What size hogs do you guys target for eating? - Page 2

reynolds357 · February 27, 2013, 08:52 PM

75 pounders. They will fit in my smoker whole.

Keg · February 28, 2013, 09:42 AM

Quote:

75 pounders. They will fit in my smoker whole.

Mine too....I generally split them down the middle....

Sure Shot Mc Gee · February 28, 2013, 10:45 AM

All meat is tied into what it eats. And indeed is going to have that flavor. Most pork and beef products are aged a week or better when purchased in a grocery store. I would say the very minimum amount and animal needs to be aged in a cool place is 3 days. To eat a fresh kill on some game. One can expect tough gamy tasting meat perhaps a slight case of diarrhea if their body system allows for it to happen. Being where I reside. If I take an animal in the late Fall here and its cold. I gut and skin it as quickly as I can. 1/4 it and cover with a tarp. (Never store or age meat in a plastic bag) and let that meat age in the back of my hardly used pick-up box. (Box has a lockable Glass-lite cover.) for 2 weeks in the near freezing cold than thaw, cut, and package. My suggestion. You should pep game meat before eating for it to be enjoyed by all seated at your table. Kids especially.

Keg · February 28, 2013, 01:03 PM

Quote:

To eat a fresh kill on some game. One can expect tough gamy tasting meat perhaps a slight case of diarrhea if their body system allows for it to happen.

Never experienced any of this before....We eat pigs all the time fresh killed....

Husqvarna · February 28, 2013, 03:17 PM

Yearlings or smaller sows, always the bigger sow with piglets that show itself first it seems and I don't go for them

the odd boar but have been lucky that they have tasted decent after hanging, hang in for quite abit longer with the boars.

8-10days with the smaller ones and up to 2 weeks with the boars, never under 5 degress celsious in our slaughterhouse/cooler

edit: meant under not over, never over 10 degrees

Husqvarna · February 28, 2013, 03:19 PM

Quote:

We eat pigs all the time fresh killed....

but has rigor mortis even passed by then? do you even get that in your heat?

Quadpod88 · February 28, 2013, 03:28 PM

I'm not picky, if it don't fit in the oven it goes on a spit.

Keg · February 28, 2013, 04:07 PM

Quote:

but has rigor mortis even passed by then? do you even get that in your heat?

I tell ya....U don't mess around cleaning a pig in the summertime here....U get it done early and ya get it done quick....

jersurf101 · February 28, 2013, 08:27 PM

For the record brining meat in salt water adds water to the meat making it more juicy. An example would be salt pills for troops so they can retain water or water added and salt brined hams. The more salt the more water something can absorb

Hansam · February 28, 2013, 08:49 PM

I've only ever eaten feral hog that was already killed and cooked. Sadly I wasn't able to participate in the hunt the last time I was in a place that had a hog population.

That said the last meal of hog I'd eaten was from a hog that was close to 200lbs after field dressing. We cut some of it up small and stir fried it over VERY high heat while the rest we smoked for a day. It all tasted very good and the smoked meat was falling off the bone tender. The stir fried stuff wasn't as tender but I wouldn't say it was overly tough. I had no trouble chewing and swallowing it. As for the taste - there was a certain amount of gaminess but it didn't bother me or any other diners at all. Of course the disclaimer should be made that I actually enjoy a good amount of gaminess in my meat (unless its from the store or a butcher then it shouldn't be gamey.)

I process every animal I hunt ASAP. I don't hang the meat or age it at all. Usually if its deer I'll gut it and hang it for the day till I can take it to the registration station. Once registered I'll take it home and process it that evening. If I'm at deer camp then the deer is processed after I come back from registration and is packaged into Foodsaver packages and vacuum sealed that night. If its cold enough outside to freeze I toss them in the back of my suburban and leave them to freeze. If it isn't freezing outside I stick them in coolers with ice till we get home then they go into the freezer. Typically the first deer taken is consumed at deer camp after registration.

