Equipment
Ingredients
Wild Boar & Wet Mix
- 500 g wild boar leg steaks, cut into 4 portions
- 240 ml buttermilk
- 1 eggs, beaten
Dry Breading
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 50 g yellow cornmeal, fine or medium grind
- 5 g smoked paprika
- 3 g ground cumin
- 5 g garlic powder
- 6 g kosher salt
- 4 g black pepper, freshly ground
Frying
- 250 ml canola oil
Creamy Herb Gravy
- 45 ml pan drippings
- 30 g all-purpose flour
- 480 ml whole milk, room temperature
- 10 g fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 5 g fresh oregano, finely chopped
- 5 g fresh sage, finely chopped
- 2 g kosher salt
- 3 g black pepper, coarsely ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 612 kcal
- Protein
- 41 g
- Carbohydrates
- 60 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 10 g
- Sodium
- 972 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 69 mg
- Potassium
- 459 mg
- Calcium
- 293 mg
- Iron
- 3.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 69 mg
- Phosphorus
- 400 mg
- Zinc
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 190 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 2.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 4 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.62 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.44 mg
- Niacin
- 5.9 mg
- Folate
- 25 mcg
- Water
- 212 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the wild boar steaks between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, pound the meat evenly to a 6mm thickness to tenderize the lean game meat.
In a shallow dish, whisk together the buttermilk and the egg until fully combined. Submerge the pounded wild boar pieces in the liquid.
In a separate wide, shallow bowl, thoroughly mix the flour, yellow cornmeal, smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
Remove each wild boar cutlet from the buttermilk, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Dredge the meat in the seasoned flour and cornmeal mixture, pressing firmly so the crust adheres well. Set aside on a wire rack.
Pour the canola oil into a cast iron skillet to a depth of 1cm. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 175 degrees C / 350 degrees F.
Carefully lower the breaded wild boar cutlets into the hot oil. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 71 degrees C / 160 degrees F to ensure food safety for wild game.
Transfer the fried wild boar to a clean wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain. Carefully pour the hot oil out of the skillet, reserving exactly 45ml of the flavorful pan drippings in the skillet.
Place the skillet with the reserved drippings back over medium-low heat. Whisk in the 30g of flour and cook the roux constantly for 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
Gradually pour in the whole milk in a slow, steady stream while whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. Bring the gravy to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the finely chopped fresh cilantro, oregano, sage, kosher salt, and coarsely ground black pepper.
Plate the crispy wild boar cutlets and generously ladle the warm fresh herb gravy over the top. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Wild boar is inherently leaner than domestic pork. Pounding the cutlets not only tenderizes the meat but ensures an even, rapid cook that prevents drying out.
- For the crispiest crust, allow the dredged cutlets to rest on a wire rack for 10 minutes before frying. This allows the flour to hydrate and adhere securely to the meat.
- When making the gravy, cooking the flour and fat mixture for a full two minutes cooks out the raw starch flavor, creating a deeper, more savory base.
- Fresh herbs are highly sensitive to heat. Stirring them in completely off the heat preserves their vibrant color and volatile aromatic oils.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store the fried boar and the gravy in separate airtight containers to prevent the crust from becoming soggy.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze raw, breaded cutlets flat on a tray before transferring to a bag. Do not freeze the gravy as it will split.
Reheating: Reheat cutlets on a wire rack in an oven at 200 degrees C for 10 minutes until crispy. Gently warm the gravy in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of milk if it has thickened too much.
Troubleshooting
Breading falls off the meat during frying
Cause: Meat was too wet before dredging, or cutlets were flipped too early in the pan
Fix: Cannot be fixed once in the oil, but remaining pieces can be handled more gently
Prevention: Ensure excess buttermilk drips off, press dry mixture firmly into meat, and let rest 10 minutes before frying
Wild boar is tough and chewy
Cause: Meat was not pounded thin enough or was overcooked
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Pound cutlets strictly to 6mm thickness and use a meat thermometer
Gravy is lumpy
Cause: Milk was added too quickly or whisking was insufficient
Fix: Pour the gravy through a fine mesh strainer before adding the fresh herbs
Prevention: Add milk in a slow, steady stream while whisking continuously
Meat is undercooked in the center
Cause: Oil was too hot, browning the outside before the inside cooked
Fix: Place the fried cutlets on a baking sheet in a 200 C oven until the internal temperature reaches 71 C
Prevention: Monitor oil temperature closely with a deep fry thermometer, aiming for 175 C
Cultural Context
This dish applies the beloved Southern American chicken-fried steak technique to wild game, reflecting a Southwestern culinary approach where foraging and hunting intersect with comfort food. The inclusion of cornmeal and fresh herbs like cilantro and Mexican oregano gives the traditional cream gravy a bright, regional twist. Utilizing wild boar not only honors the tradition of game cooking but also represents a sustainable way to enjoy meat in regions where wild boar are prevalent.
