Bristle Pigs on the BBQ

If javelinas are one of the southwestern United States' most underutilized hunting resources, they are also one of its most misunderstood, certainly in terms of the species’ culinary qualities.

“Not too many people have actually tried them,” said Troy Hardesty, a former South Texas hunting guide and javelina hunting veteran.

“The first 10 guys I talked to after killing my first javelina said ‘Oh no, they’re nasty to eat.’ But when I asked how many had actually tried one, none of them had. So I tried it and it was good.”

A favorite way for Hardesty to cook javelinas, or bristle pigs as some call them, is by barbecuing them...