Contents
Let me tell you something — if you ever make it to Estonia, skip the usual tourist dishes and hunt down (no pun intended) a plate of wild boar. Trust me, this isn’t your everyday meat. It’s something different. Something primal, even. The kind of meal that makes you feel like you're part of the forest it came from.
Ingredients
- 1 kg wild boar shoulder, cut into chunks
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 2 parsnips, sliced
- 300 g mushrooms, halved
- 3 bay leaves
- 5 juniper berries optional, but traditional
- 500 ml beef or game stock
- 250 ml dry red wine
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- A handful of fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the wild boar chunks and brown them on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, sauté the onion and garlic until soft and golden.
- Add the sliced carrots, parsnips, and mushrooms. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Return the browned meat to the pot. Season with salt, pepper, bay leaves, and juniper berries.
- Pour in the red wine and stock. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
- Cover and simmer for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender and the flavors are well developed.
- Remove bay leaves and juniper berries before serving.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot — ideally with mashed potatoes, dark rye bread, or roasted root vegetables.
Notes
Why wild boar? Here’s what makes it special in Estonia 🍽️
Estonia’s not the kind of place where everything’s fast and factory-made. Here, food has roots — real ones. Wild boar isn’t farm-raised; it comes from the woods, where it roams freely, munching on whatever the forest has to offer. That wild diet? You can actually taste it. Rich. Earthy. A bit rugged — in the best way.
And it’s not just about taste. There’s something almost sacred about it. It ties into centuries of tradition, hunting stories passed down from grandfathers, and the rhythm of life far from the cities.
Some reasons locals (and travelers in the know) love it:- It’s as local as it gets — straight from the forest, no middlemen 🌳
- That flavor — deeper than pork, more character, a little wild, a little smoky 🔥
- It shows up in all kinds of traditional recipes — from stews to sausages 🥘
- Leaner, cleaner, and more natural than a lot of what’s on supermarket shelves 🌿
How Estonians cook it — and why it’s perfect comfort food ❄️
Estonians really know how to handle wild boar. They don’t overcomplicate it. They let the flavor speak. Especially in winter, this meat becomes a highlight — filling your belly and warming your soul. A few ways you’ll see it on local menus:- Grilled with a berry sauce on the side — sharp, sweet, and perfect with the rich meat 🥩🍒
- In a stew, slow-cooked for hours — the kind that makes you want to sit back and savor every bite 🍲
- Lasagna? Yep. A twist on the classic, but with bold Estonian flavor 🇪🇪🧀
- Smoky sausages served with hearty rye bread and strong mustard 🌭🍞
Where to find it in Estonia 🗺️
You won’t run into wild boar at every corner café. But if you know where to look — oh boy, you’re in for a treat. Try this:- Small country inns, especially on islands like Saaremaa — cozy, rustic, and real 🏡
- Historic restaurants in Tallinn — the ones tucked away in cobbled alleys 🏰
- Hunting lodges out in the woods — where the food is just part of the adventure 🦌🔥
