Smoked Wild Boar Shoulder Carnita's

[NNYAJ]

Hi All!

So, I have been inducted into a group of guys that have an annual game feed. The day is filled with tons of different wild game dishes and they take their cooking very serious so I would like to make a good impression on the first year haha I decided to smoke a wild boar shoulder and pull it for carnita's. I am going to try it out once before the game feed but I wanted to gather any tips from people who have done this in the past.

1) Should I worry about gaminess? I have read that a soak in condensed milk helps ease the gaminess but at a game feed I don't think I will need this step.

2) I plan to cook it nice and slow (215- 220) I know wild boar tends to be leaner due to their diet, should I still be cooking to the 195-200 level?

3) I usually don't wrap with foil to beat the stall but was thinking it might be smart with the wild boar shoulder due to there being less fat. Thoughts?

Thanks in advance for any help. I will keep updating this thread with my prep and cook details on the first try.

 

[Grain Belt]

I have cooked a few boar shoulders. I would encourage wrapping with a liquid when you get to 150-160. It does affect the bark but you could take it out of the foil at 195 and then up your heat to re-crisp it a bit at the end. You are in a bind between ensuring "pullability" and the meat possibly drying out. To lesson the possiblity of dryness and to make it more likely to get to 200+ in a moist environment and then pulling I like to foil.

 

[IndoorOutdoorCook]

Juniper berries might help with the gaminess, but I'm not sure if it would work with your other spices for carnitas.

 

[Phubar]

I've cooked a couple of wild boar shoulders bePhore.
I just cooked the shoulders US style...rubbed and smoked it,pulled when ready.
Cook it very slow.
If it's too gamey to your taste try the diPherent (milk) approach.

 

[jgbmgb]

Like Phu said!! Or you can always soak it in icey water with a little salt overnight. Drain it, dry it, rub it, then cook just as you would a regular butt, wrapping at about 165 and taking to 200. Rest in cooler for a couple of hours and you're good to go.

 

[THoey1963]

Not trying to get all technical, but I gather this is more of a pulled pork in a tortilla than a Carnita. I researched for a while how to make Carnitas and almost every recipe I see for it has the meat cooking in liquid. I never saw a recipe for it smoked or grilled.

That aside, it sounds like it will be great. Make sure and take some pictures...

 

[mikemci]

Post methods and results please. op2:

 

[Phubar]

Here are some pics how mine turned out...notice the very red colour the meat has.

 

[NNYAJ]

It you want to get technical it will baste for awhile in the foil I will def up date with the test run. Probably next weekend sometime.

 

[Mrtodd777]

I just did a boar quarter this weekend. Cooked it up right along side a domestic shoulder so I could compare. In the end, the boar was MUCH better IMO. IT was every bit as tender and juicy as the domestic butt. I did inject both with Chris Lilley's hog injection. I think it made a huge difference as far as the moisture. I cooked at 225 until it reached 150, then I wrapped and let it ride until it hit 195. Let rest for an hour and pulled. Delicious!

 

[NNYAJ]

that looks great! I planned on doing a side by side with a pork shoulder as well.