Bear meat

[FlyTheory]

Why do so many people hate bear meat? It seems like 75% of people view it as junk meat and not worth the time. I personally like it! I thought we could have a thread and share our favourite bear recipes and thoughts on why some people seem to hate it. If you don’t like it, why?
Cheers

[Greatwest]

Bear meat all by itself is way too greasy. However if mixing it 50/50 with beef they make great hamburgers or pepperonis. That is the only way I eat it.

[hawk-i]

We had Bear ribs last night...35 minutes in the insta-pot and then 25 minutes in the oven at 250 to bake in the bbq sauce.(hickory flavour)
Best ribs you can eat...super tender, and delicious!
Also had pepperoni made, absolutely the best pepperoni I've had to date!

[Sooner]

I have a friend who hunted bears regularly, he tells of a story where they diced bear & deer meat into cubes and then dipped them into different batters and then hot oil at parties. Bear meat won every time. Dad only got 1 bear, a nice fat fall boar. I can't remember how it tastes, I was too young, only remember the buckets of fat they got off it.

Should I ever go after a bear(have dads bear rug), I look forward to trying it in burgers and roasts.

[Osky]

Originally Posted by hawk-i

We had Bear ribs last night...35 minutes in the insta-pot and then 25 minutes in the oven at 250 to bake in the bbq sauce.(hickory flavour)
Best ribs you can eat...super tender, and delicious!
Also had pepperoni made, absolutely the best pepperoni I've had to date!

This. Who,doesn't like a fresh blackstrap grilled along with some loin, veggies, touch of garlic, shrooms, onion chips...
It also is incredible meat for jerking.

For me only elk eats better.

Osky

[Smoky buck]

Ginger teriyaki bear stir fry

Thin sliced bear meat no fat

Ground ginger

Teriyaki sauce

Minced garlic

Brown sugar

Chinese 5 spice

Salt and pepper

Mix the above in a bowl and let it marinate for a few hours

Then brown in a wok using coconut oil at fairly high heat. Throw in some of the marinate. Add red peppers, boc Choi, mushrooms, shredded carrot, bean sprouts, and broccoli. Near the end throw in some corn starch to thicken up the sauce

Serve it over noodles or rice topped with some sesame seeds and chives

I have fed this to a lot of people who said they don’t like bear meat everyone of them had no clue it was bear till after they went for seconds

[Junglefisher]

For me it's not the meat, it's the parasites.

[philintheblank]

Took me a few times of eating it to get over the thought of getting trich.

But I really have taken a shine to it. last batch I did was 6.5 hours in the slow cooker on high, shred with a fork and add pasta sauce to it with garlic and herbs. made awesome sloppy joes.

I will try BBQ sauce next for "pulled pork" on a bun
and eventually Mexican seasoning for taco Tuesday.

[3blade]

Originally Posted by FlyTheory

Why do so many people hate bear meat? It seems like 75% of people view it as junk meat and not worth the time. I personally like it! I thought we could have a thread and share our favourite bear recipes and thoughts on why some people seem to hate it. If you don’t like it, why?
Cheers

Spring bear = possible feeding on winterkill carcasses or, even worse, sucker runs. Smelled one once. Nope, no way. Saw 7 bears with 4 different color phases last June while fishing. All in the vicinity of sucker creeks.

Now if there was a spot 100 km from the nearest dead pit or sucker creek where the bears only eat plants I imagine the meat would be good. But June is for walleye

I’ve bought many a bear tag but never seen one in the fall season. Only interested in a fat berry fed bear. Heading to a blueberry patch this sept to hopefully get my first. Keep the recipes coming guys!

[Bock Fever]

I shot a fall bear last year in a blueberry patch and it's been some of the best wild meat I've ever tasted. Definitely more variation in bear meat than any other animal depending on what they've been eating.

My favorite meal so far has been to make taco meat with the braised shanks.
1. heat oil in dutch over to medium-high
2. rub salt and pepper on shanks liberally
3. brown well
4. add enough stock to cover the meat
5. cover the and simmer on stove top or in the oven until fork tender (4+ hours)
6. pull the meat off the bone and return to the dutch over
7. pour the liquid into another bowl
8. Add your choice of taco seasoning to the meat and add some of the stock back and reduce it down until almost all the liquid is gone.

