# Question about Hog meat



## Roadking65 (Sep 22, 2016)

I am new to hog hunting. A few years ago a friend gave us a front shoulder/leg and we slow cooked it on the BBQ pit turning it over a lot and sort of smoked it. It was really good! 
So recently someone told me the rear quarters are really not good eating. And another told me they way its butcherd makes all the difference. 
If I see one this year during hunting I plan on killing it. Several were spotted on members trail cams. Do you gut it and quarter it up just like a deer? 

Thanks 
RK


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## joey1919 (Sep 22, 2016)

Most people who say things like that have either never tried it or they or someone else didn't handle the meat properly. That or they can't cook.

Put the hog down fast, clean him and cool the meat in a reasonable amount of time. Cook it like you would any other pig. Might be leaner but it should taste fine.


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## NCHillbilly (Sep 22, 2016)

What Joey said. Somebody told you a bunch of bull. Be careful when you're skinning and gutting to not get any urine or the nasty outside of the hide on the meat. Washing a hog down with a waterhose before skinning if you have the means to do it is a good idea. Other than that, do it like a deer, or scrape/butcher cut it up the same way people do domestic hogs. It works either way. Most of the few I've killed, I've just skinned, quartered, and made pulled bbq or sausage except for the loins and such. The hindquarters are just as good as the forequarters to me, with a lot more meat on them too.


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## markland (Sep 22, 2016)

joey1919 said:


> Most people who say things like that have either never tried it or they or someone else didn't handle the meat properly. That or they can't cook.
> 
> Put the hog down fast, clean him and cool the meat in a reasonable amount of time. Cook it like you would any other pig. Might be leaner but it should taste fine.



This!  In fact I usually prefer hog over GA deer meat, now IL deer meat is in a class all it's own but all hog has been good when properly cared for and I prefer the high quarters and back straps myself.


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## earl39 (Sep 22, 2016)

Just remember to castrate a boar as soon as he is down or you end up with stinky meat.  It is fine when cooked but will smell bad when you clean and process it.  Let the wife smell it and she will make you throw it out wasting some really good eating..   As said is better than store bought but a little leaner so you want to save all the fat to make sausage with.


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## holton27596 (Sep 23, 2016)

After hes dead castrating him will have no effect on the meat. clean as fast as possible, cool as quick as possible. Ive killed over 10 so far this year. No game taste or smell, and none castrated


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## humdandy (Sep 23, 2016)

You can eat just about everything on a hog except the squeal.

Wild hog taste better than any store bought crap!


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## Roadking65 (Sep 23, 2016)

Okay!
Thanks guys! We do have a skinning tree setup covered with an electric hoist and water with sink and hose, concreted floor. There is no tree but its constructed where the "tree" used to be.

  So, I'll treat a hog the same as deer as far as quartering. We also have a large ice maker and after quartering we cover with ice and open the drain and tilt the cooler to allow the water to escape.


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## NCHillbilly (Sep 23, 2016)

The only other different thing I do with a hog vs. a deer besides rinsing them off before skinning, is to wear disposable gloves cleaning a hog. They can carry some nasty stuff like brucellosis and such that you sure don't want to get into a cut on your finger.


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## Crakajak (Sep 23, 2016)

Roadking65 said:


> I am new to hog hunting. A few years ago a friend gave us a front shoulder/leg and we slow cooked it on the BBQ pit turning it over a lot and sort of smoked it. It was really good!
> So recently someone told me the rear quarters are really not good eating. And another told me they way its butcherd makes all the difference.
> If I see one this year during hunting I plan on killing it. Several were spotted on members trail cams. Do you gut it and quarter it up just like a deer?
> 
> ...


They wanted you to have Kosher pork.


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## Roadking65 (Sep 23, 2016)

To: NCH, Thanks I wasn't aware of the diseases they carry while raw. I know about tape worms and making sure its cooked to 160 def F. I do have availability of latex gloves, we keep a box near the skinning tree. I will definately use them.

 I have a feeling I'm going to be blessed with a few this year as other members said they will give me what they shoot as long as I gut  them ect.


