Smoked Javelina

[RGVBowHunter]

After researching how to cook Javi and reading all the horror stories I was quite hesitant to cook the Javi my son recently harvester with his bow.

I believe that the prep process is the most important part of making Javi taste good. So here is what I did and it was awesome!

1. Hang your Javi or let the meat sit in the fridge draining for 3 days.
2. Soak the meat for 3 to 4 days in a kosher salt and ice. Salt rub the meat daily.
3. After you remove the meat from the soak cut off all the silver skin and slime skin that you can
4. Rub with Blake's Cajun rub or Tony's. Be generous.
5. Let the rubbed meat sit for 2 hours in the fridge.
6. Spark up a smoker or grill with a smoking wood of choice.
7. Place the meat in the smoker and smoke until you see the meat to you liking of temp.

[tater_salad]

Never had javelina before, but that looks pretty tasty

[wtx223]

pass...

[JackFlash]

i'd try it.

[Jerryg]

Looks good but how do it taste??

[CrossTimbers]

My dad used to smoke them when I was a kid. A little gamey, but pretty good.

[Texastaxi]

I'm not opposed to trying it, but just like those stinky rams, I can't get past the smell when I'm skinning them.

[Stoof]

I did one whole and it was great. I brined it twice with a fresh water soak in between.

[Black Ice]

I'll eat it if somebody does all the work to get to the point u did. Way too much work for me.

[RGVBowHunter]

Looks good but how do it taste??

It was a cross between pork roast and brisket.

[RGVBowHunter]

My dad used to smoke them when I was a kid. A little gamey, but pretty good.

There was no gamey taste at all.

[SwampRabbit]

That looks great Jay!

Yeah, I am not sure what the big deal is about. I just deboned mine last night and we cooked up a few peices by searing them in a cast iron pan and then putting them in the oven for a few minutes. All we added was salt and pepper. My wife said she thought it tasted more like beef, I'd agree. There was no off smell or taste.

We did spend a bunch of time cutting off the fat and silver skin. If I had a smoker, I would have held onto one of the hams like you did. Instead we deboned it all and packaged them up in bags to make tamales, fajitas, etc later.

BTW, it was great meeting you and your boy.

[Cuz]

I just through up in my mouth a lil.

[JackFlash]

ive always heard the ones in south texas are not eaters but the ones in west texas are. I have no idea why this is said.

[SwampRabbit]

These were from South Texas....

Maybe we were lucky. I know the one I stuck wasn't a monster, but wasn't a baby either. Size, diet, time of year probably all play a role. It's been pretty cool this year and it is early so that might have something to do with the meat tasting better. Also as RGV said, he trimmed the silver skin/fat... and so did I.

And yes, mine did smell... truth is, that is how I tracked it since it didn't leave a blood trail.