Many chefs, farmers, and suppliers are shifting their approach to dealing with wild boars that devastate crops by transforming them into a source of sustainable protein.
At Dai Due restaurant in Austin, Texas, wild boar is a standout dish on the menu. The wild boars come from both Texas and other locations. Christopher Columbus brought 8 pigs to the New World as food during his trip to Cuba in 1493. The descendants of those pigs, estimated to number around 6 million across 35 states, have caused numerous problems since then. Each year, they inflict $2.5 billion in damages to crops, forestry, and livestock operations. They can also spread diseases to both humans and domestic animals. In Texas alone, there are approximately 2 million wild boars, making the state a focal point for this nationwide issue.
As a result, some chefs, farmers, and meat suppliers in Texas and other southern hotspots are incorporating wild boar into the food chain. They are transforming this troublesome species into a sustainable protein source for people. Chef Jesse Griffiths, co-founder of Dai Due, is one of the industry’s leading advocates for consuming wild boar.
There are currently about 6 million wild boars in the U.S. across 35 states. (Photo: Alamy).
Casey Frank, education and outreach coordinator for the nonprofit organization Farmshare, has witnessed the devastation caused by wild boars. In June 2022, during a severe drought in Central Texas, Frank began to notice the muddy holes and uprooted crops around Farmshare’s 4-hectare organic farm in Austin. A sounder of wild boars was searching for moist ground to forage and cool down during the hottest summer on record for the state. Six adult wild boars, each weighing over 92 kg, caused significant damage to Farmshare, an organization dedicated to supporting new farmers and increasing food access in areas like East Austin and Travis County. According to Frank, the boars destroyed 0.08 hectares in one night and resulted in a loss of over 900 kg of produce.
Authorities like the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and state wildlife agencies have sought to control the wild boar population for decades but have faced numerous challenges. In the 1890s, hunters introduced 13 Eurasian wild boars, likely purchased from the Black Forest in Germany, to a hunting reserve in New Hampshire. Known for their intelligence and elusiveness, they became prime targets for sport hunters.
Frank understands the difficulty of tracking a small sounder of 6 boars wreaking havoc on Farmshare’s farm. He built a hunting blind in the middle of Farmshare’s fields. During multiple 6-hour stakeouts, Frank waited with his rifle each night. However, for three months, he was unable to fire a single shot. Eventually, Farmshare invested in traps containing a mixture of corn, fermented beer, sugar, and gelatin. This too proved ineffective. “Wild boars are smart enough to recognize the traps and step around them. Eventually, the trap became an expensive bird feeder,” Frank shared.
Several factors have contributed to the emergence of one of North America’s first invasive species. In some regions, breeding has led to unmanageable situations. “Domesticated animals are purposefully bred to reproduce quickly in large numbers. Eurasian wild boars are very difficult to hunt. These two aspects give them a significant advantage,” said Mikayla Killam, a wildlife damage management specialist with the AgriLife Extension Service at Texas A&M University.
Despite their elusiveness, many states with large populations allow hunters to shoot wild boars. Some trappers also help bring wild boar meat to market. Broken Arrow Farm in Texas collaborates with trappers to catch and deliver wild boars to a licensed slaughterhouse for processing and packaging. Mike Hughes, the founder of the farm, became aware of the wild boar issue a few years ago. Soon after, Broken Arrow became a meat supplier, selling 1,500 to 1,700 wild boars each year.
While Broken Arrow accepts wild boars ranging from 18 to 92 kg, they prefer to purchase medium-sized boars weighing between 36 to 82 kg. According to Chris Hughes, co-owner of Broken Arrow Farm, mature male boars can weigh up to 136 to 181 kg, and the issue is that as they grow larger, they continually produce hormones that give the meat an unpleasant odor.
Shogun Farms, located in the suburbs of Tampa, Florida, mitigates the odor by raising and feeding 650 to 700 wild boars they trap at any given time over a period of 6 months. When new boars arrive, they are quarantined and dewormed to prevent parasites. The boars are closely monitored and fed a varied diet. The result of this labor-intensive process is a type of red meat that many customers liken to Wagyu pork.
While many facilities like Broken Arrow and Shogun Farms seek to remove invasive boars from the environment, bringing wild boar meat to market is not easy. Unlike the game meat that Broken Arrow sells, which can be processed on-site, wild boar meat must adhere to federal inspection regulations. Suppliers spend considerable time and effort searching for a slaughterhouse licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to process wild boars.
The relatively small number of processing facilities means that wild boar may remain a specialty item for some time. However, chefs across the United States are becoming increasingly aware of the growing availability of wild boar meat. Products from Broken Arrow are featured on the menus of many restaurants, including Eataly in New York, Redbird in Los Angeles, Rainbow Lodge in Houston, and Quince in San Francisco.
