For Something Wild, Try Boar
Lovers of pork and of wild game alike turn to wild boar to make meals more exciting. Recently, farmers have begun raising boars in order to bring boar meat to more tables all over the world. Boars are native to Europe and Asia, but they’ve recently taken well to the Canadian climate. All the wild boar meat we sell at D’Arcy’s is sourced locally from Alberta.
Wild boars are more than just undomesticated pigs—they’re pigs’ rougher, tougher ancestors. Boars are known for their coarse hair, curving tusks, and—especially—their fierce attitudes. Even tigers will think twice before tangling with an adult male boar. For this reason the wild boar has been considered a particularly dangerous and prestigious quarry for hunters since the time of Ancient Greece.
Boar meat is a lot like pork, but leaner and with a more intense flavor. In addition to the familiar taste of pork, you may recognize hints of beef and venison. You can use boar to bring a wilder, more complex flavor to your favorite pork recipes. D’Arcy’s offers boar bacon, fresh cuts, and even whole sides for the adventurous, so there will be no shortage of exciting possibilities.
Since it is a kind of pork, you will want to cook your boar meat thoroughly. Cooking it to exactly the safe temperature (about 165 degrees Fahrenheit, or 74 degrees Celsius) will give you the best texture. You can also keep the meat moist with marinades—bold marinades suit wild boar, with bases such as orange juice or full-bodied red wine.
Boar has a delicious place in Italian cooking (as cinghiale) and French cooking (as sanglier). You can flavor your wild boar with juniper berries for a sharp flavor true to the Old World forests where the boar hunt was a favorite (and dangerous) pastime. Try rubbing a wild boar roast with a mixture of a handful of juniper berries and garlic; or add a few berries to a red wine marinade.
Now that D’Arcy’s is bringing boar to Edmonton meat markets, take your opportunity to make dinner a little wild.