Oven Roasted Wild Boar Sausages with Cranberries & Shiraz, Sweet Potatoes and Apples

This rustic dish might be simple to put together, but the resulting combination of sweet and savory flavors is quite complex. It is perfect to serve on a cold autumn or winter evening.

Ingredients:

4 Wild Boar Sausages with Cranberries & Shiraz
1 Large Sweet Potato, sliced in 1/2 inch chunks
1 Large Apple, sliced in 1/2 inch chunks
1/2 Red Onion, sliced
1/4 cup Bourbon
1 tablespoon Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
Salt, pepper to taste
3-4 Fresh Sage Leaves, chopped

Directions:

1. In a casserole dish, place sweet potato and apple chunks, and red onion slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and mix well. Arrange the wild boar sausages on top.

2. In a bowl, combine bourbon, maple syrup, and dried thyme and pour all over the sausages, sweet potatoes, and apples.

3. Bake on 425 degrees for about 50 minutes to an hour, until the sweet potatoes are tender.

4. After removing from the oven, sprinkle with sage, and serve.

Recipe Development & Photography by Natasha Price, 5 Star Foodie

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Wild Boar Recipes

Here’s the basic method for roasting wild boar chops that will put any pork chop to shame.

Drink Pairings: Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara or Zinfandel from Dry Creek, California

Ingredients:
Enough Wild Boar Racks to allow 1 Rib Chop per person
Salt & Pepper
Oil

Plus: 8 cups of brining solution for the whole rack

Recommended Sides: Wild Mushrooms & Kale Recipe, Roasted Heirloom Potatoes Recipe

1. Before slicing it into chops, brine the whole rack overnight.

2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Slice the rack into chops.

3. Heat some oil in a frying pan.  Season each rib chop with salt & pepper.

4. Sear the rib chops in the frying pan.

5. Once both sides of the chops have been seared, transfer the pan to the oven and roast until almost cooked through (8-10 minutes).

6. Remove the pan from the oven, loosely cover it with foil, and let the chops rest for a few minutes.

7. Plate each chop with the sides, and drizzle on any juices that have collected in the pan.  Serve.

Braising pork or wild boar ribs helps tenderize the meat, while finishing them on the grill caramelizes the sauce into a flavorful, finger-licking, gooey-crispy coating.

Drink Pairings: Sinebrychoff Porter from Finland or Elysian’s Perseus Porter

Ingredients: (Makes 4 Servings)

4lbs of Wild Boar St. Louis Spare Ribs
(you could substitute Kurobuta Baby Back Ribs or conventional Pork Ribs)

Braising Liquid:
3 quarts of Chicken Stock
3 Cloves of Garlic, smashed with the peel on
2 Bay Leaves
½ bunch Fresh Thyme 

Plus: Homemade Barbecue Sauce Recipe

Directions:

1.  Combine the chicken stock, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme in a pot or dutch oven.

2.  Bring to a simmer, submerge the ribs & cover the pot.  Let the ribs simmer for 1 hour, 15 minutes (or until tender if substituting).

3.  Remove the ribs from the braising liquid and either reserve the liquid for another recipe or discard.

4.  Coat the ribs with the barbeque sauce. 

5.  Briefly grill the ribs to reduce and caramelize the sauce.  Serve.

Braising is a surprisingly easy cooking technique that can be used to turn affordable cuts of meat into meltingly tender, succulent treats.  The basic idea is to slow roast a tougher cut of meat in a pot with a small amount of flavorful liquid until the connective tissue breaks down and melts into the sauce. 

The braised dish Americans are most familiar with is probably pot roast, but it is also often used for braised lamb shanks, Italian osso bucco, and short ribs.

Check out our Braising Liquid Recipes for some great options, all perfect for this technique.

Basic Braising Technique:

1.  Remove the meat from your refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.

2.  Dry off any surface moisture & season the meat with salt & pepper.

3.  Get a thin layer of oil in an oven-safe pot or Dutch oven very hot on the stove.

4.  Carefully lay the meat into the oil and sear it on all sides to develop a flavorful brown crust.

5.  Once all your meat has been seared on all sides, remove it from the pot and set aside.  Reduce the heat to low and add vegetables (often carrots, onions, and celery (aka mirepoix)).

6.  Sweat the vegetables (sauté to release their flavor and aroma, but not take on color) until soft.

7.  Deglaze the plan with a flavorful liquid or combination of liquids.  Commonly used liquids include alcohol (usually red wine, but some recipes may call for beer or fortified wines) and stock or broth.

