The weather has gotten cold and damp. We had our first hard frost. The days are so short now. But the Christmas lights have been going up, which are cheery, and I saw pictures of the Christmas tree going up in the piazza. The big tree lighting day is December 8 on L’Immacolata Concezione, or the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Cinghiale! That well loved beast which runs wild here in Italy. Well they are well loved for their meat but little else. I don’t know any hunters, but I have a store here in town that carries the meat. Occasionally I buy it and make a warming stew or ragú. Yesterday it was a stew.
The meat can be tough. And it can have a strong taste. So it must be marinated a good long time. I used celery, carrots, onion, juniper berries, rosemary, bay leaf and red wine. When ready I drained it from the marinade. Meanwhile I chopped a carrot, celery, and onion which I sautéed until it softened. Then I added the meat and cooked until no longer pink. I added in more rosemary and bay leaves and then deglazed with a robust red wine. I used Primitivo which is said to be the grape from which Zinfandel evolved. Once the alcohol had evaporated I added some of the marinade and a little water. Then I covered and braised it in the oven for 2 hours, checking every so often to be sure there was still liquid. When it was done I thickened the sauce and checked for seasoning. It was meltingly tender and delicious. The recipe said serve over polenta but Luther isn’t a fan so I used mashed potatoes.
It was delicious. 😋
Yes cinghiale is well loved here. A big part of the traditional cuisine. The animals are very destructive so everyone is happy to hunt and eat them. There is no way hunting can keep up with the procreation rate. A mamma sow can have 13 piglets twice a year.
That looks delicious, Nancy. I imagine Italian cinghiale is similar to Florida’s javelina (wild boar). Apparently, they make a very big deal of it there, too.
I will post a picture of the tree for sure!
Hi Catherine, I did a post a few years ago about the cinghiale hunts. It is super interesting how the hunts work. Very regimented. They are very destructive, especially to olive groves and vineyards. The males can be dangerous. In my post they said the boar are what they eat. In Umbria they eat a lot of truffles. Yes that flavors the meat. In some areas it is chestnuts. In others acorns. Super interesting. Here is a link to the post about the hunt.
https://nancygoestoitaly.com/tis-the-season-of-the-cinghiale-hunt-wild-boar/
P.S. – my previous comment….that should be ‘hunted’, altho it sounded the ‘other’……AND ….hope you’ll post a photo of the fab Xmas tree when it’s decorated, lit and in it’s full glory. Grazie!!
Interesting post Nancy – glad to hear how the cinghiale was prepared, for how long etc and that the finished product was delish! Brings to mind an occasion, while staying at a friend’s home near Viterbo, it was early, early morning when a phone call awoke us…..after, while trying to return to slumber the sound of the marauding cinghiale, in the forest close to their outdoor pool, as they haunted, searched and devoured the ‘fruit’ of the nocciola trees!! I wonder if you detected such flavours in your finished product? Hmmm, Bella Italia!!
Thanks Noel, it was delicious and not so hard to make. Just have to factor in the marinating time. I’m sure you’ll be happy to get into your home and kitchen!
Your cinghiale sounds delicious, Nancy, especially with a glass of Sagrantino to go along with it. The ristrutturazione of our apartment in Spoleto should be done by late spring. I look forward to doing some cooking in our own kitchen and I’ll have to scour your posts for great recipes! Thanks as always for sharing.
Thanks Joanne! It was easy if you don’t mind waiting for the marinade 🙂
Hi Anne, they stock it in the frozen seafood place in Umbertide, GiorgioMare. Mostly they have seafood, but if you turn right inside the door, the case nearest the window has it. It’s frozen.
Hi Nancy, can you tell me where you bought the meat?
It looks delicious! And I love that you share your recipes.