Bait to The Plate - Two Recipes for Wild Boar part 2

If hunting or cooking isn't your thing but you enjoy the eating part you can skip this read and make your reservations at Bonell's Fine Texas Cuisine.

I enjoy both so I will share a recipe from one of my favorite local chefs.  This recipe can be found in Chef Bonell's book Fine Texas Cuisine. Check out his bookstore for this and other delicious recipes from Venison Carpaccio to Margarita Cheesecake.

Rack of Wild Boar with Pomegranate Rum Sauce

Sauce
1 tablespoon chopped shallot
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon canola oil
4 table spoons fum
8-10 pomegranate seeds
1/2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
1 1/2 tablespoons veal demiglace
Pinch of kosher salt
1 tablespoon butter

Wild Boar
1 frenched wild boar rack
1 tablespoon Bonnell's Southwestern Seasoning (below)

Pomegranate Rum Sauce
In a medium saucepan, saute the shallot and garlic in canola oil for 1 minute. Add the rum and allow to flame off: then add all remaining ingredients, except the butter, and simmer together until the sauce thickens slightly. Add the butter ans swirl until the butter is melted and incorporated into the velvety rich sauce.

For an added degree of flare, add 1 tablespoon of 151 proof rum add the last second to the pomegranate sauce while in the pan. Flame and pour over the chops. Be careful doing this step, as serving flaming dishes can be quite dangerous. Never pour alcohol directly from a bottle into a hot pan. Pour from a glass instead.

Rack of Wild Boar
Rob the rack of wild boar thoroughly on all sides with the seasoning and allow to marinate for one hour. Roast the boar in a 375-degree F convection oven until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees. Remove from the oven and allow to rest 5 minutes before cutting. Slice the boar rack into individual chops and pour the sauce over just before serving.  
Serves 2

Bonnell's Southwestern Seasoning
5 tablespoons iodized salt
2 tablespoon granulated garlic
2 tablespoons fine black pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
3/4 tablespoon dried thyme
3/4 tablespoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 tablespoon dry mustard powder

Mix in a bowl and store in an airtight container.
This seasoning goes great with steaks as well.

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Bait to The Plate - Two Recipes for Wild Boar part 1

For the first recipe you will be fermenting deer corn to make sour corn. The amount of ingredients varies based on the amount of bait you need and the number of days you plan on hunting. It's not an exact science and you cant mess it up as long as you follow these simple guidelines. If you have fresh signs of wild hogs on your land this concoction will bring them in.

This Wild Boar was taken in West Texas and weighed in at 380lbs after he was field dressed. That's a lot of bacon!

Fermentation is the process of turning sugar (found in grains and fruit) into alcohol. In the most simple explanation is that living yeast eat sugar, breathes oxygen, and excrete alcohol and C02. Think about that next time you have a beer!

You will need:

• A large bucket or cooler
• Deer corn
• Water
• Yeast Packets
• Sugar

Put your container in the place you want to store it. Once you fill it up you aren't going to be able to move it easily.  Choose a place cool and dry that animals will not get into it. The garage is usually a good spot. You don't want the mixture to get extremely cold because the yeast will be less active and fermentation will take longer.

Fill the containers with corn leaving room for it to expand as it absorbs the water. Pour sugar into the container next. Think cups not teaspoons, remember this is what will be converted to alcohol. The amount will vary depending on the size of your container. You really cant mess it up because this isn't for drinking, it's the smell that will attract the hogs. I estimate about 3-4 cups for a 5 gallon bucket.

Next add a few packets of bread yeast. Some hunters also add fruit or jello packets. If this sounds good to you put them in now. Fruit also has sugar in it and natural yeast.

Next cover the ingredients with water. Don't forget the corn will expand and you also want to leave a little room so it doesn't spill over. It will bubble when the yeast become active because they are releasing the C02. It may also be worth mentioning that you do not want to use a sealed container for this reason. Now you can cover it with a towel or lid and let it sit. At this point you don't want to disturb your mix. Just let it sit. It will start to bubble in 24 hours in most cases sometimes a little longer in cooler weather. Your sour corn will be useable in just a few days. A week is a good amount of time for a batch.

When you are selecting a spot to bait. Go somewhere with fresh signs of hogs. They move in and out of areas and can travel miles. You may have seen them a few weeks ago, but they could be in another county this week.

When you find your spot remember wind direction for your blind and also safety. You never know how many may come in and you don't want to meet the business end of Hogzilla! When we bait an area we sling it into the trees to get the smell wafting over the ranch and then dig a hole or place it into a feeding device so that they don't gobble it all too fast. Some hunters will also mix kerosene with the corn to keep raccoons out of the corn. They claim the hogs don't mind and that it deters other pest. I haven't tried this because we've never had a problem with them.

Stay tuned for the next post which will be Chef Bonnell's recipe for rack of wild boar with pomegranate rum sauce!

If you have any questions feel free to leave us a comment or message and don't forget to Like us on Facebook.

Broken Bow Trout Fishing in August

As promised here is a short video to give you a taste from our trip to Broken Bow in August.

If you missed it, here is the fishing report from that weekend.

Wall of Shame

By popular request by the fellow Redditors at /r/flyfishing/

I'll keep it updated ongoing (hopefully infrequently)...