8.  Gently scrape the bottom of your pan while simmering the liquid to release the flavorful browned bits.  Once the liquid has reduced somewhat, add any herbs (thyme, rosemary and bay leaves are popular choices).

9.  Return the meat to the pan, add the lid, and move it to the stove to slowly cook for several hours over low heat.  Alternatively, you could do your braising in a pressure cooker on the stovetop, which will cook your meat significantly faster. 

Good Meat Cuts for Braising:
Bellies
Cheeks
Ribs (particularly short ribs)
Roasts
Shanks and Osso Bucco

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This mild, sweet braising preparation favors the rich flavor of wild boar or kurobuta pork.  We’ve paired it with some heirloom fingerling potatoes and pancetta sautéed Brussels sprouts.

Drink Pairings: Pinot Gris from Alsace or Ploussard from Jura

Ingredients: (makes 8 servings)
2-3 lbs of Boneless Wild Boar Shoulder or Boneless/Bone In Kurobuta Shoulder (~3-4 lbs if using bone-in)
12 oz of Pancetta, cubed
2 Apples, cubed but unpeeled (we used Fuji apples)
3 cloves of Garlic, smashed w/ skin on
1 cup of Onion, small diced
3 sprigs Fresh Thyme
1 quart Chicken Stock
375 ml Cider (preferably a rustic/farmhouse one. We used Dupont)
1 ½ lbs Brussels Sprouts
5oz Pancetta
¼ cup Heavy Cream
4oz Chopped Fresh Morel Mushrooms (or 1/2oz Dried Morel Mushrooms, reconstituted)
12oz Fingerling Potatoes

Plus:8 cups of brining solution (16 if using a bone-in shoulder).  Brining Solution Recipe & How to Brine

Directions:
1. Brine the shoulder overnight.

2. Trim off any silver skin or excess fat.

3. Preheat your oven to 325.

4. In a large pot or dutch oven over medium-medium low heat, render the pancetta (saute until most of the fat has melted off the pancetta into the pan, and you’re left with chunks that are beginning to crisp, but aren’t hard).

5. Remove & reserve the pancetta, add the shoulder and turn the heat up to medium-medium high.  Sear the shoulder on all sides.

6. Remove & reserve the shoulder.  Add the apples, pancetta, garlic, thyme, and onion.  Reduce the heat and sweat for a few minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to release the fond.

7. Deglaze with the cider.  Cook until you can’t smell any alcohol.

8. Return the shoulder to the pan, add the chicken stock.

9. Cover the pot and bring to a simmer.

10. Move the pot to the oven and braise until tender (around 1 1/2 to 2 hours).

11. Roast the fingerlings.

12. Cook the Brussels sprouts & pancetta according to this bacon sautéed Brussels sprouts recipe.

13. Put a layer of the braising liquid/apple/pancetta mixture on a platter.  Top with the shoulder.  Serve family style with the Brussels sprouts and fingerling potatoes.

Roast Loin Of Wild Boar w/ Apricots, Apples & Prunes
by James Canora in New York City

Recipe serves 6 people as main course.

Main Dish Ingredients:
3 ½ – 4lb Wild Boar Rib Roast, boned, chine & rib bones reserved
Salt & Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste
1 Cup Apricot, Apple & Prune Stuffing ( to follow)
1 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp Oil
1 Tbsp Sweet Butter
1 Large Carrot, peeled and cut into ½” inch rounds
1 Large Onion, peeled and cut into 1”inch wedges
2-3 cloves Garlic, peeled
1 Bay Leaf
1 Tbsp Fresh Thyme, chopped ( or ½ tsp dried)
1 Tbsp Fresh Rosemary, chopped ( or ½ tsp dried)
½ Cup Dry White Wine
2 Cups Chicken Broth or stock
¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
¼ Cup Sugar

For the Fruit Stuffing:
2 Shallots, chopped
2 Tbsp Soft Butter
½ Cup Diced Apples
¼ Cup Brandy
½ Cup Dried Apricots, diced
½ Cup Pitted Prunes, diced
¼ Cup Slivered Almonds, toasted ( optional)
1 Lemon, juiced
Salt & Pepper to taste

Stuffing Directions:
1. In a Teflon pan , Sauté the shallots with the butter until softened, about 3 minutes, then add the apples and sauté until wilted , about 2 more minutes, tossing.
2. Add the brandy and let flame up, then add all remaining ingredients, toss well to mix, and simmer about 3 minutes until softened & combined. Cool down & set aside.

