Wild Boar Leg with Honey
The wild boar leg is enhanced with a sweet-spicy honey glaze and slowly hot-smoked over many hours. The high fat content of wild boar makes this cut particularly juicy and aromatic. A robust cure and the caramelized honey crust make this recipe an unforgettable treat.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Wet Curing
72 hoursPrepare a wet brine from curing salt, 1 liter cold water, pepper, mustard and garlic (adjust quantities to the total weight of the leg). Fully submerge the leg in the brine, weigh down with a plate and cure in the refrigerator at 4 °C for 72 hours.
Drying
3 hoursRemove the wild boar leg from the brine, rinse thoroughly under cold water and pat very dry. Air-dry on a rack at room temperature for 3 hours. A good pellicle is important so the smoke adheres optimally.
Smoking
13-17 hoursPreheat the smoker to 110-130 °C and fill the water pan. Alternate oak and cherry wood chips. Insert a core thermometer into the leg and smoke. Add wood every 3 hours and check the water level. Smoke the meat until 10 °C below the target core temperature is reached.
Glazing & Finishing
60 minutesStir honey, apple cider vinegar and chili flakes together for the glaze. Increase the smoker temperature to 140 °C. Apply the glaze three times at 20-minute intervals until a glossy caramel crust forms. Remove the leg at 75-80 °C core temperature, rest for 30 minutes and carve.
Pro Tip
Wild boar must be heated to at least 70 °C core temperature for safety reasons (trichinella). For an optimal glaze, apply the honey mixture three times in the last 60 minutes at 20-minute intervals. Slightly increase the temperature to 140 °C so the glaze caramelizes.
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