Caught on a size 20 Zebra midge

When I text this to my brother he said "That's the biggest fishing pole I've ever seen." What a guy!                                    

Caught on a size 12 Stimulator

 

Product Review - TEVA CHERRY BOMB KAYAK BOOT

The Teva Cherry Bomb is a high top water boot constructed of 4mm neoprene and SSR rubber soles. After wearing them two seasons and putting them through the gauntlet I'm ready to share my review.

I originally bought these boots for kayak fishing.  Over the last two years I've also tested them snorkeling in the ocean, hiking lava fields in Maui, and walking miles of free stone river beds fly fishing from Tennessee to Texas.

I was attracted to these boots because of the aggressive looking soles, cool style and digi-camo accents. They looked like they would protect my feet and hold tight to slick rocks. The high top neoprene keeps your feet warm in cool water and keeps gravel out. The straps make a comfortable fit and the sealed seams increase the durability at heavy wear points.

I was incredibly surprised that these boots didn't get totally destroyed on the lava in Maui, but they held up quite well. There were a few small pieces of the sole chewed up, but we're talking RAZOR sharp MAGMA! I was quite impressed at how well they protected my feet.

Walking on an aqueduct over a high river gorge in Maui.

As a kayaking boot the only major criticism I have is the lack of drainage. Since I live in the south, it was only a matter of time before I decided to take these guys wet wading. The first time I wore them fishing I noticed two issues. Although the boots protected my feet well, the traction was not up to par on the slick river rocks. Also, while fly fishing from a boulder the line got caught on the straps several times making casting a pain.

At the beginning of my last fishing trip I noticed that one of the rubber seams that connects the sole to the boot was beginning to crack at a flex point which was a little disappointing. I was happy with the use I got out of them considering the abuse I put them through. It wasn't until I got home that I saw the entire sole on the right boot must have completely come off the foot pad during my last day of wading. You can see in the picture below that there is a hard plastic insert that protects the sole, so I never felt a thing!

The final blow out... it was a good death!

 
I would recommend these boots for kayaking, wet wading on sandy and muddy bottoms, or protecting your feet at the beach or water park.

I would not recommend the Cherry Bombs for fly fishing and wet wading on slippery river rocks due to lack of traction, drainage and straps that snag.  

Pro:

• Toe and heel protection
• Fit/Comfort
• Warmth in cold water
• Snug fit keeps gravel out

Con:

• Lack of traction on slick rocks
• Poor water drainage
• Straps can catch and snag

Over all I would rate these boots a 7 and would buy them again if they were on sale.

If you have a recommendation for my next pair of boots or a piece of gear that you want reviewed leave a comment below or on our Facebook Page. 

LMF Fishing Report 8-25

With the impending rain lurking in the forecast I decided to take my chances and head up to the Lower Mountain Fork for a day of fishing. Luck was on our side because the clouds (and probably the last weekend before school starting) really held back most of the crowds.

The wife slept in and took the kiddo to the pool in the morning while I started the day at Cold Hole and worked over to Evening Hole. My overwhelming excitement caused me to overlook the fact that the days are starting to get shorter. I woke up WAY too early. I did however catch the Hook and Hunt Show on the radio, and I can now tell you I wont lose any sleep if I miss it next time.

On my second cast into the pool and I got a hit on a BH Prince Nymph with a Red Hot Midge dropper. I was so surprised I set too hard and he was off. Now wide awake!

The morning was pitch black but I continued to fish.There was still 40 minutes until first light, so I honed my Jedi nymphing skills. I was more concerned with getting a hook in the eye than missing a strike, but I decided to forgo the sunglasses as not to be mistaken for Stevie Wonder Fly Fisher Extraordinaire.

Action was pretty steady all morning and I was relieved at how few people were on the water. I hooked a nice brown in a deep pool. He put up a good fight and I got him all the way to the bank and he broke off as I leaned over to net him. Later, I wasted some time trying to catch one of the 4 albinos cruising the first few pools to no avail. Around 10 am the fishing slowed down (or maybe it was just me) but the crowds were picking up. Several people around were having no luck at all and leaving as soon as they came. Most spooking everything in sight then moving to the next area. After a German guy and his buddy crossed right through the riffle and nearly stepped on the 20" fish I was casting to I decided to head back for some Pizza at Greatful Head. On the way back I ran into a guy with his boys that was landing a fat 18" rainbow on a crank bait. He was pretty excited and I was glad to see someone else having a good day on the water too.

After the pizza I was recharged and had a good idea of an area the wife and my son could relax and play nearby while I fished some more, so we headed back to the park. Many of the frustrated fisherman were packing up as we arrived. My buddy from earlier was back in his spot and hooked up on another decent rainbow. I could hear him tell his son he was going to break off in the current, so I offered to net it for him. He was happy we landed the fish and I was relieved he had filed down the barbs on that crank bait. It was good to see a dad spending time on the river with his boys teaching them to follow the rules and still doing better than those that chose not to.

I caught a few more small ones and had a great time with the family. I saw several fish actively feeding. One was sipping off the top like clockwork, but I could't see what it was taking out of the foam. There wasn't a hatch going on and he wasn't taking my offerings, so I gave up on him and headed home vowing to be better prepared with my arsenal next time!