Boar

The Wild Boar - the Hunter's Prize
Wild boar have inhabited the forests and mountains of Europe for thousands of years. Their reclusive nature and fierce disposition made them a challenge for the hunter. Their tasty meat was highly prized at the table of royalty and commoner alike.

Wild boar have been used as a source of food on every continent except Antarctica.
They are prolific animals wherever they range, coping with adversity of weather and
population encroachment. Their widely varied diet allows them to subsist and thrive in
conditions which would starve many species of animals.

Fossils preserve a record of wild swine far before the origin of mankind. Early
ancestors of man in Europe left cave paintings and bones of wild boar.

Man has always been challenged by hunting large wild boar. Equipped with razor
sharp tusks that self-sharpen on 3 sides and a nasty disposition, the wild boar will
fight to the death when cornered. They are capable of out running most of the predators who might threaten them. Their
intelligence and fighting skills make them a formidable quarry.

Wild boar have been known to kill other mammals such as deer and antelope. The
bulk of their diet, however, consists of roots, nuts, berries, fallen fruit, mushrooms, and juicy herbs they encounter as they roam their territory. Because wild boar can subsist on a widely varying diet, the flavor of the meat can vary considerably from one animal to another.

Cuisines of almost every origin include traditional methods of preparing wild boar
meat. With the availability of a truly wild meat slaughtered under full USDA inspection,
it is not surprising that wild boar is becoming popular in restaurants offering a wide range of cuisines.

Wild boar now live in several states within the United States. These wild boar originate from European wild boar crossbred with "escaped" feral wild hogs. Larger, older wild boar may reach 400 pounds and have constantly growing tusks. These larger boars
produce the hormone androsterone which accumulate in the fat and gives a strong
odor to the meat. Boars harvested for restaurants are only 130 to 230 pound animals and produce the tenderest yet most flavorful boar meat.

Wild boar harvested throughout Texas are direct descendants of the true Russian boar. They were introduced to the Texas hill country by ranchers interested in raising them for hunting trophies and for the delicious meat.

Wild boar subsist on natural feed and pure water. When properly chosen for harvesting, wild boar meat is tender with a rich taste resulting from a diet of natural grains, roots, nuts, and berries. Wild boar is leaner than regular pork and must be prepared by a
good chef who knows how to bring out its flavor and preserve its tenderness.

For recipes using boar, try: http://www.exoticmeats.com/recipie.shtml