One creative chef shared a unique way to manage an unruly invasive species: Eat them. 

Jones Mays, who posts under the handle invasiv_foods (@invasiv_foods), shared a recipe for wild boar chops. The swine are not native to North America but were brought here by early European settlers. The animals have been wreaking havoc ever since, destroying crops and outcompeting local pigs for resources. 

@invasiv_foods

🐗 Invasive Wild boar chops from Broken Arrow Ranch 🧂 Brine • 3 cups water + 1 cup ice • Salt (ocean salty) • Pinch brown sugar • Rosemary, parsley, thyme • Garlic • Boil till fragrant • Freezer to chill → brine 1 hr in fridge 🧻 Prep • Remove from brine • Dry VERY well • Salt & pepper 🔥 Cook • Hot pan, 2 min per side • Render fat cap 2 min • Oven until 165°F ⏸️ Rest & eat

♬ original sound - invasiv_foods

The TikToker explained that people can buy wild boar meat and create a delicious meal from them. He emphasized that it was good for the environment and for consumers' wallets. He also reminded home chefs to make sure the meat is fully cooked, otherwise they might get sick from trichinella.

"You need to be eating wild boar like your life depends upon it, not because they're deadlier than sharks or causing local extinctions, who cares about that?" Mays joked. "Because they're costing you the taxpayer billions of dollars in agricultural losses, otherwise known as food inflation."

Many people have begun eating invasive species to boost native ecosystems and combat food insecurity. When left to proliferate, invasive plants and animals can cause crop failure, stifle native vegetation, and spread disease. One study found that the damage invasives cause to the global economy exceeds $1 trillion. 

To the poster's point, wild boars are harmful to crops, leading to shortages and higher grocery prices. When we figure out ways to remove and consume these pesky species, it benefits the local ecosystem, the economy, and our taste buds. 

Viewers were impressed by the Mays' unique recipe and shared their love for wild boar dishes.

"I love edible invasive species, like I can help the ecosystem," one person said.

"I've ate wild boar before, it tastes like pig but with a chickeny flavor," another commenter remarked.

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