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## bfriendly (Sep 23, 2016)

earl39 said:


> Just remember to castrate a boar as soon as he is down or you end up with stinky meat.  It is fine when cooked but will smell bad when you clean and process it.  Let the wife smell it and she will make you throw it out wasting some really good eating..   As said is better than store bought but a little leaner so you want to save all the fat to make sausage with.









holton27596 said:


> After hes dead castrating him will have no effect on the meat. clean as fast as possible, cool as quick as possible. Ive killed over 10 so far this year. No game taste or smell, and none castrated







humdandy said:


> You can eat just about everything on a hog except the squeal.
> 
> Wild hog taste better than any store bought crap!



Dont eat them things that Earl's talking out cutting off neither



Roadking65 said:


> Okay!
> Thanks guys! We do have a skinning tree setup covered with an electric hoist and water with sink and hose, concreted floor. There is no tree but its constructed where the "tree" used to be.
> 
> So, I'll treat a hog the same as deer as far as quartering. We also have a large ice maker and after quartering we cover with ice and open the drain and tilt the cooler to allow the water to escape.



With a carpet blade and and regular knife, you can remove the shoulders, backstrap, and HAMS without ever gutting it.....just remove the items I mentioned and put them in a bag, get them back to camp and do the ice routine. 

The carcass may make a good yote bait station too


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## rustybucket (Sep 23, 2016)

it may seem like overkill but we hose our hogs off a LOT before ever taking a knife to them.  We've even lathered one up with dawn before prior to skinning.

Really it only takes 10min and makes the entire cleaning process more enjoyable and keeps sand/dirt/doo out of your meat.


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## humdandy (Sep 23, 2016)

bfriendly said:


> Dont eat them things that Earl's talking out cutting off neither
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Hog testes taste great!  I'm serious!


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## Barebowyer (Sep 23, 2016)

I actually hit them with the power washer before skinning and cleaning them...works great.  I will warn you, if using a public car wash and spraying them off on the trailer, you may get a funny look or two!!  Best $2.00 you will ever spend


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## NCHillbilly (Sep 24, 2016)

Barebowyer said:


> I actually hit them with the power washer before skinning and cleaning them...works great.  I will warn you, if using a public car wash and spraying them off on the trailer, you may get a funny look or two!!  Best $2.00 you will ever spend


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## EAGLE EYE 444 (Sep 24, 2016)

Barebowyer said:


> I actually hit them with the power washer before skinning and cleaning them...works great.  I will warn you, if using a public car wash and spraying them off on the trailer, you may get a funny look or two!!  Best $2.00 you will ever spend




Well now that answers the questions of my friend who owns a car wash over your way.  He said the drains on his wash keep getting clogged with lots of crazy hair and crud that he couldn't find just where it was coming from.  Heck, even the city fined him $800 for them having to come vacuum all of the drain lines on four streets in that neighborhood. 

I just talked with him and told him that he didn't need to spend more money on installing another security camera because I knew who the culprit was.  He said he wants his $800 back and soon too !!!!  

Film at 11pm !!!  

Just kidding you of course BUT I just wanted to see if you were paying attention.  

The real truth is just what lots of others have told you....wild pork is some really good tasting meat for sure and you can use it in lots of different ways and meals etc.   Some times, it is so tasty that your tongue won't stop slapping face until it rains or until sundown arrives !!!!


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## BCAPES (Sep 24, 2016)

A simple - "Hey man - you might have been misinformed" would have been a better response.  No need to post a face palm and rofl to someone who was just trying to help.  





bfriendly said:


> Dont eat them things that Earl's talking out cutting off neither
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Beretta682 (Sep 25, 2016)

Here is a good video put out by the Alabama game commission on their quick tailgate method.  No need to gut them.  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y6yGSVhX1g


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## bronco611 (Sep 25, 2016)

if you happen to get a hog that stinks, quarter it and get on ice asap and pour a bottle of apple vinegar in the cooler leave the drain closed so it soaks over night. drain off water the next day add ice and more apple vinegar this will remove the taint smell and taste if it may have a strong taste. only needs to be done on a larger hog that smells but you can add to all hogs if you choose. this will remove any wild gamey taste and you will be left with good ole hog.


