Sanglier Bolognese
A long, slow Bolognese made with minced wild boar - red wine, anchovies, tomatoes, and two hours on the stove.
Serves
6
Prep
20 min
Cook
2 hours
Difficulty
Medium
When I hunt in Les Alpilles we share the meat after the hunts. Sometimes we shoot an older boar - and they can have quite a strong odour and very little fat. Not really something you want to throw on the braai.
What I do is mince the boar and use it for Bolognese. The meat is perfect for it and the spices, tomato, and long cooking make the strong odour go away.
I bought a professional mincer for myself because I do run quite a few kilos of meat through it every hunting season, but I also have a small one from Lidl that works well for smaller batches.
Ingredients
- •1 kg wild boar shoulder, minced or finely chopped
- •3 tbsp olive oil
- •2 onions, finely diced
- •2 carrots, finely diced
- •3 celery stalks, finely diced
- •4 garlic cloves, finely chopped (divided)
- •4 anchovy fillets (or 1 tbsp anchovy paste)
- •2 tbsp tomato paste
- •250ml red wine
- •400ml crushed tomatoes or passata
- •500ml beef or game stock
- •2 bay leaves
- •4 fresh thyme sprigs
- •1 fresh rosemary sprig
- •100ml crème fraîche or double cream
- •30g unsalted butter
🐸 Marcel says:
Do not skip the anchovies. They dissolve completely and add the kind of savoury depth that makes people ask what your secret is.
Instructions
- 1
Brown the boar in olive oil in a large heavy pot over high heat, working in small batches - do not crowd the pot or you will steam the meat instead of searing it. Season each batch with salt as you go. Remove each batch and set aside.
- 2
Reduce heat to medium. In the same pot, cook the onions, carrots, and celery until softened and beginning to colour, about 10 minutes. Add the anchovy fillets and tomato paste and stir in - the anchovies will dissolve and add depth rather than fishiness. Add half the garlic and fry for 1 minute.
- 3
Return all the browned meat to the pot. Deglaze with the red wine, scraping up any fond from the bottom. Add the crushed tomatoes, enough stock to just cover, and the remaining garlic. Tuck in the bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary.
- 4
Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cook uncovered or partially covered for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally and topping up with stock as needed. The sauce should be rich and thick, not soupy. Remove the bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary before finishing.
- 5
Taste and correct seasoning. Stir in the crème fraîche and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted and glossy. Serve over pasta, spooned onto soft polenta, or alongside thick-cut rustic bread.
Notes
- On the meat: Shoulder is ideal - it has enough connective tissue to break down beautifully over the long cook. Older boar, despite its reputation, is actually well-suited to this preparation. The bold aromatics, wine, and slow heat tame the gaminess entirely.
- On mincing: A coarse mince gives more texture than a fine one. If you're hand-chopping, aim for rough 5mm pieces - some variation in size adds character.
- On the anchovies: Don't skip them. They're not there to make it taste of fish; they dissolve completely and add the kind of savoury depth that makes people ask what your secret is.
- Food safety: Wild boar can carry trichinella. Always cook minced boar to a core temperature of 71 °C (160 °F) minimum. With a braise of this length, that's easily achieved - but it's worth knowing.
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