Back to the original question - I'd eat any size hog I get the chance to shoot.

thallub · February 28, 2013, 09:06 PM

i will eat any wild hog thats fat. A skinny hog is not fit to eat.

wooly booger · March 1, 2013, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Post #21 about cooking a big boar in the ground never did say they eat that stinking son of a gun. They just sit around and smell it and eat hamburgers. Lol

It is the duty of any pitmaster to watch the fire all night....or at least until all the beer is gone.

February 28, 2013, 03:28 PM	#32
Quadpod88 Member Join Date: February 27, 2013 Posts: 93	I'm not picky, if it don't fit in the oven it goes on a spit. __________________ *God made all men, but it was Sam Colt who made them equal.*

February 28, 2013, 08:49 PM	#35
Hansam Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2012 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 763	I've only ever eaten feral hog that was already killed and cooked. Sadly I wasn't able to participate in the hunt the last time I was in a place that had a hog population. That said the last meal of hog I'd eaten was from a hog that was close to 200lbs after field dressing. We cut some of it up small and stir fried it over VERY high heat while the rest we smoked for a day. It all tasted very good and the smoked meat was falling off the bone tender. The stir fried stuff wasn't as tender but I wouldn't say it was overly tough. I had no trouble chewing and swallowing it. As for the taste - there was a certain amount of gaminess but it didn't bother me or any other diners at all. Of course the disclaimer should be made that I actually enjoy a good amount of gaminess in my meat (unless its from the store or a butcher then it shouldn't be gamey.) I process every animal I hunt ASAP. I don't hang the meat or age it at all. Usually if its deer I'll gut it and hang it for the day till I can take it to the registration station. Once registered I'll take it home and process it that evening. If I'm at deer camp then the deer is processed after I come back from registration and is packaged into Foodsaver packages and vacuum sealed that night. If its cold enough outside to freeze I toss them in the back of my suburban and leave them to freeze. If it isn't freezing outside I stick them in coolers with ice till we get home then they go into the freezer. Typically the first deer taken is consumed at deer camp after registration. Back to the original question - I'd eat any size hog I get the chance to shoot. __________________ This is who we are, what we do.

February 27, 2013, 08:52 PM	#26
reynolds357 Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2012 Posts: 6,165	75 pounders. They will fit in my smoker whole.

February 28, 2013, 10:45 AM	#28
Sure Shot Mc Gee Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,876	All meat is tied into what it eats. And indeed is going to have that flavor. Most pork and beef products are aged a week or better when purchased in a grocery store. I would say the very minimum amount and animal needs to be aged in a cool place is 3 days. To eat a fresh kill on some game. One can expect tough gamy tasting meat perhaps a slight case of diarrhea if their body system allows for it to happen. Being where I reside. If I take an animal in the late Fall here and its cold. I gut and skin it as quickly as I can. 1/4 it and cover with a tarp. (Never store or age meat in a plastic bag) and let that meat age in the back of my hardly used pick-up box. (Box has a lockable Glass-lite cover.) for 2 weeks in the near freezing cold than thaw, cut, and package. My suggestion. You should pep game meat before eating for it to be enjoyed by all seated at your table. Kids especially.

February 28, 2013, 03:17 PM	#30
Husqvarna Senior Member Join Date: May 7, 2012 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,000	Yearlings or smaller sows, always the bigger sow with piglets that show itself first it seems and I don't go for them the odd boar but have been lucky that they have tasted decent after hanging, hang in for quite abit longer with the boars. 8-10days with the smaller ones and up to 2 weeks with the boars, never under 5 degress celsious in our slaughterhouse/cooler edit: meant under not over, never over 10 degrees

February 28, 2013, 08:27 PM	#34
jersurf101 Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2013 Location: Eastern NC Posts: 553	For the record brining meat in salt water adds water to the meat making it more juicy. An example would be salt pills for troops so they can retain water or water added and salt brined hams. The more salt the more water something can absorb

February 28, 2013, 09:06 PM	#36
thallub Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2007 Location: South Western OK Posts: 3,112	i will eat any wild hog thats fat. A skinny hog is not fit to eat.