On The Menu - Wild Hog

   Anyone who knows me would know that I LOVE to cook. I mean I love it... I find it relaxing and it really does spark my creative side. I like to experiment with food and make things I've never even tasted. As a matter of fact the very best way to get me to try something new is if I make it myself. I've always dreamed of owning a restaurant but the problem is I would have no idea how to run it... just cook in it. One thing that I like to say when I make or create something wonderful is "That's going on the menu!".... and by menu I mean my fictional menu in my fictional restaurant (which coincidentally is named "On The Menu"). Some of my friends and family have picked up on that saying and it's not uncommon to hear someone say "Chad this is excellent! This has to go on the menu!". It makes me feel great I must admit. A few of the choices for the menu so far have been:
Egg rolls
American Pepper Steak
Stuffed Manicotti Shells
Chicken Pot Pie
Stuffed Peppers (one of my personal favorites)
Green Beans (sounds simple but they are the best I've ever tasted)
Homemade Pizza
Kickin' Wings
Chicken Soup
Chili (everyone makes chili but this stuff is to die for)
London Broil with Mushroom Gravy
Bison Burgers with Ranch Cilantro Slaw
Mexican Pizza (nothing like the one served at Taco Bell)

I could go on and on but the point I'm making is that I'm always looking for new ideas. Well now I've got one that I'm sure will be on the menu... Wild Hog!! My father-in-law, Mike has been trying to harvest a wild hog since February. He's made feeding plots of cracked corn to attract them. To begin with he was trying to trap them but they proved too crafty for that. Next he tried to shoot one and missed or didn't have a powerful enough gun. Finally Monday night he got one. He was so excited that he started calling people at 11:30 PM before the hog stopped kicking. When he told me I was excited too... especially when he said I could have my choice of the meat! I ended up with a side of pork and a shoulder. I'm so excited to cook it that I can hardly contain my excitement. I'm going to start tonight in fact soaking it in a solution that I read about online and by Saturday night it will be ready to smoke!!! I have some pecan smoking wood that I plan to use and I'm hoping to smoke it all night long. I will be sure and let you all know if it's worthy of being "On The Menu".