# How to keep wild hog cold?



## tigerhead (Jun 17, 2005)

Just got back from a hunt and I have several wild hogs that I need to keep from spoiling over the next four days. I know a lot of people ice their deer meat down and let it soak for several days. Can hog meat be handled the same way?


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## GringoOutdoors (Nov 5, 2010)

TH,
Hogs will keep fine that way. I just make sure I keep them covered with ice and drain the water off everyday. Hope that helps.


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

Agree. Keep them cold and drain the water.


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## tigerhead (Jun 17, 2005)

Helps a bunch. I had bags of ice on top of meat but wasn't comfortable with the temp. Busting the bags and icing them real good will get what I want.


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## devil1824 (Sep 4, 2010)

Yep.


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## Flat's Hunter (Oct 18, 2007)

meats, meat. It will also help remove any wild taste from the meat, in case you have non corn fed porkers


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## AvianQuest (Feb 7, 2006)

It's by far the best thing to do with pork just as with deer.

Read "WILD MEAT SOAK and TENDERIZER"...

http://www.texasboars.com/articles/recipes.html

You don't list your location, but if you live close to a Buc-ee's you can get 20-lb bags of crushed ice for .99 cents.


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## Swampus (Sep 1, 2005)

Don't forget the salt--mucho salt!


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

tilt the cooler in the shade, put a brick under one end, pull drain plug , pack w ice ea eve., have gone 3 days, no prob


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## GringoOutdoors (Nov 5, 2010)

Swampus said:


> Don't forget the salt--mucho salt!


Really? That's a new one on me. Does it help draw the blood out or is there another reason. Always open to new ideas!


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

I've had them on ice for 8 days before... no problem as long as they stay cold.


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## SpeckReds (Sep 10, 2005)

We do the same. Keep covered in Ice and drain once a day. Keeps for several days.


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## Instigator (Jul 6, 2004)

Careful with the salt. If you overdo it you'll freeze the meat and lose the advantage of aging it. Yes, that is an example of of learning from my mistakes. You want the temperature of the meat in the mid 30s and straight ice will do that if you have about a 2 to 1 ratio on volume (ice to meat) to start. After it is chilled the ratio is less important. Master Japanese chefs age their fish this way too and if it works for something as delicate as tuna, hog meat will never be a problem. 

This topic has been visited multiple times here and the last time I posted about tilting the ice chest and pulling the plug (which has always worked great for me) I got blasted for allowing insects access through the drain. Keeping the meat out of the melt is critical to avoid bursting cells from osmotic pressure which does the same undesirable thing as freezing so pulling the plug seems like a no brainer. I have never had bugs get in the box from constantly draining melt water but it is possible that those guys did and were not just giving me hell for sport so you might watch that in warmer weather. I pay attention to that possibility now but it has not been an issue (yet).


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## Rusty S (Apr 6, 2006)

Make the hog stay with my ex-wife for a week---that will make any warm blooded creature cold. rd


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

Instigator said:


> Careful with the salt. If you overdo it you'll freeze the meat and lose the advantage of aging it. Yes, that is an example of of learning from my mistakes. You want the temperature of the meat in the mid 30s and straight ice will do that if you have about a 2 to 1 ratio on volume (ice to meat) to start. After it is chilled the ratio is less important. Master Japanese chefs age their fish this way too and if it works for something as delicate as tuna, hog meat will never be a problem.
> 
> This topic has been visited multiple times here and the last time I posted about tilting the ice chest and pulling the plug (which has always worked great for me) I got blasted for allowing insects access through the drain. Keeping the meat out of the melt is critical to avoid bursting cells from osmotic pressure which does the same undesirable thing as freezing so pulling the plug seems like a no brainer. I have never had bugs get in the box from constantly draining melt water but it is possible that those guys did and were not just giving me hell for sport so you might watch that in warmer weather. I pay attention to that possibility now but it has not been an issue (yet).


Flys will enter an open drain hole. Just unscrew the cap enough that the water drips out of it... problem solved.


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## txsnyper (Feb 8, 2007)

Last ones I had, I soaked for about5 days. Honestly I didn't drain the water everyday either...I did add bunch-o-salt, and even added a splash of lemon juice. The salt will help pull the blood/gamey taste out of the meat and the lemon will tenderize it a little.


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