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## huntingonthefly (Sep 26, 2016)

bronco611 said:


> if you happen to get a hog that stinks, quarter it and get on ice asap and pour a bottle of apple vinegar in the cooler leave the drain closed so it soaks over night. drain off water the next day add ice and more apple vinegar this will remove the taint smell and taste if it may have a strong taste. only needs to be done on a larger hog that smells but you can add to all hogs if you choose. this will remove any wild gamey taste and you will be left with good ole hog.



Another: Add 2 or 3 liter bottles of Sprite to the icy water mixed cooler for a few days. Rank boars taste like a little shoat. Cut slices off the same quarter, cook before and after applying Sprite if u wanna test it


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## Roadking65 (Sep 26, 2016)

Beretta682: Thanks good video! That guy certainly has done that a few times. He threw ribs away. Are they not worth the trouble? Is gutting them first not a very good idea bc of the diseases? Safer to just quarter and not fool with the ribs? (I like pork ribs can ya tell?)
Never tried wild hog ribs is why I'm asking.

Thanks everyone!
RK


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## Beretta682 (Sep 26, 2016)

Roadking65 said:


> Beretta682: Thanks good video! That guy certainly has done that a few times. He threw ribs away. Are they not worth the trouble? Is gutting them first not a very good idea bc of the diseases? Safer to just quarter and not fool with the ribs? (I like pork ribs can ya tell?)
> Never tried wild hog ribs is why I'm asking.
> 
> Thanks everyone!
> RK


Not sure.  I have heard the wild pigs are leaner than raised ones and don't have as much meat on the ribs but I don't know for sure.  Maybe some one will chime in on that answer


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## NCHillbilly (Sep 26, 2016)

Roadking65 said:


> Beretta682: Thanks good video! That guy certainly has done that a few times. He threw ribs away. Are they not worth the trouble? Is gutting them first not a very good idea bc of the diseases? Safer to just quarter and not fool with the ribs? (I like pork ribs can ya tell?)
> Never tried wild hog ribs is why I'm asking.
> 
> Thanks everyone!
> RK



Depends on the size of the hog and how fat it is. I've gotten some good ribs off wild hogs that were hitting corn feeders or eating a lot of acorns. I usually gut them. Makes it easier to get the tenderloins out, and I'm durn sure not leaving them in the carcass. It's pretty easy to get the tenderloins out of a deer without gutting it, but I haven't had the same experience with hogs.


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## model88_308 (Sep 26, 2016)

bronco611 said:


> if you happen to get a hog that stinks, quarter it and get on ice asap and pour a bottle of apple vinegar in the cooler leave the drain closed so it soaks over night. drain off water the next day add ice and more apple vinegar this will remove the taint smell and taste if it may have a strong taste. only needs to be done on a larger hog that smells but you can add to all hogs if you choose. this will remove any wild gamey taste and you will be left with good ole hog.



This ^^^^^^^. We do with all the larger hogs we get!


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## treemanjohn (Sep 28, 2016)

earl39 said:


> Just remember to castrate a boar as soon as he is down



Someone has been playing a prank on you. Hopefully they didn't talk you into posting your surgical work on youtube


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## huntingonthefly (Sep 29, 2016)

treemanjohn said:


> Someone has been playing a prank on you. Hopefully they didn't talk you into posting your surgical work on youtube



Reminds me of when folks preached cuttin the deer's throat every time.


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## Designasaurus (Sep 29, 2016)

*Don't worry about castrating a boar*

Just my opinion but DON'T worry about trying to castrate a hog after it is down.  First, it won't have any effect after the animal is dead.  Second, it is just another opportunity to cut yourself.  I know this from personal experience -  trying to castrate a large boar in the woods on Ossabaw Island with a dull knife.  So as you might imagine I ended up pulling the knife towards me and it ended up in my leg.  I got worried enough hiking out with my foot sloshing around in a boot full of blood that I didn't look at it until I got back to the road.  The rangers "used" me as a cautionary tale during the safety orientation for years afterward... The pork was fine but had nothing to do with castrating the hog.  You don't want to try explaining what you were doing (and why) to a doctor afterwards when your leg is all infected...


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## dusty200001 (Oct 2, 2016)

humdandy said:


> You can eat just about everything on a hog except the squeal.
> 
> Wild hog taste better than any store bought crap!