Roast Loin Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
1. On a clean cutting board, trim the boar loin of any fat and connective tissue and set trimmings aside. Butterfly open the boar loin by cutting down one side, from top to bottom, open it up , and flatten it down, then arrange the fruit stuffing evenly down the middle of the loin, roll it back up, and secure it tightly in 5 places with butcher string.

2. Season the outside well with salt, pepper, garlic powder & paprika.

3. Heat the oil & butter in a roasting pan or Dutch oven on the stove top, over high heat, then add the roast, chine, rib bones & trimmings and sear the meat on all sides for about 8 – 9 minutes.

4. Lower the flame to moderate, Add in the carrots, onions, bay leaf & garlic, and continue to brown for another 5 minutes, then push the bones and the vegetables underneath the boar loin, and sprinkle with the herbs on top.

5. Add the wine and the stock to the pan, bring it to a boil and then transfer the casserole to the oven, and immediately turn the heat down to 375 degrees.

6. Let the loin roast , uncovered for about an hour, basting it and turning it over every 15 minutes, until its cooked to medium – medium well ( about 145 – 150 internal on thermometer).

7. Remove pork from the pan, cover with foil to keep warm, and set aside to rest. Strain the roasting pan juices into a saucepot, skim off excess fat, then bring to a boil and reduce a little, to about 1 cup.

8. In a separate heavy saucepan, add the vinegar and sugar and heat over a medium high heat until this caramelizes about 1-2 minutes.

9. Stir in the pan juices to this mixture, bring to a boil, and let simmer about 8 minutes to reduce & thicken. Finish with a swirl of butter and fresh chopped herbs.

10. Carve the roast into 1” inch thick rounds, and serve with hot jus.

Even though it’s much leaner than pork belly, wild boar belly has a richer, more complex flavor, especially when braised.  Pairing it with an acidic frisee salad balances that richness for a not-too-filling and and oh-so-satisfying dish.  Any type of pork can be substituted for the wild boar in this recipe.

Drink Pairings: Alsatian Riesling or Australian Semillon

Ingredients: (Serves 4)
8 oz Braised Wild Boar Belly with reserved braising liquid
1 large Shallot, sliced thin
3 oz Pancetta, sliced into sticks/batons
1 tbsp Champagne Vinegar
2 tbsp Honey
1 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ Baguette
1 clove of Garlic, cut in half
2 heads of Frisee
Sea salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a pan over medium low heat, render the pancetta (saute until the pancetta is crispy and the fat has been released).

2. Reserve the pancetta, and add the sliced shallot to the fat in the pan.  Sauté until the shallot is slightly browned.

3. Add the honey and let it cook for about three minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat.

4. Return the pancetta to the pan, and stir in the vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.  Taste and add more oil/vinegar/salt/pepper if necessary.  This is your vinaigrette.

5. Thickly slice the baguette, and rub each slice with the clove of garlic and some olive oil.

6. Grill the baguette slices.

7. Cut the ends of the frisee, separate it into bunches.  Put in a bowl with salt and a little olive oil.  Toss to coat.

8. Cut the boar belly into 2oz pieces.  Put it in a pan with a small amount of the braising liquid.  Simmer to reheat it and reduce the liquid to a glaze.

9. Plate the belly with the frisee and baguette.  Sauce both the belly and the frisee with the vinaigrette.  Serve.

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Bellies & Bacon Recipes

Roasted whole and sliced into chops, wild boar racks offer both great flavor and a beautiful presentation.  We rubbed this one with a potent herb/spice crust for extra flavor, and brined the meat ahead of time to make sure it was moist when cooked.

Drink Pairings: Chateauneuf-de-Pape or Priorat from Spain

Ingredients: (Makes 4 Servings)
1 Large Wild Boar Rack (could substitute 1 ½- 2 Small Wild Boar Racks)
2 medium sized Celeriac
1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
2 Onions, thinly sliced
3 Whole Cloves
1 tbsp Tellicherry Peppercorns
3 cloves of Garlic, minced
Zest of 1 Lemon, minced
2 tbsp fresh Rosemary, minced
2 tbsp fresh Sage, minced
2 tbsp fresh Thyme, minced
Salt & pepper
Olive Oil
Flor de Sal

Plus: 8 cups of Brining Solution

Directions:

1. Brine the wild boar rack overnight (how to brine meat & poultry).

2. Grind the cloves and peppercorns (how to grind whole spices).

3. Mince the garlic, rosemary, lemon zest and sage.

4. Mix together the minced herbs, garlic, zest, 1 tbsp of salt and ground spices with just enough olive oil to make a paste.

