Boar Stew with Polenta

Serves 8-10

Wild Boar, or chinghiale in Italian, yields a dark red meat that looks more like beef than pork. It’s a very lean meat, and reminds me of bison, which of course means that it can be tough and gamey if not properly prepared. However, the terroir of boar in this region is affected by their appetite for local grasses, chesnuts, figs, mushrooms, and truffles—they have a very sophisticated diet! I treat this meat like a brisket and slow cook it; the result is a stew that’s moist and layered with a rich, woodsy flavor. You can order boar meat from your butcher.

4 pounds wild boar meat, cut into bite size pieces

Marinade

1 (8-ounce) jar sundried tomatoes in oil

8 cloves garlic

4 tablespoons dried oregano

4 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup red wine

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

To prepare the boar: The day before you plan to cook, cut the meat into 1 1/2 inch cubes.

Mix the marinade in the bowl of a food processor. Add the sundried tomatoes, garlic, herbs, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper blend until well mixed.

Divide the meat and marinade in half both to 2 large (1 gallon) ziplock bags, seal, and mix by tipping the bag up and down, to make sure the boar is evenly coated; refrigerate overnight.

Boar Stew

3 tablespoons olive oil, for searing

2 carrots, cut into coins

2 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup red wine

2 cups broth

1 (28-ounce) can Mutti crushed tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Remove the boar from the marinade and place on a plate, reserving the marinade.

Place the oil into a large Dutch oven on high heat. When the pot heats up, reduce the heat to medium, and add the meat in batches, in one layer. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan while browning. Cook each batch for 10 minutes, until browned on all sides, turning the meat with tongs as it cooks. Remove the browned meat to a plate.

Add the carrots, celery, and onion to the Dutch oven, the same one you browned the meat in. Cook on medium for 10 minutes, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, until the vegetables have softened,. Once the vegetables are soft, then add the wine and broth, and deglaze the pan.

Return the meat to the Dutch oven and add the reserved marinade, and the crushed tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, stir, bake in the oven for 5 to 8 hours, checking often and adding water as needed.

You can serve same day, or I like to let it cool and then refrigerate for a day to let the flavors develop and deepen—plus, the meat will become more tender. Heat thoroughly before serving.

Polenta

Serves 8 to 10

4 cups polenta
7 cups water
2 teaspoons salt 

4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces.

Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

Fill a pot with 7 cups water and stir in the polenta and salt. Bring the salted water to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking continuously until the polenta comes together quickly, then add the butter and continue to whisk for 15 to 20 minutes, until the polenta is thick and creamy. Serve immediately to prevent the polenta from becoming stiff.

To serve, spoon 1 ½ cups cooked polenta into each shallow bowl, top with 2 large spoonfuls of the boar stew, and garnish with fresh parsley.