Wild boar treat for village

Opening the door to a loud knocking produced the sight of a friendly neighbour waving us to come with him to see something interesting.

Sharon swung into her wheelchair and we went to his house. A tripod had been erected in the corner of a working area and from it hung a big dead wild boar. The animal hung by its trotters with its snout almost on the ground. This was a big treat for the village.

Wild boar is absolutely delicious and much sought after. Many roam the steep hills around Cartagena and elsewhere in Murcia. Strict controls limit hunting and it is only with a special permit that, occasionally, one can be shot. This is usually a part of a programme to keep the population in particular areas to levels that the environment can support.

Everyone was happy that one of our friends had been so fortunate as to obtain a boar. It must have weighed about 100 pounds, or 45 kilos, with huge front legs, shoulders and head, and narrow, speed-light, hips and rear legs. The hunter had shot it by lying in wait at night.

Another neighbour was sharpening his knife against a steel rod and he soon started removing the hide, setting aside the tail, which would be salted and dried and kept as a good luck charm. He is an expert butcher and would make sure that the meat was prepared perfectly.

The next day, there was another loud knocking on our door and there was our smiling neighbour, holding a large plate of wild boar meat that was fresh from the hot plate heated by olive logs. It was absolutely delicious. Our friend explained that it had been cooked “a la brasa” with wild thyme, wild rosemary, black pepper, salt and a bottle of red wine.

“You don´t get that in England,” he said as he wandered off.

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©Phillip Bruce 2009