5. Optional: For an even better presentation, scrape any bits of meat or silver skin still clinging to the exposed bones.

6. Rub the rack with the paste, and cover it with plastic wrap.  Let sit for at least one hour.  Should be left on the counter if you’re cooking it in an hour.

7. Trim the ends off the celeriac root.  Slice it 1/8th of an inch thick (this is much easier using a mandoline or v-slicer).  Put it in a bowl, covered with water, until you’re ready to cook it.

8. Preheat your oven to 350.

9. Caramelize the onions.

10. Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-medium high heat, and lay in the rack, rib-side down.  Drizzle any paste/oil left on the plate over the top.

11. Melt & lightly brown the butter in a large frying pan.  Lay in some of the celeriac slices in a single layer.

12. When the rib-side of the rack has been seared, flip the rack, and move the whole pan to the oven to roast until almost cooked through.

13. Cook the celeriac slices for 1 1/2 minutes on each side.  When they’re finished, remove them and similarly cook another batch, until you’ve cooked all of them.

14. Return all the cooked celeriac slices to the pan, and top them with the caramelized onions.  Cook just until the onions are reheated.  Toss in the minced thyme.

15. Remove the rack from the oven, cover it loosely with foil, and let it rest for about 5 minutes.

16. Slice the rack into two-rib chops, and plate it on top of the celeriac/onion mixture.  Sauce with the drippings/paste from the roasting pan. Finish with a pinch or two of flor de sal.  Serve.

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As tasty as tomato sauce on pasta is, sometimes you need something a little more substantial.  Why not add ground wild boar?  It’s lean and incredibly flavorful.

Drink Pairings: Frappato from Sicily or Canonau from Sardinia

Ingredients: (4 servings)
12oz Ground Wild Boar
½ cup Red Wine (preferably Italian – Sangiovese or Nebbiolo)
2 ½ cups Basic Tomato Sauce Recipe
2lbs Fresh Pasta or Artisanal Ravioli
Bread Crumbs & Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese for garnish
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.

2. Add the wild boar meat, and cook it, breaking up any large clumps.

3. Deglaze with the red wine.  Cook until the alcohol has cooked off, and the wine has partially reduced.

4. Stir in the red sauce.

5. Taste and add salt & pepper as needed.

6. Boil the pasta.

7. Serve the Bolognese over pasta, topped with bread crumbs and parmigiano reggiano.

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Ground Meat Recipes
Wild Boar Recipes

Make your meatballs tastier, yet leaner, using ground wild boar instead of conventional beef or pork. Roasting the meatballs instead of pan-frying them allows you to make really big ones.

Drink Pairings: Frappato from Sicily or Canonau from Sardinia

Ingredients: (Makes 4 Servings)

Meatballs:
1½lbs Ground Wild Boar
2 Eggs
1 cup Unseasoned Breadcrumbs (ideally homemade breadcrumbs)
½ cup Fresh Italian Parsley, minced
1 ½ cup Onion, chopped
1 tbsp + 1 tsp Salt
~12 grinds of Black Pepper (Tellicherry Pepper)

2lbs Fresh Pasta

Garnishes:
Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
Bread Crumbs
Minced Italian Parsley

Plus: Basic Tomato Sauce Recipe

1. Combine the ground boar, eggs, breadcrumbs, onion, parsley, salt and pepper in a bowl.  Mix with your hand to ensure good distribution of the ingredients.

2. Preheat your oven to 350.

3. Take some of the meatball mixture and form a small patty.  Cook the patty in some oil on the stove top, and taste to assess whether the mixture is seasoned to your liking.

3a. For big meatballs: Form the meatball mix into 2oz balls (~1 ½ inches diameter).  Heat some oil in a frying pan and add the meatballs. Sear them on all sides.  Move the frying pan to the oven and roast until cooked through (~15 minutes).
3b. For small meatballs: Form the meatball mix into 1oz balls (~3/4 inch diameter).  Place on a baking pan in the oven and roast until cooked through (~15 minutes).

4. Cook the pasta.

5. Top the pasta with the red sauce.  Put one big meatball or a few small meatballs on top.  Garnish with some freshly grated/shaved parmigiano reggiano, parsley and breadcrumbs.  Serve.

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