Smith’s Knives Slicing Through America’s Tastiest Feral Challenge with Ease
The afternoon sun beat down and baked the landscape, not to mention me! It felt like I was in a sauna. Such is a common occurrence in late summer and early fall in Texas. I checked my game cameras earlier in the afternoon while filling feeders, and hogs were coming in consistently around dark. I planned to be in my blind an hour before sunset just in case a couple of the tasty porkers decided to visit early.
Arriving at my blind a bit early, I got settled, turned on my Thermacell, and got as comfortable as possible while the oven-like atmosphere in the blind slowly roasted me! When the son is bearing down like that, time can seem to suspend. I’ve never anticipated sunset quite so much! Finally, as the sun began its slow dive into the horizon, the landscape started to cool, and I greatly welcomed the slight breeze. As the shadows lengthened and slowly turned to deep dusk, I noticed a shadow of movement coming down the creekbed leading to my feeder. It was dark enough that it was a possibility I was imagining the motion, so I grabbed my rifle with an AGM Rattler thermal for a better look. Suddenly, I was no longer attempting to peer through a dark haze. Through the lens, everything lit up like daylight! In the middle of the image was a lone tusker making his way to the corn pile.
There was enough cover and brush in the old waterway that there was no way I would attempt a shot. Patience, I told myself. It took a while for the lonely boar to make his way to the feeder, and even through the thermal scope, I lost sight of him several times. I began to think he’d maybe turned and gone a different way when he suddenly appeared in my feed pen. I steadied the rifle, switched it to fire, and let the tiny 6mm projectile find its way to the small pocket behind the porker’s ear. He folded like a sack of potatoes, and I accomplished several goals. I harvest wild boars on the ranch a couple of times a year because it reduces the number of hogs that continue to be a nuisance while earning a few incredible meals at the same time.
AFTER HARVEST PREPARATION:
Turning a feral hog into dinner takes a little work, but it’s always made easier when using the right tool for the occasion. A Smith’s Edgesport Field Dressing Kit in my backpack always has a home. I keep the tools in a small bag at the bottom of my pack so they are always close at hand.
EDGESPORT FIELD DRESSING KIT
A couple of years ago, I started using the gutless method. The only thing I lose out on is the tenderloins, but with the ease of breaking a pig down and the reduced mess, I find the small sacrifice worth it. I start by unzipping them right along the backbone all the way to their head. The Edgesport Fixed Blade Knife with Gut Hook makes this job so simple. The sharp gut hook blade really does make it seem like you’re using a zipper! Once the skin is opened up along the backbone, I start skinning down the side of the pig until I have the skin removed from the side and each leg. I cut through the joints to remove the hoofs and then begin removing the quarters, followed by the backstraps, and I’m quickly left with several tasty meals!
EDGESPORT FIXED BLADE KNIFE WITH GUT HOOK
I also love the new Smith’s kill bags when hunting in the early fall Texas heat. These bags are soft-sided coolers that seem tailor-made for getting my hunting bounty cooled down rapidly for the table. The 48” Insulated Fish & Game Kill Bag is perfect! Large enough to fit a couple of animals along with ice, it does the ideal job of helping me deliver a great meal from field to table.
48″ INSULATED FISH AND GAME KILL BAG
SMOKED WILD HOG BACKSTRAPS:
One of my family’s favorite meals is smoked wild hog backstraps from my Pit Boss Battery Powered Portable Pellet Grill. My favorite part is that having a portable battery-powered grill allows me to use this grill on trips to our ranch or even when headed somewhere on a fishing trip. It allows me to smoke meat just about anywhere I can imagine!
This process is so simple. Remove all the fat and connective tissue from the backstraps. The fat isn’t a huge deal, but the connective tissue isn’t good, so make sure and get it all off. A super sharp knife is worth its weight in gold for this job. I use the Smith’s Cabin & Lodge Cutlery Block, so I always have the right knife for any job. An excellent boning or fillet knife is also super handy for this job, like Smith’s 6” Boning Fillet Knife.
Once the backstraps are trimmed up, I use Meat Church The Gospel All Purpose Rub and their Holy Voodoo to season the loins liberally. I set the pellet grill to 250 degrees while letting the straps sit with the seasoning for about 20 minutes to allow the spices to adhere and the meat to begin sweating. When the grill is up to temp, I add the loin to the BBQ.
Because most of the hogs we eat aren’t super large (we prefer the ones between 80-120 pounds), the backstraps aren’t that big. They cook pretty fast, even at low temperatures, so keep an eye on the meat and ensure you’re using an excellent Insta-read probe to verify your cook. I like to cook mine to an internal temp of 145 degrees for a perfectly finished yet juicy dining experience.
When my probe hits about 130 degrees in the middle of the backstrap, I slather on my family’s favorite Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce and leave the loins on so that the sauce can carmelize on the outside. This also allows the loins to add a little tasty char.
For more information on Smith’s Sporting Group, please contact Dena at dena@kingeiderpr.com
ABOUT SMITH’S SPORTING GROUP
Smith’s Sporting Group is a multifaceted, diversified company that supports a lifetime of outdoor pursuits and includes Smith’s Consumer Products and Tanners Team Sports. Tracing its roots to 1886, Smith’s Sporting Group designs, manufactures, and distributes key products and accessories for anglers, hunters, campers, and hikers, as well as those that love baseball, softball, and pickleball.
