Thread: Really strong flavoured bacon

Took a youngish boar to the butchers a while back to get done into bacon. These pigs have pretty good access to quality feed down the back of the farm (unfortunately) and we thought he would turn out fine. All of the other porkers that have been sausaged and rissoled have however this bacon is really strong, so strong I don’t think I can actually eat it. Have tried it marinated, in pies, scrolls, pasta dishes and I have to try and force myself to enjoy it. I thought about giving it away but I don’t think I want to offend anyone...
Are boars just not good for bacon?
Is there a particular reason why it would taste so strong? He wasn’t big and in very good nick.
Could it be poor processing from the butcher? Though he’s done a good job with all the other cuts we have had.

What is the strong taste?

As above plus it depends on diet a lot.
Dead stock and porina caterpillars make them taste pretty awful

Hasn't got bone taint has it? That's a really strong unpleasant taste.

Honestly I can’t even describe the taste. At first I thought maybe over smoked or something but I can’t put my finger on it.
Was caught late at night, hung in the barn in the meat safe and it was a chilly night and taken to the butcher in the morning so didn’t sit around long. Processed on our end very cleanly, it did have all the hair burnt off before heading to the butcher

That could be part of it, I've had wild pork that tasted vaguely of burnt hair it's bitter and sharp.

maybe try soaking it over night ..then dry and cook..... Ive been lucky and never struck a really bad porker.... I do whip knackers straight out and empty out the pizzle, after sticking boars,dont know if it makes a difference but its what I was shown and I have no reason to doubt it does make difference.
try in macaroni cheese...it would have to be really bad before it would not work in that.

I always get wild adult boars done into sausages by a good butcher. They mix mutton with the meat. Seems to work well and the snags taste great.

The best thing you can do with pork if you can't scald it is to skin it. Another tip is to remove the pissel and testicles as soon as you can. Give your butcher a chance and drop of a piece that hasn't been singed you'll be surprised in the taste difference you won't have that charcoal burnt hair half cooked skin taste.

Sows and Boars can both take on 'taint' if they have been on fern. Any faces or gully's of pig fern in your area ?

I read somewhere that feeding on acorns can make the flesh bitter also. Got any oak trees? My brother was a butcher. Big thing with home kill pig was always bone taint. Its not just about how cool the hanging place was but how quickly you get the carcass cool right through. Heat from singeing? Dunno about that, never done it. Always scalded and scraped which is plenty hot but very fast done properly.

Originally Posted by Mauser308

Possibly a better option for bacon that singing is scalding and scraping, would second the gutting, bleeding, pizzle nuts and glands out as soon as humanly possible too. Was it on the run or being chased hard when it was finally nailed? If they have the flight or fight shite going down the meat can go rancid from all the adrenaline and lactic acid present in the meat - if that's the case probably can't do much with it. Some of the dogged boars really are only good for sausages mixed with mutton fat or the slow cook methods like the hangi - some like the sharp tasting meet but it's not to my tastes.

Done all of that, wasn’t dogged at all just caught tearing up the paddock and dropped it. It was in really good nick, no battle scars and so on. We have sausaged all of our pigs so far and they have been fine but this fella was looking so good thought we would bacon him. Haven’t had an issue with home kill bacon until now however this is the first wild porker we have baconed.

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

Sows and Boars can both take on 'taint' if they have been on fern. Any faces or gully's of pig fern in your area ?

Not that I have noticed but very well could be. They come out of the forestry into the farm and we get them there. The forestry is pretty dense with blackberry so avoid getting amongst it, might be worth a wander through to see what feeds available on that side of the fence

Originally Posted by Jhon

I read somewhere that feeding on acorns can make the flesh bitter also. Got any oak trees? My brother was a butcher. Big thing with home kill pig was always bone taint. Its not just about how cool the hanging place was but how quickly you get the carcass cool right through. Heat from singeing? Dunno about that, never done it. Always scalded and scraped which is plenty hot but very fast done properly.

No acorns but I’d say it’s more just a really strong taste, not overly bitter just very strong.
May be time to invest in a chiller, we had bone taint with a young spiker however we also hung him in the bush for a couple days. Yes singed the hair using one of those big blow torch guys from game gear, scraped as it was done. Next time will definitely just skin it

Originally Posted by Chelsea

Not that I have noticed but very well could be. They come out of the forestry into the farm and we get them there. The forestry is pretty dense with blackberry so avoid getting amongst it, might be worth a wander through to see what feeds available on that side of the fence

Smaller boars can make passable hams even after being on fern but the bacon is normally very dense from boars with any weight and only good for making into bacon mince to add to stuff like your venny burger mix. I have not ever had any really good WP bacon to be honest, always tough. I used to strike a lot of fern taint at Murchison, but now here in Canterbury the pigs are much sweeter eaters