Secondo / Main course
A rustic Italian-style roasted wild boar dish, marinated in red wine, herbs, garlic and juniper, then slow-baked until tender with golden potatoes and a rich pan sauce.
Recipe video
Pat the wild boar dry, trim away excess hard fat or silver skin, and place it in a deep non-reactive dish.
Add red wine, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, rosemary, sage, bay leaves, juniper and peppercorns. Cover and refrigerate for 12–24 hours, turning once.
Preheat the oven to 170°C / 340°F. Remove the meat from the marinade, strain the vegetables, and reserve the wine marinade separately.
Dry the meat very well, season with salt, then brown it in olive oil in a heavy roasting pan or Dutch oven until deeply colored on all sides.
Add the drained vegetables to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, pour in the reserved marinade, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Return the wild boar to the pan, add the stock, cover tightly, and bake for 90 minutes.
Toss the potatoes with a little pan juice, salt and rosemary, then arrange them around the meat. Baste the roast well.
Bake uncovered for 40–55 minutes more, basting occasionally, until the meat is tender and the potatoes are golden. Add a splash of stock if the pan dries out.
Rest the meat for 15 minutes. Strain or blend the pan sauce, then reduce it briefly on the stove until glossy.
Slice the wild boar against the grain, spoon over the sauce, and serve with roasted potatoes, parsley, lemon zest and rosemary.