I agree


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## Sgt.USMC (Oct 7, 2016)

Here is my favorite way to cook 'm...
Using a regular charcoal grill, build your coals and hickory chunks on one side. Once the coals are ready put the meat on the other side, cook 3-5 hours adding more chunks and coal as needed. It will get a really nice black "bark" it. Next into the crock pot with a couple cups of Apple Juice for about 3 more hours or overnight if u want. Drain juice add unfiltered all natural Apple cider vinegar( 1/2 a cup or so,) and Williamson brother original bbq sauce. The flavor combination of bark, sweet Apple and tangy vinegar is amazing.


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## Northwestretriever (Oct 12, 2016)

Lots of good info here


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## cburns (Oct 13, 2016)

those that use the cooler/ice method, how many days do you go?
w/deer i go 5 days before i process/freeze


also w washing down hogs, i like to use a bleach, h2o and dawn.


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## bfriendly (Oct 18, 2016)

BCAPES said:


> A simple - "Hey man - you might have been misinformed" would have been a better response.  No need to post a face palm and rofl to someone who was just trying to help.



So you cuttem off too















Lighten up sir........if He'd said that while we were sitting round a campfire(oh I almost forgot, we are) I certainly would have fallen over backwards laughing my behind off............but maybe I was the only one who found it funny


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## rosewood (Oct 21, 2016)

I found am article a couple of years back on how to clean a hog and I now do my deer the same way.

I process before leaving the woods.  Put the animal on the tailgate.  I open them right down the spine, peel the hide back to clear the quarters.  Cut out the back strap and then take off the quarters.  Cut off end of legs with tree loppers and toss the rest.  All of this work is at waist level.  I never touch the guts of the critters.  I can do this way quicker than I ever could clean one on the gambrel.  Yes, the tenderloin gets tossed, but I never liked that small squishy piece of meat anyway.  The vultures can have it for the trouble it would be worth.

I keep a 2 liter bottle of water in the bed of the truck and a 20 oz bottle with watered down dawn for washing my hands when done.

Wash the meat off when you get to a water hose.  Then I put on ice and drain off every couple of days and add more ice for about 5 days, then I debone, grind and freeze or if keeping a ham or shoulder for the smoker, just wrap it up and put in freezer.

Rosewood


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## bfriendly (Oct 21, 2016)

rosewood said:


> I found am article a couple of years back on how to clean a hog and I now do my deer the same way.
> 
> I process before leaving the woods.  Put the animal on the tailgate.  I open them right down the spine, peel the hide back to clear the quarters.  Cut out the back strap and then take off the quarters.  Cut off end of legs with tree loppers and toss the rest.  All of this work is at waist level.  I never touch the guts of the critters.  I can do this way quicker than I ever could clean one on the gambrel.  Yes, the tenderloin gets tossed, but I never liked that small squishy piece of meat anyway.  The vultures can have it for the trouble it would be worth.
> 
> ...



This is how I started doing it a while back...........even doing it on the ground is much faster and neater than skinning the whole thing etc..... If you get your knife in the joint, you can cut right through the tendons and the feet will come right off too.....I keep a razor knife with a carpet blade and my filet knife in my pouch with latex gloves and heavy duty garbage bags. Its all ya need


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## rosewood (Oct 22, 2016)

bfriendly said:


> If you get your knife in the joint, you can cut right through the tendons and the feet will come right off too.....I keep a razor knife with a carpet blade and my filet knife in my pouch with latex gloves and heavy duty garbage bags. Its all ya need



I can get the back legs at the joint but the front legs always give me a fit.  My father in law had this nervous twitch to saw the head off.  Took several years to convince him it was a waste of time if we are not keeping the ribs. I am always looking for shortcuts myself.

Rosewood


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## WildLines (Oct 23, 2016)

I am no expert, only a few killed.  My first time was with an outfitter.  

He quartered it and told is to put the meat on top of the ice in a cooler few a few days and drain off the water daily. This will let it bleed out and not be strong, but don't just let it sit in water.  Lastly, that yellow fat on them.... get it all off. It is some kind of nasty.  I can tell no difference between the shoulders other than size.


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