Wild Boar Jerky (Sweet and Spicy)

It’s not often you see wild boar jerky or even recipes for it, but many people are missing out on what could possibly be the best jerky ever.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that either.

Like many others I was apprehensive about making wild boar jerky with the risk of disease and illness, I wanted to make sure this was done properly.

Having done a lot of studying in this area before, I returned to old notes and some previous articles I’ve written and decided that with proper care and handling there is no reason not to make wild boar jerky.

The Risks

The first thing that will cross mosts peoples minds when thinking of wild boar jerky is the risk of illness, after all wild hogs are known for carrying diseases and parasites, most notably trichinella.

Like many others I was also a little concerned about this at the start also, but after studying some previous notes and articles I decided there was no real risk.

I should also point out that I get my wild hogs tested for trichenilla also, while this is not necessary it does provide a little extra piece of mind.

Firstly I deep freeze the meat, again, this is also not necessary but I freeze all my meat regardless.

The next defense against disease and parasites is temperature. This recipe calls for drying the meat at 160F for four hours, this is more than enough to kill trichinella.

While it may not seem like a high temperature, given that the meat is sliced thinly and the time it’s in the dehydrator for, it is sufficient.

To kill trichinella, slice the meat into jerky slices and freeze at 0F for 30 days.

The Cuts

Sadly there aren’t many cuts of meat on a wild hog that are suitable for jerky. Most cuts are too fatty, or the wrong grain.

For this reason I mainly only use backstrap from a wild hog for jerky. Some may think this is a waste of a good backstrap, and if this were venison I would agree.

However, the fact that this is wild hog and for most people is very easy come by, it’s definitely worth it, you will agree after you try this recipe.

While I usually make this jerky using against the grain cuts, I find it tears much easier than venison jerky. I’ve not tried this recipe using with the grain cuts. but given the above I would imagine it would work quite well.

The Ingredients

I try to keep my jerky recipes simple and use only a few ingredients. Most of the ingredients on this recipe are very simple to find with the exception of one that is not a regular pantry item.

Mirin is a japanese alchol used in cooking and for sushi. Most people should be able to find mirin in their local superstore or easily order it online.

The only substitute for mirin is sake and extra sugar, but sake is just as hard to find as mirin if not more so.

The other ingredients used are:

• Soy sauce: Adds deep rich flavor and umami
• Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and tackiness
• Chili flakes: Adds heat and depth, could be left out if you don’t like spicy but I don’t recommend and this is not a very spicy dish
• Mirin: Adds sweetness and balance
• Apple Juice: Tenderizes and adds freshness

The Process

Making this jerky couldn’t be simpler. Mix all of the ingredients minus the meat in a bowl.

Place the meat in a airtight bag or container and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.

Drain ingredients in a colander, place into dehydrator.

Try to avoid patting the meat dry before dehydrating. If possible use a dehydrator with a rear mounted fan and drip tray.

I use the Cosori from Amazon and love it.