. 200 to 250 in the electric smoker.
If you prefer a drier pork, take it out of the pan and rub it down with some cayenne pepper and brown sugar. Stick back in the smoker until it carmelizes. Sweet and spicy.
 
All these recipes sound good...Ill be cooking an entire pig this weekend....he is a small pig....after we gutted, skinned and cut his head off, he prob weighs about 20 pounds....I was thinking of putting the whole pig in a foil pan, season and soak in Dr Pepper or flavored beer, cover and put on grill and slow cook at about 250 for 4 or 5 hours??? What you think?
 
Originally Posted By: CaliCoyoteCallerAll these recipes sound good...Ill be cooking an entire pig this weekend....he is a small pig....after we gutted, skinned and cut his head off, he prob weighs about 20 pounds....I was thinking of putting the whole pig in a foil pan, season and soak in Dr Pepper or flavored beer, cover and put on grill and slow cook at about 250 for 4 or 5 hours??? What you think?

No beer no Dr. Pepper...
 
Just want to let you guys know....I cooked a rack this weekend on 250 ish for 4 hours.....and they literally fell off the bone. So tender and good...thanks for the help guys
 


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