SHOULDER OF WILD BOAR

This hard-working front part of the body is beautiful when cooked slowly. Try a wild boar ragu for example. You can also cook it like an ordinary roast.

Keep in mind

When preparing the meat, don’t take off too much of the tissue and fat as they add flavor and texture.

A roast needs to reach a higher temperature than a fillet, for example, for the meat not to fall apart when thinly sliced.

How to cook shoulder of wild boar

Make a stock-based stew with fresh, light flavors: Cut the meat into cubes, about 3 x 3 x 3 centimeters big. Fry the meat with onion and garlic and simmer in stock and wine for about an hour until tender. Towards the end, add root vegetables such as carrots, turnips or celeriac. Don’t over-cook though. Make sure they still have some bite.

The basics when slow cooking game:

• Slice the meat into fairly large pieces (they will shrink as they cook).
• Salt the meat at least an hour in advance – for flavor and more tender meat.
• Brown the pieces of meat in oil and butter.
• Follow your recipe. Remember that your vegetables need less time to cook.

Shoulder of wild boar can also make a great roast, e.g. with lemon and honey. The basics when cooking a game joint:

• Leave it out to reach room temperature.
• Salt the meat at least an hour in advance.
• Brown the surface in a mixture of oil and butter.
• Finish cooking in the oven at 125°C.
• Use a thermometer and aim for 63-64°C.*
• Leave to rest for at least 10 minutes – but eat immediately.

Wild boar roast with a difference:

The award-winning game chef KC Wallberg in Stockholm roasts his meat in a roasting bag and doesn’t brown it until it’s finished cooking in the oven. That way you bring the aroma of freshly roasted meat, known as the Maillard effect, right to the table. Chuck a sprig of rosemary into the pan.  

You’ll find more ideas for cooking game under cooking game.

* The advice is that wild boar meat should be heated to over 65°C. But if you’re sure it’s been tested for trichinosis, you can cook at a lower temperature for a much juicier and tastier result.

The classic

Wild boar ragu with root vegetables.