Brine recipe for wild hog

[rob_s]

Cooking up some wild hog meat this weekend and interested in hearing possible brine recipes from those here that are familiar with such things.

I brined the last hogs I cooked but that was long enough ago that I don't remember what I did and the site I found instructions on back then seems to be gone now.

I'm aware I can use just salt water, but looking for something a little different maybe. I believe last time it involved vinegar, and I've heard of people using buttermilk on venison before (probably don't want to mix that with the vinegar...).

[wahoo95]

I use 1 cup sugar & 1 cup salt to each gallon of water

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[Artos]

I kill LOTS of hogs every year and never felt the need to brine...I leave mine hanging in the cooler for two weeks and take my time skinning them, trying to leave just the right amount of fat & then slow cook / smoke them.


Anyway, I found this and there is a recipee section on the same forum that has lots of ideas on what to do with pigs:

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=273077&highlight=brine+hog

My wife uses a bourbon based brine whenever she cooks the big bird...I'll see if I can sneak her out of it.

[rob_s]

Yeah, I saw that thread too when I googled it. Was thinking about using this one, scaled down.

2 gallons of apple cider, 1gallon of water, put in a big pot and bring to a simmer, add 3 cups of kosher salt, 1 1/2 cup brown sugar and simmer until well mixed.

ETA:
I have people coming and figure brining won't hurt but if I don't brine and it doesn't come out palatable that would be bad. although I do have 30 lbs of sausage from the shoulders/hams. I'm going to smoke some, and pre-par-boil some for finishing on the grill in case we run out of other meat or just get hungry later.

[Artos]

I only keep the smaller pigs for eating and prefer nothing larger than 40lbs - 50lbs for the smoker. (females obviously preferred) After the cooling and skinning, I take a recip saw and cut them in half down the spine & use all sorts of different rubs. As long as I cook them slow (indirect heat) and don't let them get dry, they always come out excellent. We then just set the half pig on the table and let everyone go at it cave man style and pull the portions they want. Usually left with a pile of bones.

Check out the stuffed back strap recipee...this is what I'm going to do on the next big sow that gets whacked. We usually just cut the straps out and cook them direct with great results, but I have to admit the pics have me wanting to give this a try.

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=257890

[rob_s]

Interesting. I was already considering fooling around with some bacon. Hadn't thought of stuffing it. I shot the damn pig through the backstrap with the first hit so I lost some meat due to that. I'm at about 3 lbs between the two 'straps but a couple of the other guys are going to contribute some of theirs.

sometime this week I need to clean up the straps, brining or not, and get the fat cut away.

[NinjaTactics]

Rob, what part(s) are you brining, and for what purpose? Generally you will brine something to cure it, and if you're just going to cook it immediately brining doesn't always make the most sense.

If you're going to make stuff like bacon and other cured meats, I would reccommend a dry cure instead of brine for most stuff (hams, bacon, pancetta, etc.). Michael Ruhlman is one of the people responsible for the charcuterie revival in the USA, and is the author of the famous book simply titled Charcuterie. Here are a couple of decent recipes that you can start with:
Basic Dry Cure Mix - http://ruhlman.com/2011/02/the-forgiveness-of-cured-meat-bacon/
Bacon - http://ruhlman.com/2010/10/home-cured-bacon-2/
Dry Cured Ham - http://ruhlman.com/2012/01/dry-cured-ham-at-home/

Some things you could do with other bits are take some of the pork shoulder (or shanks) and slow cook it in a crock pot or dutch oven, and make carnitas. This recipe (and the chef) is very good:
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2007/09/carnitas/

Marinatating some wild hog chops for a couple of hours (but not overnight) and then grilling them would also be pretty good.

[thopkins22]

Vaguely off topic, but I'm curious to know how you felt about the TSX on hogs?

I remember in Martin Ginsburg's cookbook(remove your feelings about Justice Ginsburg please, he cooked for all the justices and spouses,) he had a recipe for wild boar marinade. The last sentence in the instructions was to throw out the meat and drink the marinade. :D


ETA:I actually adore his cookbook! His instructions are in the format your mom might use to send you a recipe.

[rob_s]

I'm smoking backstraps with a dry rub.

[ccoker]

I do a lot of hog hunting
I wash the hide off thoroughly before cleaning and wash again before quartering out and putting in the walk in cooler at the hunting property. When I leave I put in a big Yeti cooler filled with ice and drain every day for 4-5 days then freeze or get to a processor for sausage at day 2-3.

I have never done brine but the above gets rid of gamey taste.

I have shot big boars and processed them but also have shot some that were so rank they became buzzard food

Artos,
you do 2 weeks in the cooler?

I will do that for deer but I have heard 5 days max for hogs as they rot from the bone out.

We are going out this weekend, it's been a month since I got to wack one and I am itching!


thopkins22,
you asked about TSX on hogs? I am assuming you mean Barnes...
I swear by them for hogs
If I am going specifically for hogs I use a 6.8 AR with Barnes, usually 95TTSX, but the 85s and 110s have proved just as effective and can't really tell any difference in wound cavities.
Dead is dead

Barnes bullets have never let me down... aim, squeeze, get to work :)