The Hog Book

How did you guys order that book? I only saw something about "pledging $45" to pre-order.

The website I saw had options to purchase either a signed copy or unsigned. I saw the preorder thing.

Thanks for all of the interest and feedback on the book. I'm the author (a daily reader of THF, but random poster) and would love to answer any questions y'all have about the book or hog cookery in general.

The book is available on thehogbook.com only, as it is self-published and self-distributed. It's 420 pages of hog hunting, skinning, gutting, butchery (4 different butchery sequences for small, medium, large sow and large boar) and over 115 recipes for hogs including whole hogs, brining, sausage, curing, slow cooking, grilling, smoking and offal.

Again, your support is greatly appreciated and looking forward to seeing what y'all make!

Jesse Griffiths

Thanks for all of the interest and feedback on the book. I'm the author (a daily reader of THF, but random poster) and would love to answer any questions y'all have about the book or hog cookery in general.

The book is available on thehogbook.com only, as it is self-published and self-distributed. It's 420 pages of hog hunting, skinning, gutting, butchery (4 different butchery sequences for small, medium, large sow and large boar) and over 115 recipes for hogs including whole hogs, brining, sausage, curing, slow cooking, grilling, smoking and offal.

Again, your support is greatly appreciated and looking forward to seeing what y'all make!

Jesse Griffiths

Was going to order one today only to find out they only accept PayPal. To their credit, I emailed them about it and they quickly responded but I'm a hard NO on PayPal. Guess I'll find a different book.

Jimbo, you can skip PayPal at thehogbook.com and pay with Stripe instead. Let us know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Also, there's a Black Friday Sale starting on 11/23 until 11/26 where everyone can get $10 off the book, $5 off the charcoal hats and $5 off any shirt. Thanks!

Jesse Griffiths

Thanks for all of the interest and feedback on the book. I'm the author (a daily reader of THF, but random poster) and would love to answer any questions y'all have about the book or hog cookery in general.

The book is available on thehogbook.com only, as it is self-published and self-distributed. It's 420 pages of hog hunting, skinning, gutting, butchery (4 different butchery sequences for small, medium, large sow and large boar) and over 115 recipes for hogs including whole hogs, brining, sausage, curing, slow cooking, grilling, smoking and offal.

Again, your support is greatly appreciated and looking forward to seeing what y'all make!

Jesse Griffiths

Thanks for all of the interest and feedback on the book. I'm the author (a daily reader of THF, but random poster) and would love to answer any questions y'all have about the book or hog cookery in general.

The book is available on thehogbook.com only, as it is self-published and self-distributed. It's 420 pages of hog hunting, skinning, gutting, butchery (4 different butchery sequences for small, medium, large sow and large boar) and over 115 recipes for hogs including whole hogs, brining, sausage, curing, slow cooking, grilling, smoking and offal.

Again, your support is greatly appreciated and looking forward to seeing what y'all make!

Jesse Griffiths

No joking this might be the nicest "cookbook" I've ever seen - from the print quality, content, photographs, index, etc... y'all did everything right. I'm more than happy to support your effort.

The Chorizo Verde and charro beans were fantastic, too. I'll keep bumping this with more updates as I try out more recipes.

Just received The Hog Book!
Very nicely done!
Can’t wait to read it and try some of the recipes!

Got mine a couple days ago too. Very nicely done...indeed!

It might be a good book, but $50 is too much IMO.

I'll just watch youtube videos.

JR

More than a fair price IMHO considering what all is in it. I’m enjoying reading mine….

It might be a good book, but $50 is too much IMO.

I'll just watch youtube videos.

JR

I think I paid like 90 bucks including a shirt. I like supporting guys that create great original content. How many other cookbooks are you going to buy that sort recipes by the size of the pig you shoot?

Made the vindaloo the other night, added some green cardamom and served with yogurt with lime, cilantro, mint and green onions. Good inspiration in here.

Worth every penny and then some!

I bought 3 - 2 for friends and one for myself. I absolutely love it.

Will post some pics of the meals we cook with it, and hope others here continue to do the same!

Thanks for sharing your talents, Jesse!

Going to eat some crow!!

OK based upon the overwhelming reviews and support for this book - I bought one. Received it this afternoon. It is a really nice book. Still not sure that it's worth $78 (got a signed copy), but I don't feel cheated. As I mentioned it is a really nice book and I'm happy that I have one!!

