Skip to content

The main dish, Regional

Wild boar civet with fresh tagliatelle

Wild boar civet with fresh tagliatelle is a slow braised dish in red wine and juniper berries, serving 6, that needs 45 minutes of active work spread over two days. The whole braise is cooked the day before, leaving only reheating and the pasta for the day of. It's a medium difficulty dish at about €6.00 per person, and the key to success is a very long, gentle cook that tenderizes the meat.

A wild boar civet simmered in red wine with juniper berries, cooked the day before, finished with fresh tagliatelle to soak up the sauce.

Wild boar civet with fresh tagliatelle
For
6 people
Work
45 min
Total time
5 h 30
Prep
Prepared the day before
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€6.00
Calories per person
790 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Wild boar has a firmer, more flavorful meat than beef, and it needs slow cooking to become tender. Marinated overnight in red wine with carrots, onions, and juniper berries, it turns into a deep, slightly peppery sauce that a bit of dark chocolate rounds out without ever being noticeable. Fresh tagliatelle soaks up that sauce and brings a lightness that game dishes sometimes lack.

This is a dish for a family dinner or a get together with friends in fall and winter, when you want a menu that feels like woodsmoke and cold air outside. It pairs well with a simple starter built around root vegetables or mushrooms, and it leaves plenty of room for a rich dessert, since the main course has already done the heavy lifting.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before 3 steps, 6 h 30
  2. The same day 1 step
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 30 min
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step, 3 min

The day before, you marinate and fully cook the civet, then let it cool in the fridge. The morning of, you skim off the fat and taste the sauce, adding chocolate if needed. Right before guests arrive, you gently reheat the civet, and at serving time, you cook the fresh tagliatelle for three minutes and plate everything together.

The ingredients

6 people

Butcher

  • Wild boar shoulder, cut into pieces 1.6 kg
  • Smoked bacon lardons 150 g

Pantry

  • Full bodied red wine 75 cl
  • Juniper berriesoften in the pantry 8
  • Clovesoften in the pantry 2
  • Flouroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Cognacoften in the pantry 4 cl
  • Dark chocolate 20 g
  • Oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Carrots 3
  • Onions 3
  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Bouquet garni 1

Dairy

  • Fresh tagliatelle 600 g

Allergens Gluten, Eggs

The recipe, moment by moment

The day beforeWhat's better after resting overnight in the fridge.

  1. Mix the boar with the wine, sliced carrots and onions, garlic, juniper berries, cloves, and bouquet garni, and let it marinate for a few hours. 4 h

    Cover and keep it in the fridge, the marinade tenderizes and flavors the meat.

  2. Drain the meat, brown it in a Dutch oven with the bacon lardons, flambé with the cognac, dust with flour, add back the vegetables, and pour in the strained marinade.

    Pat the meat dry before searing it, otherwise it will boil instead of browning.

  3. Let it simmer covered over very low heat, then let it cool. 2 h 30

    Wild boar is a firm meat, it responds well to very long, gentle cooking.

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Remove the solidified fat and taste the sauce, add the chocolate if it's too acidic.

    The chocolate melts into the warm sauce and blends in without you noticing it.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Reheat the civet over very low heat, stirring from time to time. 30 min

    Add a little water if the sauce has gotten too thick.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Drop the tagliatelle into boiling salted water for three minutes, drain, and serve with the civet. 3 min

    Plate the pasta in a nest with the civet in the center, the contrast looks great.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a red wine you'd actually drink at the table, its quality carries straight through once the sauce reduces.
  • Don't salt the marinade too early, salt draws liquid out of the meat and keeps it from browning well in the pot.
  • If the sauce is still too thin after cooking, reduce it uncovered for a few minutes before stirring in the chocolate.

The variations

  • Swap the wild boar for beef cheek or venison, the method and cooking times stay the same.
  • For a meatless version, use button mushrooms and porcini simmered in the same wine sauce, cutting the cooking time down to about an hour.
  • For a kid friendly meal, serve the sauce over regular egg noodles instead of fresh tagliatelle, and fish out the whole juniper berries before serving.

What to serve it with

  • An endive and walnut salad to start
  • A glass of the same red wine used in cooking
  • An apple or pear tart for dessert

Storage

The civet keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and it freezes well for up to 2 months without the pasta. Reheat it over low heat, adding a splash of water if needed, and cook the fresh tagliatelle at the last minute.

Questions about this recipe

Can you use beef instead of wild boar?

Yes, a braising cut like beef cheek or chuck works very well with this same sauce. Cooking time stays similar since these cuts are also firm meats that need a long, slow cook.

Do you really need to marinate the meat in wine?

The marinade tenderizes the boar and gives it its characteristic flavor, so it's an important step for this dish. You can cut the marinating time down to 2 or 3 hours if you're short on time, but don't skip it entirely.

Can you taste the dark chocolate in the sauce?

No, at this amount, the chocolate melts into the sauce without its flavor standing out. It mainly softens the wine's acidity and gives the sauce a nice shine.

Can this recipe be scaled up for more than 6 people?

Yes, the quantities scale up easily, you'll just need a bigger pot or to cook it in two batches. Keep the wine and marinade proportions the same to preserve the dish's flavor.

Can a wild boar civet with fresh tagliatelle be made ahead?

Yes, it's even recommended. The recipe needs 45 min of work in total, split up like this, the day before, 3 steps, the same day, 1 step, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make a wild boar civet with fresh tagliatelle?

Allow 5 h 30 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 45 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in a wild boar civet with fresh tagliatelle?

About 790 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a wild boar civet with fresh tagliatelle cost?

About €6.00 per person, that's €36.00 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, eggs. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

To round out your menu

Build a menu
Kouign-amann The dessert

Regional

Kouign-amann

  • 50 min of work
  • Prepared the same day
  • Medium, €1.60 per person

490 kcalcalculated by Kiloach

Mains for entertaining

See all