Javelina tacos - It's what's for dinner!

[dhaverstick]

A lot of folks won't eat javelina because they say the meat smells/tastes like the musk gland on their back. That has not been my experience and I was very careful around that gland when I was skinning mine out. The meat smelled to me like...raw meat.

I decided that the first dish I would make from the meat would be birria tacos. My wife and I love those things and I thought it would be appropriate to cook an animal from that region using a recipe from the same.

I used around 5 pounds of meat from the hindquarters and browned it first. I figured if the meat would have an unpleasant smell then this would be the time I would find out. It smelled just like frying meat.



I then put the meat, three different kinds of dried peppers, vinegar, and spices in a pressure cooker and cooked it for a little over an hour. The result was a flavorful meat that shredded easily in my hands. I think its taste and texture leaned more towards pork than beef.



Now it was time for tacos! I made some tortillas, chopped up some cilantro, and put my assembly line together. The key to birria tacos is the juice the meat is cooked in. I saved back a generous portion of that to soak my tortillas in and to dip the tacos in after they were done.



Here is the end result.



My wife was initially reluctant to eat the javelina because she doesn't like trying new things. However, she thought the meat in these tacos were delicious! My bloodhound, Jake, concurred.



Darren

[Bowsey Wails]

Super supper, Darren. Looks delicious! Making me want a breakfast burrito.

[rastaman]

Looks mighty good!

[LookMomNoSights]

Heck yeah!   Sounds Looks delicious!!! 

[swp]

I'll be around tomorrow, what time are we having leftovers? 

[Over&Under]

I have always enjoyed the javelina I've killed...they have made great meals!

This version looks very delicious!

[highcountry]

Nice quiver   

[Squirrel Hunter]

I've killed a lot of javelina and never had one taste bad, but no one else around here (mostly gun and compound hunters) will eat them, and New Mexico hunting regs don.t require you to remove the meat after killing one. What a waste! I think the secret is the same as for most animals: prompt and careful field dressing and butchering. Also, it's important to use a pretty wooden arrow..

[Rob DiStefano]

Love the quiver!  What bow, arras, and broadheads you using?

[dhaverstick]

Love the quiver!  What bow, arras, and broadheads you using?

Rob, I made that side quiver several years ago. The bow I used is a 66" Wild Horse Creek Destiny longbow made by my good friend, Mike Dunnaway. I made the arrows. Those are mahogany shafts from Kevin Forrester and my wife and I decorated them up with paint and fire. The broadheads are 190 grain Meatheads. The arrows average around 740 grains. I like heavy arrows!

Darren