Podcast Episode 242: Eating Invasive Pigs, Nutria, Hares, Audad, and Horses
Invasive species don’t just disrupt ecosystems; they present a delicious opportunity. With Episode 242 of the Wild Fish and Game Podcast, we launch a new series titled “Eat More Invasive Species,” exploring how thoughtful hunting and cooking can transform ecological problems into culinary solutions. This first installment focuses on invasive mammals, including wild pigs, nutria, audad, European hares, and even feral horses. From Oklahoma creek bottoms to the deserts of West Texas and the wetlands of Louisiana, these animals are reshaping landscapes, and it’s time we reshape the way we think about them.
As I shared at the beginning of the episode, “I was a teenager the first time I chased wild pigs in the red dirt hills of Oklahoma… That night, I learned just how tough, smart, and destructive wild pigs really are.” That realization sparked a lifelong pursuit: not just to hunt and manage invasive species, but to celebrate them on the plate.
Click to Listen
Apple Podcasts, Amazon, Spotify, YouTube
Leave a Review of the Podcast
Buy our Wild Fish and Game Spices
Nutria: The Other Red Meat
First up: nutria. These semi-aquatic rodents were imported from South America in the late 1800s for the fur trade, but when the market collapsed, many escaped or were released. Now they’re widespread in the Gulf Coast and Pacific Northwest, devouring vegetation and destroying wetlands.
“Nutria are now out in the wild en masse,” Adam Berkelmans explained. “They burrow into levees and banks, causing massive infrastructure damage and loss of native habitat.”
Despite their impact, nutria are significantly underutilized as a food source. Their meat is lean, mild, and comparable to rabbit or beaver. “It’s best cooked low and slow, braised, stewed, or even turned into sausages and tamales,” I noted. Cultural stigma often deters people, but as I pointed out, “Nutria aren’t rats. They’re closer to beavers than sewer rats. They’re just victims of bad branding.”
Chef Philippe Parola’s campaign, Can’t Beat ’Em, Eat ’Em, aims to change that, rebranding nutria as “the other red meat.” At Harvesting Nature, we’re on board. We’ve even released a nutria hunting shirt and sticker, with proceeds supporting the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, a nonprofit restoring the very wetlands that nutria destroy.
Audad: Desert Ghosts with Culinary Potential
Next, we turned to audad, also known as Barbary sheep. Native to North Africa, audad were introduced to Texas in the 1950s for exotic game ranching. They quickly escaped and now compete with native desert species, especially bighorn sheep.
“They’re elusive, rugged, and breed year-round,” Adam said. “They’ve become a major challenge for wildlife managers.”
Are they good to eat? “I’ve eaten it a couple of times,” I shared. “It’s lean, bold, and definitely shaped by its environment.” While old rams can be tough, young animals, especially lambs and females, are excellent. “Think marinated loins or a North African-style tagine with bold spices. Audad can handle big flavor.”
We also discussed using our Wild Fungi, Waterfowl, or Small Game spice blends for preparing audad dishes. As I put it, “They’re underutilized as a food resource. If you’re going to go through the effort to hunt something this tough, you should absolutely eat it.”
European Hares: Old-World Flavor Meets New-World Opportunity
The European hare is another often-overlooked invasive species. Introduced for sport in the 1800s, they’ve established populations across the Great Lakes and parts of the Northeast. Bigger and faster than cottontails, these hares have become a quiet competitor to native species.
“I haven’t hunted one yet, but I’ve seen them in Ontario,” Adam said. “They’re huge, three times the size of a cottontail.”
Culinarily, European hare is rich and dark, more akin to venison than rabbit. “There’s a long tradition in Europe of cooking with hare,” Adam noted. “Dishes like Hassentheffer and Civet de Lièvre showcase their bold flavor.” While there’s a stigma in North America, we believe it’s time to change that. If it’s invasive, edible, and delicious, we say cook it.
Feral Horses: The Emotional Frontier
Perhaps the most controversial mammal we discussed was the feral horse. Though they’re non-native, descended from domestic stock introduced by Spanish colonists, they hold a powerful emotional place in American culture.
“There’s a billion-dollar price tag for the BLM to manage them,” Adam said. “They’re unmanaged ecologically and outcompeting native wildlife for food and water.”
Eating horses may be taboo in the U.S., but it’s common in places like France, Italy, and Canada. “I grew up eating horse meat,” Adam shared. “It was never weird to me. In French Canada, you can buy it at the grocery store.”
I added, “What happens when emotion, ecology, and ethics collide in wildlife policy? Who gets to decide the line between pest, partner, and protein?” While we aren’t calling for open season on wild horses, we believe it’s time for an honest conversation, one rooted in conservation, not sentiment.
Wild Pigs: The Poster Child of Culinary Conservation
We closed with the most infamous invasive mammal of all: wild pigs. Found in 35 U.S. states and multiple Canadian provinces, they destroy habitat, crops, water systems, and turkey nests with equal zeal. Their reproductive rate is staggering, up to 24 piglets per sow per year.
“Domesticated pigs can turn feral in just weeks,” I noted. “And once they’re wild, they’re incredibly hard to eradicate.”
But they’re also, undeniably, delicious.
“Wild pork is darker, leaner, and more flavorful than domestic pork,” Adam said. “You can eat it meal after meal and not get tired of it.”
At Harvesting Nature, we’ve made wild pig the focus of our culinary efforts through podcast episodes, video tutorials, and our Wild Pig Hunting Camps. “If you’re going to hunt, make it count,” I said. “Targeting invasive pigs is good. Targeting them and turning them into gourmet food is better.”
Turning the Problem Into a Statement
This new series, ‘Eat More Invasive Species,’ is more than just a podcast theme; it’s a movement. It’s a call to action. Across North America, invasive mammals are wreaking havoc on ecosystems, but they’re also putting protein on the table. It’s time to reframe the narrative from “problem” to “possibility.”
At Harvesting Nature, we believe in pairing culinary creativity with conservation ethics. That’s why we created a limited-edition line of shirts and stickers celebrating these edible invaders. From nutria to wild pig, each design makes a bold statement: if you can’t beat ’em, eat ’em. And we’re backing up that message by donating a portion of proceeds to frontline conservation groups like the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana.
So grab a shirt, listen to the episode, and join the movement. Culinary conservation has never tasted better.