We were sitting around, sipping on an adult beverage, and trying to figure out a recipe to showcase a package of ground Wild Boar meat. Eileen said, “How about making some lettuce wraps”, and here we are with a tasty new way to enjoy feral hogs!



This Asian-inspired dish is super simple to make, and makes a perfect appetizer. They are hard to stop consuming, so if you wish to make it into a meal, I would at least double the recipe!



Ingredients


  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 pound wild boar meat, ground
  • 1 small white onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup hoisin sauce
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
  • 1 ½ tablespoon grated ginger
  • 1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
  • 2 green onions, sliced diagonally
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1 head of butter lettuce
  • Sweet chili sauce for dipping

Toppings



  • Chopped peanuts
  • Grated carrot
  • Chopped cilantro

Preparation Method
This recipe works perfectly for ground meat with-out any added fat since you want it crumbly anyway. Any game meat can be substituted for the boar, but the pork really shines in this one. You can add some fresh serrano or habanero chili’s to kick the heat up, or your favorite Asian spices to add your own twist. We added some sesame oil, and I added some ghost chili powder on mine, and we were quite pleased with the result.



You will need a large frying pan or wok for this one pan concoction. Add the olive oil to the pan, and bring up to temperature over medium-high heat. Crumble in the boar meat and stir frequently until browned. Stir in the onion, garlic, hoisin, soy, vinegar, Sriracha, and ginger. Turn down the heat to medium and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions start to soften and turn translucent. Finally stir in the water chestnuts and green onion and cook another minute. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.



Prepare your lettuce. Our top choice in lettuce was a nice head of butter lettuce that can be found in most grocery stores in a plastic clamshell pack with the roots still attached. This is theoretically “still growing” and ultra-fresh. Regular iceberg lettuce makes a fine wrap. You can use any type of lettuce that you like that has large leaves to serve the mixture in. Remove the leaves one by one and use the ones that make the best “bowls”. The idea is to fill the bowls and use them as a lettuce taco shell to “wrap” the meat in.



Stack the lettuce leafs on a serving tray with the toppings and a bowl of sweet chili sauce for dipping on a serving tray. Place the meat in a serving bowl alongside. Prepare one at a time by spooning several tablespoons of the meat mixture into each lettuce leaf. Top with your choice of toppings, fold like a taco and add some dipping sauce, and eat just like a taco.



All this talk of food makes me thirsty, and selected pairings for these Asian delicacies are as follows.



Wine: A dry Riesling or a nicely chilled dry Rose’.



Beer: A Hefeweizen or a Saison



Cheers!