Slow Cooked Wild Boar Stew (jabali)

Introduction

Wild Boar are common in Andalucia and when caught will feed a "campo" family for a long long time. I once witnessed a gathering at the local bar after a days shooting where the dead animals were piled up in the street outside and the road ran with blood. You actually had to drive around the pile which was in the middle of the street! Well if I have not put you off, then this is classic winter receipe, found throughout rural Andalucia. 

  • 1.2kg of deboned wild boar from the leg or shoulder and cut into 3cm cubes

  • 6 tblsp of olive oil

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped

  • 2 medium carrots, chopped

  • 1 stalk of celery, chopped

  • 200g minced beef

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 2 whole cloves

  • a few juniper berries

  • half teaspoon of ground cinnamon

  • 500ml red wine

  • 1.5ltrs vegetable stock

  • 250ml pulped tomato

 

If you wash the wild boar in a little vinegar, this will remove its "gamey" small if it is particularly strong. If not just wash in cold water.

Heat 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a large stock pot and add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery and sauté until softened. Then add the minced beef and cook until lightly brown.  

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a separate saucepan on a high heat and add the wild boar meat with salt and pepper. Then add the bay leaves, cloves, juniper berries and cinnamon and cover the pan and leave to cook for about 10 minutes, or until the juices are forming from the meat. Pour away this liquid and then add the meat to the vegetables pan. Then pour in the wine and when that has all evaporated add the pulped tomatoes.

Then add the stock and simmer, uncovered on a low heat for about 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender. Add a little more stock if necessary to keep the meat moist and for a little more sauce to serve with the meat.

This would traditionally be served in a bowl with a spoon and loads of bread.  

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