Wild Boar Risotto

History & Background

A dish of Tuscan Maremma and southern Umbria, where wild boar hunting is a centuries-old tradition. The risotto exploits the game's cooking fond — a legacy of Apennine peasant cooking.

Ingredients for 4

• 800g wild boar shoulder or leg
• 1 bottle red wine for marinade (+ ½ glass for risotto)
• 1 carrot, 1 onion, 1 celery
• Bay, juniper, rosemary
• 320g Carnaroli rice
• 1.2L broth from the boar + water
• 60g cold butter
• 80g aged Tuscan pecorino
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Method

1. Marinate cubed boar with red wine, vegetables and aromatics for 12 hours in the fridge.
2. Drain and dry the meat.
3. Brown in a heavy pan; deglaze with the marinade wine.
4. Braise 2–3 hours with a little broth until tender.
5. Skim the fond and shred the meat.
6. For the risotto: sweat an onion, toast rice, deglaze with white.
7. Add the boar broth; halfway through, fold in the shredded meat.
8. Manteca with cold butter and Tuscan pecorino.

Wine pairing

Brunello di Montalcino or Sagrantino di Montefalco: structured reds for important dishes.

Common mistakes

• Skipping the marinade (meat stays hard and too gamey).
• Undercooking the boar (stringy, tough).
• Stock cubes (ruin a dish of such elevation).