Story and recipe by Chef John D. Folse and Michaela D. York
Wild pigs have been prized by hunters for centuries, as their aggressive and cunning nature makes them worthy adversaries. While boar can be found and hunted year-round in daylight hours, the animals do most of their foraging for food from dusk to dawn to compensate for their poor vision, though they have a very good sense of hearing and smell.
Most wild pigs in America are descendants of domesticated pigs brought here by the earliest Spanish colonists and then allowed to roam freely. The European boar was brought here centuries later specifically for hunting and also made itself at home in the heavily wooded continent. The two species have intermingled to create a generic wild boar (or hog). Some estimates put North America’s wild pig population at 9 million and growing; therefore, hunting restrictions are extremely liberal.
Because wild pigs are omnivorous and nomadic, predicting where you will find them is difficult. Not only do pigs consume rice, sugarcane, and corn crops in Louisiana but, also, their rooting and digging damages those crops, water holes, timber, and more, making them most unpopular with farmers. What better payback than to make a meal of them, a “revenge” that has been documented as far back as the height of the Roman Empire.
Despite its rather coarse features, most wild pig is sweet and nutty in flavor. Like domestic pork, improperly cooked wild pig may harbor trichinosis, so internal temperatures must reach a minimum of 155°. Beyond that, the trickiest part is preventing the non-fatty meat from drying out. Celebrate the Fourth of July or Labor Day with star-spangled wild boar burgers! What a treat.
- 2¼ pounds ground wild boar meat
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, or olive oil
- Kosher salt, cracked black pepper, and granulated garlic, to taste
- 6 hamburger buns
- 6 slices Cheddar cheese
- Toppings: leafy green lettuce, sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, pickles, cooked bacon slices, ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise
- Preheat grill to high heat (400° to 450°).
- Divide meat into 6 equal portions. Lightly wet your hands with cold water, and form each portion into a 4-inch patty of even thickness.
- Oil grill grate.
- Lightly brush one side of each patty with melted butter. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic. Arrange patties, butter side down, on hot grate. Grill until nicely browned, about 4 minutes. Lightly brush top of patties with melted butter, and season with salt, pepper, and garlic. Turn with a spatula, and grill for 4 minutes for medium, or to desired degree of doneness.* Remove from heat.
- Brush cut sides of buns with remaining melted butter. Grill buns, cut side down, for 2 minutes. Place burgers on buns, and top as desired.
