Cinghiale in Umido
A rich Tuscan wild boar stew slow-cooked with red wine, juniper, and tomatoes until meltingly tender.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 150 min
- Total
- 175 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 540 kcal
Equipment
- •Dutch oven or heavy casserole dish
- •large mixing bowl
- •chef's knife
- •chopping board
- •wooden spoon
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 540 kcal
- fat
- 28 g
- carbs
- 9 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 48 g
- calories
- 540 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the wild boar cubes in a large bowl with half the red wine, one bay leaf, and half the juniper berries.
- 2
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least eight hours or overnight to mellow the strong game flavour.
- 3
Drain the meat thoroughly in a colander and discard the soaking liquid and spent aromatics.
- 4
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy casserole dish over medium heat.
- 5
Add the diced onion, celery, carrot, and garlic, stirring until soft and fragrant.
- 6
Add the wild boar pieces and brown them evenly until they lose their raw pink colour.
- 7
Pour in the remaining fresh red wine, scraping any browned bits from the base of the pot.
- 8
Simmer briskly until the wine reduces by half and the sharp alcohol aroma softens.
- 9
Stir in the tomato passata, rosemary sprig, remaining bay leaf, remaining juniper berries, salt, and black pepper.
- 10
Cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently for two hours until the meat is fork-tender.
- 11
Uncover during the last twenty minutes to allow the sauce to thicken into a rich, glossy gravy.
Chef's tips
Wild boar is exceptionally lean, so keeping the heat very low during the braise is crucial to prevent the meat from drying out. Never reuse the wine from the marinade in the stew, as it contains harsh flavours extracted during soaking.
Ingredient substitutions
- wild boar shoulder → pork shoulder or venison, adjusting simmering time as needed
- tomato passata → canned whole plum tomatoes crushed finely by hand
Storage
Store cooled stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days; the flavours improve noticeably overnight.
Reheating
Reheat slowly in a covered heavy saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened too much.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Skipping the wine marination step, leaving the meat tough and overly gamey.
- •Boiling the stew rapidly rather than simmering gently, which makes the lean meat fibrous.
- •Reusing the soaking marinade as braising liquid instead of fresh wine.
Serving suggestions
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