Camping recipes: Wild swine vindaloo

CAMPER crew — 24 January 2018

Wild boar are plentiful in Cape York’s rainforest swamps and jungles.

The Europeans love eating them. If you’ve ever tasted the Iberian acorn-eating swine from northern Spain, jamon de belota negra, you already know how well the Spaniard's have perfected wild-pork husbandry.

Here in Australia, they’re a feral pest. But that shouldn’t prevent you from at least tasting one the next time you have the opportunity. You just have to know how to prepare it properly. 



Smaller pigs are almost always better eating than older pigs - the same as every animal. Lamb compared to mutton, yearling beef compared to an old dairy cow.

Make sure the pig you source is healthy with no obvious signs of disease. Ask yourself: What sort of things has it been eating? What has this particular little piggy been doing? Do not eat anything even marginally suspect or unhealthy. If butchering your own beast, make sure your equipment and work area is pristine. If sourcing from somewhere else, quiz your supplier extensively about the swine's condition.

To be safe, cook it for a long time. If cooking from fresh, start off on a long slow ‘n’ low cook, then up the heat towards the end. If you really want to be thorough about your meat, butcher your beast into manageable cubes, then boil until well cooked-through. Then transfer the cooked and cooled pieces into a casserole or curry. Vindaloo is a nice option, especially for people who find game meat too robust in flavour.

Here’s our recipe for wild swine vindaloo:

  • 2 cups rice wine vinegar
  • 20 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 4 tablespoons paprika or more to taste
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons hot chili powder or more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 pounds wild boar, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
  • 500 grams brown onion
  • 500 grams tinned tomatoes
  • 3 cups steamed basmati rice for serving
  • 4 limes, halved

To make a vindaloo paste, combine vinegar, garlic, paprika, sugar, chili, spices and salt to taste into a mortar and pestle. Grind until mixture reaches a smooth consistency.

Season boar or pork with salt. In a large camp oven over medium coals, heat oil, then sear pre-boiled swine on all sides. Add vindaloo paste, onions and red pepper flakes to pan and mix well. Move oven to cooler section of the fire, add tomatoes, cover with lid and slowly simmer until meat is tender, maybe an hour (maybe less if the boar has been thoroughly par-boiled)

Serve wild swine vindaloo hot over steamed rice with lime halves.

This recipe and much more appeared in Camper Trailer Australia #121 2018. Subscribe today for the latest caravan reviews and news every month!

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