OVEN-BARBECUED WILD BOAR RIBS

Turkey may be de rigueur for Thanksgiving, but when our publisher, John Conatser, sits down with his family for a holiday meal, wild boar will be the main course. “For Thanksgiving and other special meals, we only eat wild game we’ve hunted,” says Conatser, who brought home a Russian boar from his latest hunting expedition—this one to the Tioga Ranch in Pennsylvania.

Located at the tip top of Pennsylvania with 800 wooded acres of hunting preserves, Tioga Ranch has specialized in big game hunting for almost 60 years. Patrons to the ranch are paired with experienced guides who know where to find the elk, stag, boar, bison, or other game each person is looking to hunt.

But of all the quarry, “Wild boar is most popular by far,” says Mark Gee, co-owner of the ranch his family has operated since 1966. As well, Russian boar is the best eating of the varieties of wild hog hunted at the ranch, says Gee, “because it has darker, richer, more flavorful meat.”

Compared with regular pork ribs, wild boar ribs have a sweeter, more nutty taste which works well with herbs and ingredients used when preparing other game meats. (Think juniper, rosemary, and thyme.) And some good news if you’re not a hunter—wild boar can be ordered from various online sellers nationwide.

St. Louis ribs, which come from the side of the hog (vs. baby back which are from near the spine), are very meaty and do well with a brine soak followed by a dry rub of spices and a low-and-slow roast. To give them that sticky caramelized glaze everyone loves, finish the ribs under the broiler, basting liberally with barbecue sauce.

Serves 8 to 10

INGREDIENTS

• 2, 2-. to 3 lb. racks wild boar St. Louis ribs

FOR THE BRINE:

• 6 slender carrots with the green tops
• 16 cups water, divided
• 1 cup kosher salt
• ¾ cup turbinado sugar OR light brown sugar
• 1 head garlic, peeled, cloves separated and smashed
• 2 tsp juniper berries
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• 1 bunch fresh rosemary
• Handful of bay leaves (8 or so)
• 2 Tbsp black peppercorns

FOR THE RUB:

• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 1 tsp juniper berries
• 2 Tbsp dried rosemary leaves
• 2 Tbsp dried thyme leaves
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and grated
• 1 tsp. salt

FOR THE SAUCE AND BROILING PAN:

• 2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce
• ¼ cup apple juice

METHOD

PREP RIBS: Peel and discard the membrane covering the ribs. Cut each rib rack in half, making the ribs easier to handle. Set aside.

MAKE BRINE: In a very large pot, heat 8 cups of water to boiling. Stir in kosher salt, sugar, smashed garlic, juniper berries, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Stir to dissolve sugar and salt. Remove from heat to cool. Add remaining 8 cups cold water. Cool brine. Once brine is tepid, pour brine with herbs and garlic into container large enough to hold the ribs. (I used two, gallon-sized Ziploc bags.) Place brining ribs into refrigerator for 8 hours.

MAKE RUB: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Remove ribs from brine and rinse lightly in fresh water to remove any herbs and peppercorns clinging to surfaces. Pat ribs dry. Set aside. Place chili flakes, peppercorns, juniper berries, rosemary, and thyme in coffee grinder and pulse into powder. Remove to a small bowl. Stir in salt and using a fork, mash the grated garlic into the mixture to make a dry paste. Rub paste all over the ribs.

ROAST RIBS: Wrap each ½ rack of ribs in foil. Wrap each again to ensure each foil packet is well sealed. Place rib packets in roasting pan. Roast for 2-½ hours at 300 degrees. Remove from oven; open packets carefully (very hot and there will be liquid.) Discard liquid. Allow ribs to rest uncovered for 15 minutes to half hour.

FINISH RIBS: Preheat oven to broil setting. Place ribs in large roasting pan. Add ¼ cup apple juice to bottom of pan. Brush ribs liberally with barbecue sauce. Broil ribs for a few minutes until well caramelized and sizzling. Remove from oven. Cut ribs apart and serve hot.