OT - Cooking Bear Meat

[Hobie]

A friend and I were discussing gypsy moths, fertilizer prices, hunting and cooking bear meat. I don't but his method is his granny's method. He takes a ham (for example) and lets it soak in a crock of vinegar for 3 hours or so. This starts the grease and blood out of the meat. Then he does two crocks of water for 2 hours (I hope I got this right) to get the vinegar out. Then he cooks it in a crock, in water and changes the water completely three times in the 5 hours or so it takes to cook. He loves it.

What methods do you use to cook bear meat (or are you one who can't bear it)?

[TedH]

Last one I got I made a bunch of jerky and ground the rest. Made some excellent burgers. Never heard of anyone doing real well with making roasts and such so I was hesitant to try.

[Chuck 100 yd]

If you slow cook it for about 12 hours,you should be able to cut the gravy with a chain saw. All ours were made into pepperonies and sausage.

[reo]

Every time I have had it, it was always pepperoni and sausage. I have to admit if I hunted them I would put it all in sausage, after the years of indoctrination that bear is too greasy/gamey, etc... The vinegar system you are talking about, I have used in shorter times, about an hour, for older deer or elk. Don't see why it wouldn't work for bear. It seems with game that the taste buds of the individual take over. I, for the life of me want to eat deer ribs on the rack. I can't do it no matter how I prepare it unless it is put in hamburger.

[dr walker]

I only cooked it once, a ham off an old boar. I did vinegar bath over night and then maybe an hour water bath the next day. I had a small pit for cooking in the yard. I rubbed some store bought seasoning on it, wrapped the ham in foil and put it on a bed of coals. I layed another batch of coal on top and the covered it with river rocks. I probably let it cook for 7-8 hours and dug it out. It just fell apart and was a wonderful eating experience.
I never noticed a greasy thing, but I like greasy meats, so maybe it was and I just didnt notice.

[rjohns94]

I slow cook my roasts, just like a roast beef. No vinegar, can't stand the smell!! Was sweet as any beef I have ever eaten. I put new potatoes and carrots and mushrooms and onions into the roast water, add seasamee on top. I also crock potted a roast and did pull bear bbq sandwhichs. Did loins on the grill, rare. Did not make any jerky or sausage. Used burger in just about everything. I have only taken one bear in my life time.

[Pete44ru]

Since my son's been providing us with a fresh black bear every year for these last five years or so, we make some into sauage (just like we do w/venison), and the rest we cook/treat like pork - using all of our usual pork recipies, and occasionally trying a new one read in a magazine, etc.

.

[big bear]

Black bear tastes alot like what the bears been eating.Fall , berry fed bear tastes like pork ( excellent farecook it like pork), fish fed (salmon) bear is not edible other than in sausages/pepperoni. Sping bear varies ,not sure why exactly ,as I've had some from May that tasted like pork, others from May that were quite strong in taste and only palateable when cooked spicy (burritos, or pasta dishes with flavorful sauces.

[Blaine]

I don't know if they still have a Bear Festival in McCleary, WA, but in the 80's we would play their parade. The bear was either the best or worst meat I've ever had, except maybe carp crepe suzzette The cubed and stewed was good as was the smoked smaller pieces....the trick being to keep it a little spicey and get some grease out of it.......

[Malamute]

Just keep in mind that bears can harbor trichenonsis like pork (which they are related to).


One of the guides at a lodge I worked at years ago shot a bear and didnt want the meat. I split it with another guy. Cooked it as pan fried steaks among other things. It was good! It had the texture of beef, with the greasyness of pork. Didnt bother me, but it was a fall bear, and not too old.

[Hobie]

We don't have a spring bear season here in VA. I imagine that affects perception.

[Bigahh]

Just keep in mind that bears can harbor trichenonsis like pork (which they are related to).

This is true, and this is also the reason I am always hesitant on making sausage from Bear meat as the smoking process does not get hot enough to kill whats bad for you. You can have your Bear tested though by sending in the Tongue. Cost is around 50 bucks I am told.

The key to cooking bear meat according to my Grandmother who would be 105 years old if she were still here with us is to get rid of any, and all fat. The fat will turn rancid even in the freezer.

[m.wun]

Just guessing here but I have soaked beef steaks in coca cola and it eats the
fat up real good.You cant leave it more than 20-30 min. or the meat falls apart
so it might work for bear even better.

[Marlin 308MX]

Had a friend that used to cook bear chops in a crock pot with spaghetti sauce, garlic and onions. The meat just fell off the bones and was delicious!!! Art

[Bluehawk]

Last bear was fomr Ontario in the fall . Was very hesitant to try it
ENded up cooking some of the steaks on the grill after marinating them like any beef steak IT WAS DELICIOUS
MY pal ( who shot the bear we split the meat & cost of the butcher ) made chilli out of most of his stash BEST chili I have ever had. Ate most of the bear as chili, steaks and I wpould do the sem if I anc ever get another to stnad still long enough

[mudgunner49]

A friend and I were discussing gypsy moths, fertilizer prices, hunting and cooking bear meat. I don't but his method is his granny's method. He takes a ham (for example) and lets it soak in a crock of vinegar for 3 hours or so. This starts the grease and blood out of the meat. Then he does two crocks of water for 2 hours (I hope I got this right) to get the vinegar out. Then he cooks it in a crock, in water and changes the water completely three times in the 5 hours or so it takes to cook. He loves it.

What methods do you use to cook bear meat (or are you one who can't bear it)?

This is the same method that I use, however I put frresh onions in every time I change the water...


blake

[Grizzly Adams]

When the wife and I lived in Alaska, almost all of our red meat was moose, caribou or black bear. She would cube up the meat and can it in jars to be used in stews, soups or chili. Excellent eating.

[Cracker]

A guy I work with killed a bear last year and ground most of it and then smoked a roast using my pork rub. He did it low and slow until internal temp hit 195*. That had to be one of the best smoked meats I have had! just fell apart like one of my pork shoulders.

Here in GA you are allowed 1blackie per year, needless to say bear has moved up on my target of opportunuty list.

[stew71]

My wife's uncle in Alaska brines bear in a solution of water, salt, and sugar. I use a ratio of 1 gallon of water to 1 cup of salt to 1 cup of plain white sugar. Drain it after 24 hours and all of the blood will be gone. You'll be left with some nice tender meat ready for....whatever you want. It also works with venison/caribou and moose.

[stew71]

Oh sorry...left off the cooking portion of the show. We then smoke it for hours using a horizontal smoker, a water bath, and constant basting using apple cider vinegar. I like a hearty smoke with bear...hickory or mesquite.

I use the same dry rubs and mops for bear that I use for venison. Pepper, garlic, onion, paprika, soy, mmmmmmmmmmm.....excuse me I have to be alone for a minute.

[Duff L Bagg]

My dad always said that the best way to fix bear was to "plank it" start with a nicely trimed roast, season to taste. Preheat oven to 325 F then place the roast in the middle of a spruce 2x10 plank and cook till the meat fall off of the bone. When ready remove from oven, scrape roast into the dogs bowl. Them eat the plank . Serve with a full bodied barley pop.