In a recent article I covered the basics of how to render wild game fat. If you’re new to the process, check out that piece before you proceed with this one. If you’re interested in turning your wild game fat into a spreadable butter, then give my tallow butter recipe a look.

Today I take the process of working with wild game fat a step further by creating this delicious bourbon butter with wild hog lard.

Ingredients with dark aromas, like the caramel notes found in bourbon, compliment the flavor of pork beautifully. Use this to your advantage by adding a splash of the liquor to the boar butter along with a spoonful of maple syrup and sweet onion.

There’s no shortage of uses for this butter. You can slather it across toast, baste meat with it, or swirl it into a sauce for a silky, sweet finish.

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1. Prepare the tallow/lard butter according to previous recipe instructions. Set it aside in a bowl at room temperature.
2. In a small sauté pan, add just a dollop of tallow butter and melt over medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently until soft and translucent. Pour in the bourbon and allow the alcohol to boil off for a brief moment, then mix in the maple syrup. Season with a couple pinches of salt and a few cracks of fresh pepper. Stir until combined.
3. Using a spatula, fold the bourbon and onion mix into the bowl of soft tallow butter until mixed. Place all of the butter onto a sheet of wax paper and try to spoon it out in the shape of a log. Lift and roll the wax paper tightly over the butter to form its shape. Keep rolling and smooth it out into a symmetrical cylinder. Tie off the ends with a rubber band or string to hold in place. If you don’t want to roll into a log to cut off slices, pour it into a jar while it’s still soft.
4. You can store it in the refrigerator for about a week. Freeze what you can’t use within that time period.