Build your tacos how you like them.

[Outbound]

I've tried bear meat prepared dozens of different ways and mixed with other meats as burger etc. I just don't like it, same as I don't like fish or waterfowl. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what I don't like but I've found that it's often very greasy and there's a unique taste that I don't care for.

It's a shame since I'd love to go bear hunting and get a nice rug, but I refuse to hunt something that won't be fully used and I don't know anyone who will take the meat.

[KyleSS]

Right now I have my bear hinds soaking in a curing brine. Brining for 14 days in cure salt, then smoking to internal temp of 180F . It supposed to make bear ham and I've been told is quite good. Never tried it before

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[BuckCuller]

Just had bear a few nights ago.
Cut the back strap into 1 1/2 inch thick medallion steaks, rolled the edges in a mixture of salt, pepper and garlic powder. Wrapped half a slice of bacon around the edge over the spices. After seared and flipped once on the bbq the internal temp of the largest one hit 150 F toothpicked a prawn to the top and finished to 170 F. Let rest for a couple minutes and man was it good. Served with garden salad and baked potato.
Going to make the hinds into hams soon, just chilling in the freezer until I have time.
Gonna be doing some stew soon too.

[Dubious]

Lots of people are grossed out by the parasite load and I don’t blame them.

I do bear curry. It’s a camp fav a nice spicy vindaloo with some bannock is great

Roasted bear was ok

Ground into taco meat as already listed Good to.

[straight]

Originally Posted by FlyTheory

Why do so many people hate bear meat? It seems like 75% of people view it as junk meat and not worth the time. I personally like it! I thought we could have a thread and share our favourite bear recipes and thoughts on why some people seem to hate it. If you don’t like it, why?
Cheers

Because Canadians are spoiled with food abundance. Most of them don't know anything about food shortage or protein starvation. At some places in the world people are happy to have any kind of meat - rat, bat or whatever else, and bear meat would be a gift from Gods for them.

[kujoseto]

I was all prepared to try bear meat for the first time this fall but a friend that had trich talked me into balking at the notion.
I am sure once I shoot my own bear I will give it a try. Some of these recipes posted sound pretty tasty!
Also, now that I have a meat thermometer I have more confidence in cooking it thoroughly

[IronNoggin]

Originally Posted by KyleSS

Right now I have my bear hinds soaking in a curing brine. Brining for 14 days in cure salt, then smoking to internal temp of 180F . It supposed to make bear ham and I've been told is quite good. Never tried it before

I'm betting you will right pleased with your final product!
I know we certainly are!!





We always eat the tenderloins, but a large part of the balance that doesn't go into hams make wonderful pepps, smokies, garlic coils and summer sausages!





And where would we be without all of the awesome rendered bear lard?!







Cheers,
Nog

[KyleSS]

Originally Posted by IronNoggin

I'm betting you will right pleased with your final product!
I know we certainly are!!


Cheers,
Nog

What temp did you smoke up to? I was planning on 180F just to be sure

[Bock Fever]

Originally Posted by Outbound

I've tried bear meat prepared dozens of different ways and mixed with other meats as burger etc. I just don't like it, same as I don't like fish or waterfowl. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what I don't like but I've found that it's often very greasy and there's a unique taste that I don't care for.

It's a shame since I'd love to go bear hunting and get a nice rug, but I refuse to hunt something that won't be fully used and I don't know anyone who will take the meat.

There is probably a lineup of people on the forum who would be happy to take the meat off your hands. Good on you though, I take the same approach. I'm not going to kill one and toss the meat.

[Outbound]

Originally Posted by Bock Fever

There is probably a lineup of people on the forum who would be happy to take the meat off your hands. Good on you though, I take the same approach. I'm not going to kill one and toss the meat.

That's a good point. We'll see how deer hunting goes this year (first year back to hunting after 6+ years off) and if I decide to go after bear next season, I may put out some feelers here for folks in the GP area.

