I shoot small hogs...about 150 pounds, The ribs are have very little apparent meat, but I hate to waste anything, and wonder if there is a way to use the rib cage in cooking. Any ideas???
Thanks
Alex

i've never had the occasion to try anyhting from a wild hog, since we don't have any up here, but i am wondering if braising might be a good technique for them? you can put them in a casserole dish or dutch oven with a little liquid of some kind, and some seasoning, then put the dutch oven in the oven at 325 or so for a couple of hours.

possibly use beer or apple juice as the braising liquid, and also include some basic vegetables such as carrots, onions, and celery. or if you want to try something with a greek twist, give them a healthy shake of salt, black pepper and oregano (equal amounts) with some minced garlic and s few squirts of lemon juice. sear them a little, if you want, on the stovetop, then finish by braising in the oven with a little white wine or beer.

i am guessing they would be great, but since i have no way to try them, i can't say for sure.

I always save the ribs off the hogs I shoot.
I butcher my hogs with them hanging upside down.

I use a saw to first cut the rib rack in half, then I cut the other half of the rib rack off of the backbone.
Then I repeat on the other side of the pig.

Then when I cook them I season them up, with garlic & onion powder, pepper, Mrs Dash, and Grub Rub. I cook them on the gril or in the oven, and about 30 minutes or so before they are done I put some BBQ sauce on them.

Well, you are correct that there isn't a lot of meat on the ribs of a 150 lb hog, but man is that meat good!!!! My son and I prefer to shot wild hogs that are 150 lb or smaller. On the ones over 100 lbs, we cook the ribs like you would any other ribs...very tasty. Sort of like eating blue crabs...you never really get full, but they are good. For the ones under 100 lbs, we simply split the hog lengthwise and cook each half on the grill. Nothing like wild hog...tastes like the ones I remember from my grandparents' farm 50 years ago!!!

My favorite sized eating hogs are 225 to 275 lbs.