I'm hoping to really get after the hogs when I finish our house reno and this book will be very helpful in when I do.

JR

Good deal! Post up what you cook…

I received a copy of The Hog Book about two weeks ago, and I've been perusing various sections. Overall I'm happy to have bought it.

The first 100+ pages discuss hunting, trapping, and various related things regarding the acquisition of a hog. Having hunted and trapped hogs for over 15 years, I didn't really learn much that was new from that. For someone new to the topic it is a nice collection of info all in one place.

There are quite a few pages, with excellent photography, describing how to cut up a hog. The book shows examples for small and medium hogs, as well as individual discussion on large sows and large boars. I can't emphasize enough the quality of the photographs. Still, although I don't shoot a ton of hogs every year, I have no plans to butcher a complete hog. I don't have the time nor the work space to do that, and the freezer is pretty full with just the leg quarters and back straps I've taken.

For me, although the hunting, trapping, and butchering sections are interesting, the cooking portion is my main interest. Generally most of the recipes are not super complicated. A few use some spices I don't have and don't really want to purchase and inventory for the limited use they'd give me. In other cases, I think I can substitute something. There's a recipe for Wild Boar Suadero (sort of baked and then grilled meat for tacos - my apologies to the author if that's too simplified) which I plan to try. However, the ingredient list includes chipotle powder and guajillo powder. I'll probably use taco seasoning and/or chili powder with maybe a pinch of cumin. If it doesn't turn out to be wonderful, I won't blame the book. On the other hand there's a recipe for Boar Paprikash which is similar to a recipe I already have, but with a few changes/additions. What I've made in the past was good enough that my wife really liked it, but I think Mr. Griffiths' version will offer improvement.

I plan to try curing and smoking a ham soon. The book contains information on that although the essay Dink Dodger posted on this forum seems more detailed so I plan to use his information as well. https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/8466972/curing-feral-hams#Post8466972 I saved the web pages to my computer in my Recipes Folder just to make sure I could always find it again.

In conclusion, The Hog Book has what appear to be a very nice collection of recipes for feral hogs and I'm glad I got it.
--

Just so you know, you can get chipotle chili powder at kroger/heb for a couple of bucks. Taco seasoning wont come close. If you wanted too you can also buy dried guajillo chilis at kroger/heb and blend into your own powder. That's what I do. I really love guajillo chili powder in stuff. If you didn't want to do that, I would still use chili powder and leave out the taco seasoning. Just my humble opinion though.

Just so you know, you can get chipotle chili powder at kroger/heb for a couple of bucks. Taco seasoning wont come close. If you wanted too you can also buy dried guajillo chilis at kroger/heb and blend into your own powder. That's what I do. I really love guajillo chili powder in stuff. If you didn't want to do that, I would still use chili powder and leave out the taco seasoning. Just my humble opinion though.

I received a copy of The Hog Book about two weeks ago, and I've been perusing various sections. Overall I'm happy to have bought it.

The first 100+ pages discuss hunting, trapping, and various related things regarding the acquisition of a hog. Having hunted and trapped hogs for over 15 years, I didn't really learn much that was new from that. For someone new to the topic it is a nice collection of info all in one place.

There are quite a few pages, with excellent photography, describing how to cut up a hog. The book shows examples for small and medium hogs, as well as individual discussion on large sows and large boars. I can't emphasize enough the quality of the photographs. Still, although I don't shoot a ton of hogs every year, I have no plans to butcher a complete hog. I don't have the time nor the work space to do that, and the freezer is pretty full with just the leg quarters and back straps I've taken.

For me, although the hunting, trapping, and butchering sections are interesting, the cooking portion is my main interest. Generally most of the recipes are not super complicated. A few use some spices I don't have and don't really want to purchase and inventory for the limited use they'd give me. In other cases, I think I can substitute something. There's a recipe for Wild Boar Suadero (sort of baked and then grilled meat for tacos - my apologies to the author if that's too simplified) which I plan to try. However, the ingredient list includes chipotle powder and guajillo powder. I'll probably use taco seasoning and/or chili powder with maybe a pinch of cumin. If it doesn't turn out to be wonderful, I won't blame the book. On the other hand there's a recipe for Boar Paprikash which is similar to a recipe I already have, but with a few changes/additions. What I've made in the past was good enough that my wife really liked it, but I think Mr. Griffiths' version will offer improvement.

