Are feral hog hind quarters hams, or a different type of pork?
I recently hunted feral hog and had one processed. I have two full bone-in hind quarters. I wondering if these are considered hams or a different cut/type of pork. How would one go about cooking a full bone-in hind quarter? What are the proper temperatures to cook feral hog to? I would like to make a ham if possible, also maybe pulled pork or something else with the second hind quarter. Thinking maybe in the smoker too.
Best Answer
They would be fresh hams, the hindquarter of a pig.
The word ham, unmodified, implies a cured product.
I would imagine that for a feral hog, if you are willing to risk eating it, that you should cook to the highest temperature reasonable, which in the case of a fresh ham might be at least 180 F, and as high as 200 F. The best application at these ranges would be making puiled pork, which requires long, low, and slow cooking; smoking is definitely an option.
See also this recipe, although for a pork butt, should be easily adaptable to the fresh ham, which is similar, although not quite as fatty and full of connective tissue, so it won't be quite as tender when done.
Pictures about "Are feral hog hind quarters hams, or a different type of pork?"
What part of a hog does the ham come from?
Another common cut of pork comes from the leg \u2013 ham. Groceries tend to have a wide selection of ham products available \u2013 from whole hams to ham sliced for deli meat. All of these come from the leg of the pig. Ham is often cured, smoked or processed before purchase.What part of pig makes best ham?
Ham. The back leg of the hog is where we get fresh, smoked, or cured hams. Serrano ham and prosciutto are made from hams that are cured, smoked, and then air-dried. Fresh hams are usually roasted, but they can be cut into ham steaks as well.How do you cook the hind quarter of a pig?
Things You'll Need Pork hind quarter has tender, rich meat that takes well to oven-roasting. Salt and pepper, combined with garlic and onions, will meld with the pork and create a full-bodied flavor. Cook a pork hind quarter with carrots and potatoes to complete a meal in approximately four and one half hours.Smoked Wild Hog (Hind Quarter) \
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Anna Shvets, SHVETS production, Sarah Chai, Klaus Nielsen