On camera the other day with a film crew, I shot a pig with a bow and arrow. It was a heart shot that penetrated the belly of the pig and pierced perfectly through the heart and then the opposite shoulder. The blood sprayed left and right and then gushed from both sides of the pig. It was beautiful.
And while it was dramatic to see a pig die (and dye on the ground) in front of me, it was over quickly. I would go into more detail but because it was a filming project (more on this later), I won’t post pictures of the pig nor the hunt but will tell you that we’re using every part of this pig. Even show you.
When I began the butchering process, that was about the time my eyes lit up and the tired eyes became enamored – the meat so well marbled that eating the neck braise side to side with a 36 hour Moulard duck confit made the confit taste like skinless chicken breast – just, healthy. It truly was the “kobe beef” of pig. And if it were the last pig I ever ate I would be happy. The pig to end all pigs.
warning: this is where the wine comes in–> extra bad writing ensues 🙂 Ah who cares. Pour me some more wine
Random thoughts(There were a range of emotions that I felt – and during the hunt I was praying that I wouldn’t hit the pig in the ham(the arse), or any other non-vital parts which would injure the animal and not do much damage to major blood vessels. thoughtful of the animal and the etiquette we strive for in our preparation is to attain the animal with minimal suffering. It’s a fact – if you want meat, something’s gonna die. And it might as well die at my hands because my hands know it has a beautiful life..just one bad day. So my choice lies in the either or of walking the grocery store aisles to support some questionable farming, or get a better product doing it myself. I love food – the choice is easy.
Morning after morning of persistent practice at a stationary target is loads different than pursuing a 350 pound wild boar with 3 cameras behind you and one on the bow. It was one of my major fears – that when the crunch time came, and when the cameras were on me and the lights shined my way – I would miss. Besides I don’t see a pig, I see bacon on a plate, and anticipate the anticipation. A complicated matter. The past few days I had the best pork neck braise which was fantastic to share, a sweet shrimp with a wild boar carpaccio…and one of the single best bites of my life – a beef tartare w/ sweet wild boar fat.
Some of the three best words I ever heard were this week: “It’s a Wrap!”
Life is amazing. Food is love, and hey, be right back, there’s Wild Boar Bacon to tend to ;).
wild boar neck pieces
there were two sides to the belly. During the butchering process, one side was thicker and left less meat on the spare ribs. On the other side, more meat on the spare ribs, less meat on the belly.
searing neck pieces, boiling the head
I have two sides of the pork belly. with one side I did 1.586 KG of belly with 30g of salt to each .5KG for a pancetta. Added juniper berries, bay leaf, black peppercorn. That’s what you see above :). The other half is salted then steamed bacon. But, one small piece will be smoked later this week, too.
wild boar braised/pressure cooked neck, braising the head for a terrine
braised neck in its stock. truly amazing I don’t say this often… no label wine + no label beer. 70% syrah blend, 30% vino robles cabernet sauvignon blend
boar head terrine w/ pistachio & diced fat braised in vinegar sugar and water
sweet amaebi shrimp raw w/ testa fritta and cinghiale(wild boar) carpaccio
beef carpaccio on crostini w/ sweet wild boar fat, 30 year aged balsamic vinegar #top5thingsIeverate