I plan to try curing and smoking a ham soon. The book contains information on that although the essay Dink Dodger posted on this forum seems more detailed so I plan to use his information as well. https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/8466972/curing-feral-hams#Post8466972 I saved the web pages to my computer in my Recipes Folder just to make sure I could always find it again.

In conclusion, The Hog Book has what appear to be a very nice collection of recipes for feral hogs and I'm glad I got it.
--

I buy the dried guajillo chiles and slightly rehydrate them then smoke for a few hours. After the smoking grind them into a nice smoky paprika.

Jesse, just saw that The Hog Book was nominated for a James Beard award. Congratulations! Your book certainly deserves it. You should be really proud of what you've done.

Jesse, just saw that The Hog Book was nominated for a James Beard award. Congratulations! Your book certainly deserves it. You should be really proud of what you've done.

'Came close to clicking "Pay" on the $50.00 book. Then saw $15.00 to ship 80 miles. That's off-putting.

Going to Dai Due tomorrow night with the wife. Will report back

Jesse, I just finished dinner at Dai Due and everything was phenomenal, but the sauce for the Nilgai filet stole the show. Is there a technique similar to the mulberry red wine tallow sauce in either The Hog Book or Afield? Thanks!

Thanks! Chef Janie made that. She cooks onions down in olive oil with some salt and pepper, then adds a bunch of red wine and reduces that. Add mulberries (pretty good crop this year, but short) and then stirred in softened, rendered beef tallow into the cooled mulberry/wine mixture. This is served room temp like butter on the grilled nilgai leg fillet.

Nilgai is so similar to lean beef in a lot of ways that we like to use beef fat with the lean nilgai. We put beef fat in the nilgai burgers out at the Lo Salvaje food truck at the Desert Door Distillery in Driftwood. It's a solid burger if you're ever in the area. Glad you enjoyed, and thanks for the support.

So how was it? I'm headed to Austin for work next month and am about to make a reservation.

Congratulations to Jesse on winning a James Beard for Hogbook.

Thank you! I'm still in shock and surprised that a book about hunting and cooking feral hogs was nominated, let alone win. Chicago was a lot of fun, too! Took the girlfriend and daughter to the awards, which was pretty cool (we had never been). Thanks to everyone on the THF for all of the support. It means a lot because we are all neighbors and hunters, and the word of mouth and interactions on here have been a big part in making this self-published and self-distributed book such a success.

Looks amazing.

I broke down and bought the book. I picked up in it that my best chance at decent back strap is finding a pregnant sow.

Jesse did you ever put out that pozole verde recipe anywhere?

So I have a small problem. I made my girlfriend the Vindaloo a few weeks ago at my place. I’m at her house this week and she has requested I make it again but my copy of the hog book is at home. Any chance someone can send me the recipe?

Here you go:

Wild Boar Vindaloo

serves 4

2 lbs sinewy wild boar stew meat, cut into 2” pieces
salt to taste
1⁄2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 3” piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp ground black pepper
10 chile de árbol peppers, stemmed (or another hot, dried chile)
¼ tsp ground clove
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp. ground turmeric
8 cloves garlic, peeled
½ Cup lard, ghee, butter or neutral oil
2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 large yellow onion, sliced
2 tbsp brown sugar
cilantro to garnish

Season the boar well with salt. Combine the vinegar, ginger, cumin, black pepper, chilies, clove, cinnamon, turmeric and garlic in a blender and puree until smooth. Coat the boar in this marinade and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.

Heat a medium pot over high heat and add the lard, butter or ghee. Add the mustard seeds, stir quickly and then add the marinated meat and the onion. Cook, stirring often until the marinade begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the sugar, stir well and then pour in three cups of water and turn down to a bare simmer (or transfer to a slow cooker). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender, about 2-6 hours, depending on the animal, adding more water if needed. The stew should be tender, with a slightly thickened sauce cloaking the meat. Check for seasoning.

Serve over steamed basmati rice with fresh cilantro leaves.

Got a copy for Christmas, looks like a great read and reference.
Surprised to see a signed edition under the tree, thanks for making a good deal on it for the holidays!!