[IronNoggin]

Originally Posted by KyleSS

What temp did you smoke up to? I was planning on 180F just to be sure

Ran it up to 170, then let it sit. It reached 175 within a few minutes, then dropped off.
Tender, juicy and a most wonderful flavor!

Hope you post your results up too!

Cheers,
Nog

[shooter12]

Originally Posted by IronNoggin

I'm betting you will right pleased with your final product!
I know we certainly are!!





We always eat the tenderloins, but a large part of the balance that doesn't go into hams make wonderful pepps, smokies, garlic coils and summer sausages!





And where would we be without all of the awesome rendered bear lard?!







Cheers,
Nog

Nog,
I have a question here
How do you use the lard?
Like a regular oil for french fries or what?
Cheers
S12

[Osky]

Nothing in this world makes pie crust as good as using bear lard.

Osky

[W921]

Originally Posted by FlyTheory

Why do so many people hate bear meat? It seems like 75% of people view it as junk meat and not worth the time. I personally like it! I thought we could have a thread and share our favourite bear recipes and thoughts on why some people seem to hate it. If you don’t like it, why?
Cheers

I was always brought up that bears are not food. Same as cats. I have no desire to eat cougar's.
I think animals are the same way. Most cougars dont consider cattle as food. But yet some like horsemeat. I wonder why? Course I dont consider horses as food,but I love beef.

[KyleSS]

Originally Posted by IronNoggin

Ran it up to 170, then let it sit. It reached 175 within a few minutes, then dropped off.
Tender, juicy and a most wonderful flavor!

Hope you post your results up too!

Cheers,
Nog

I will do for sure, thanks for your tips and tricks

[FlyTheory]

Originally Posted by Bock Fever

I shot a fall bear last year in a blueberry patch and it's been some of the best wild meat I've ever tasted. Definitely more variation in bear meat than any other animal depending on what they've been eating.

My favorite meal so far has been to make taco meat with the braised shanks.
1. heat oil in dutch over to medium-high
2. rub salt and pepper on shanks liberally
3. brown well
4. add enough stock to cover the meat
5. cover the and simmer on stove top or in the oven until fork tender (4+ hours)
6. pull the meat off the bone and return to the dutch over
7. pour the liquid into another bowl
8. Add your choice of taco seasoning to the meat and add some of the stock back and reduce it down until almost all the liquid is gone.

Build your tacos how you like them.

I just shouted out a fall bear location where there are tons of raspberries and close to blueberries too, along with tons of sign of bears. I plan on harvesting both bear and berries...

[IronNoggin]

Originally Posted by shooter12

Nog,
I have a question here
How do you use the lard?
Like a regular oil for french fries or what?
Cheers
S12

As Osky noted it is The BEST pastry lard you can get your mitts on.
Many European Chefs would kill to have a supply on hand.
Also makes a good medium heat cooking oil for all you fry.

And, interestingly enough, it is one hell of a leather conditioner / water-proofer.
My shell belt, western pistol holster and boots have never looked better!

Cheers,
Nog

[shooter12]

Originally Posted by IronNoggin

As Osky noted it is The BEST pastry lard you can get your mitts on.
Many European Chefs would kill to have a supply on hand.
Also makes a good medium heat cooking oil for all you fry.

And, interestingly enough, it is one hell of a leather conditioner / water-proofer.
My shell belt, western pistol holster and boots have never looked better!

Cheers,
Nog

Got it!

Thanks!

[3blade]

Originally Posted by W921

I was always brought up that bears are not food. Same as cats. I have no desire to eat cougar's.
I think animals are the same way. Most cougars dont consider cattle as food. But yet some like horsemeat. I wonder why? Course I dont consider horses as food,but I love beef.

Any critter can be food. Some are better than others. Don’t know till you try.

Re: cougar - they like to hunt things with long necks as it suits their kill style. They will prefer deer or elk to moose, and horses or lamas to cattle.

[MDR]

Between bear, early season caribou and bison I would have a tough time picking my favourite. We just finished a couple bear hams that turned out amazingly well and made the rest into burgers and about 50lbs of sausage.

I think those that don't like bear need to either stop shooting them near a dump or get some more practice in the kitchen