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Javalina, it’s what’s for dinner

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    Javalina, it’s what’s for dinner

    My dad visited a few weeks ago and killed a nice Javelina on one of our leases in Knox County. I’ve never eaten it before and have heard mostly bad reviews but was determined to give it an honest try. My first test was a success.

    We took great care in cleaning the carcass, paying close attention when skinning to not getting any hair on the meat. From there I treated it like I do my venison. I aged it on ice in a cooler for about a week, draining the water daily and adding ice as needed.

    Tonight I took some rump steak, seasoned with smoked sea salt and pepper and cooked it for 2 hours at 165 with my sous vide. I finished them with a quick sear in avocado oil. It has a slightly sweet taste and flavor somewhere between beef and pork.

    All I can say is I can’t wait to kill another! These critters are really tasty if you care for the carcass properly.




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    Last edited by WrecklessRanch; 12-04-2018, 09:00 PM.

    #2
    I shot one some years ago and had tamales made out of it. They were really good. The lady at the shop said it was some of the nicest looking meat she had ever cooked with.


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      #3
      I prefer a sow javelina over WT deer for taste... Boar javelina... not so much... never have been able to get the stank out of a boar no matter how young or small...

      I've done blind tests with javelina, deermeat, and beef multiple times and the javelina always wins again IF it is a sow.

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        #4
        Originally posted by SaltwaterSlick View Post
        I prefer a sow javelina over WT deer for taste... Boar javelina... not so much... never have been able to get the stank out of a boar no matter how young or small...

        I've done blind tests with javelina, deermeat, and beef multiple times and the javelina always wins again IF it is a sow.
        Surprisingly, this was a boar.

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          #5
          The best Javalina that I ever ate was one that I shot with my recurve and was about the size of a cottontail rabbit! Sure was tender and tasted great!

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            #6
            Some of the best tamales I have ever had where made from Javalina

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              #7
              With that recipe you could make boot leather taste good.

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                #8
                I've only shot one and we ate it.
                Wasnt bad at all.

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                  #9
                  My daughter got one on during the Thanksgiving break and I slow cooked a ham the other night in the Crock Pot. It's was delicious.

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                    #10
                    Originally posted by WrecklessRanch View Post
                    All I can say is I can’t wait to kill another! These critters are really tasty if you are a buzzard or a yote!!!

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                    FIFY

                    Bisch

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                      #11
                      I have eaten javelina many times, in the form of tamales. They are great done that way. The one and only time we ever tried to cook a javelina any other way, was just gutting and skinning one, then it got tossed on the grill. That was the most horrendous smell I have ever smelt. The smell made me very nauseous, tasted just as bad. I have no idea why it was so horrible, I did not gut, skin or cook it. I was just there. After that, we mostly left the of them alone. There were thousands of those critters around, on the place we were hunting at the time.
                      I have to admit as tamales they are great. My mother and old Mexican woman made tamales out of them, supposedly when they were boiling the meat, the smell was pretty bad.

                      I would not mind trying one again, and try some of the tricks I have heard about, to keep them from tasting so bad.

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                        #12
                        I killed a big boar, slow cooked it and made pulled pork and it was wonderful. I will never waste javalina meat.

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                          #13
                          I'm killed several over the years. Here's the best recipe I have found by far.

                          1. Javelina
                          2. Good bed of mesquite coals
                          3. Case of Coors Light
                          4. 2 x 4 x 4.....pine, mesquite or cedar ( whatever is handy, but I prefer the softer pine board )

                          Get the fire going, down ya some Silver Bullets.
                          Lay the un-skinned, un-gutted javelina on a tarp or piece of plywood.
                          Take the 2x4 and start beating the javelina around the head, working your way down the body until you get to the tail. Flip over and repeat.
                          Do this twice more.
                          Let rest for 30 minutes while drinking some more Silver Bullets.
                          After 30 minutes, promptly throw the javelina away and eat the 2x4.
                          Last edited by Traildust; 12-05-2018, 08:07 AM.

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                            #14
                            Originally posted by Jmh05 View Post
                            I killed a big boar, slow cooked it and made pulled pork and it was wonderful. I will never waste javalina meat.

                            Can you make something with pork in its name from a javelina?...


                            Hard pass for me either way..

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                              #15
                              Originally posted by WrecklessRanch View Post

                              Tonight I took some rump steak, seasoned with smoked sea salt and pepper and cooked it for 2 hours at 165 with my sous vide. I finished them with a quick sear in avocado oil. It has a slightly sweet taste and flavor somewhere between beef and pork.

                              All I can say is I can’t wait to kill another! These critters are really tasty if you care for the carcass properly.

                              Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
                              I have been saying THIS for a few years no. My buddies (including one that posted above) just keep rolling their eyes at me

                              The first Javi I had a few years ago tasted more like beef than pork. I was a bit surprised. And all I did was the skillet test. Cut a few pieces from different cuts and sprinkle with salt and put in a cast iron skillet. Even the fat was fine.

                              I've killed a couple more since then, and I've never had any issues. Even had one lay out overnight in 50 degree temps (with showers) and the next day it was still fine.

                              I will say this though. I think a lot of it does have to do with time of year, diet, and size... and of course meat care while dressing. I no longer mention the meat care part as much because I know of some guys that do a better job than I do that still don't like it.... so while it can play a role... I don't think that is the only reason. Also, I think some folks have a hard time eating meat when a critter has a certain smell... and Javis... they have a smell no doubt. I have tracked 2 that didn't have a blood trail just based on their stink.

                              But I've shot all mine during cooler weather, in the early spring, and I shoot medium sized ones... primarily because I haven't had luck with the bigger boars

                              My main go-to dish is the Carne Guisada recipe that Smart had posted on here a long while back. Easy peasy!

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