Email to Buny      

Boar: Smoked Saddle of Wild Boar with Currant Sauce

Source of Recipe

American Game Cooking / John Ash & Sid Goldstein


List of Ingredients

* 1 saddle of wild Boar (6 to 8 pounds)
* charcoal and wood chips for smoking (hickory, pecan, and applewood)
brine for smoking

* brine for smoking:
* 2 cups cider vinegar
* 4 cups water
* 1 cup water
* 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
* 1 teaspoon juniper berries, crushed
* 1/2 cup firmly packed dark, brown sugar
* 1 bay leaf
* 4 whole cloves
* 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
* 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
* 1 clove garlic, halved
* 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced
* 1 medium celery stalk, sliced
* 1 cup dry red wine
sauce

* sauce:
* 1/2 cup dried currants
* 1/2 cup dried creme de cassis
* 1/2 cup red wine
* 1/4 cup black currant jam
* 2 cups veal, beef, or game meat stock
* 3 shallots, chopped
* 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
* 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* salt and freshly ground black pepper


Recipe

1. Brine: Combine all ingredients, except wine, in a large, nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain into a large container; add red wine. Place boar in brine (fully covering the meat) in refrigerator a couple of days in advance of cooking.

2. Remove boar from brine and allow to sit for about 45 minutes before smoking. Use a covered grill and the indirect-heat method; after the coal have burned for 30 minutes, make 2 piles of coals with drip pan in the middle. Sprinkle each pile of coals with 1 cup wet wood chips that have been soaked in water for 20 minutes and drained. Place boar on grill and cook, covered, until meat reaches 160ºF, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Replenish coals and chips about every 30 minutes.

3. Sauce: In a small saucepan, soak currants in creme de cassis and wine for 45 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients, except butter, salt and pepper, and reduce over medium heat to a light sauce consistency. Swirl in butter. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

4. Remove boar from grill and let rest 10 minutes. Carve and serve with sauce.

Serves 6.