There are two schools on Boar taint. Those who believe in it, and those who think it's a myth. I was originally in the latter. I've raised boars and butchered them. My favorite boar was running with two Sows actively breeding them when I killed him...(not ACTIVELY!
) I fed some of him to my friend who is a big boar taint snob and he was surprised I killed one of my sows... Totally fooled him. He didn't taste it at all. I told him it was a boar, and he then asked when I neutered him...again, totally fooled. This Boar was fed six lbs of feed every day as well as freely feeding off of pea-hay and 55-gal bags of waste produce from the local Co-Op. The butcher told me it was the cleanest boar he'd ever butchered...
Then, I killed 'wolf.' Wolf was an inherited boar a friend couldn't take care of anymore (he lost his farm). He was 600lbs when I got him and I had to slim him down. He was on a diet from day one. I killed him a couple of months after getting him, and I thought everything would be fine. This boar was AWEFUL! He was raised on grain and hay, I tried to flush him with produce but I don't think I had him long enough. The taint was definitely there!
The most recent Boar I killed, 'Apple' was fed fresh produce, hay, and limited grain. He was a small heritage breed and I was really looking forward to frying him. Unfortunately he threw my whole 'formula' for a loop and tasted terrible from day one. I could smell it on him while butchering and just knew I was in for it. Once he hit the frying pan it was over...the house was overwhelmed with boar taint.
Like a good dad I fed the pork to the kids and rendered the lard for the bird feeders...he's still contributing to our local bird population!
