Wild Boar Butchery: Deboning Ham & Removing the Hindshank
In this part of the whole wild boar butchery guide, you’ll learn how to debone the ham and remove the hindshank using seam butchery.
Deboning the ham can be trickier than deboning the shoulder, because of the aitch bone, which is a large bone with a very complex shape that can be tricky to cut around. Just keep following the bone (as we show you how to do here) and it’ll eventually come away.
The aitch bone is home to a hidden morsel of meat called the “spider steak” – which you’ll never see in butcher shops (pork or wild boar) because it’s so small. However, it’s very delicious and easily cooked up for a quick snack (which is what most butchers do). The below video will show you where it is and how to remove it.
The techniques in this video will require a sharp boning knife and either a hand or band saw to cut across the shank.
The hindshank is a delicious braising cut (How to Braise) that can also be slow roasted. Once slow cooked the meat becomes tender and exquisitely delicious.
The ham (bone-in or boneless) can be cured, smoked, or cooked as a roast.
The spider steak is great simply seasoned with salt & pepper, then seared.
Here’s how you do it: