How much fat do you leave on your bear when grinding?

[gtriple]

Just got done grinding my first black bear. The first couple of burgers it made were awesome. I left a good bit of fat on the meat just because I wanted this to be fattier than my elk or deer meat, but I may have left too much on it.

How much fat do you normally trim off or leave on your ground bear?

 

[InkedElkSlayer]

I’ve cut bear just like deer/elk/antelope/etc. I remove all of the outer fat layer so that the burger bucket is red meat.

In my opinion… marbled fat like a ribeye is one thing, adiapose fat is another.

 

[ddd-shooter]

We trim most all fat off of bear meat asap. I say all, but we don’t get crazy picky with it. Freezes better long term this way, less chance to go rancid.
Then we render the fat. Burger meat will inevitably have some fat, but none is left intentionally.

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

I just killed a fatty boar, and the butcher I used suggested I leave on quite a bit in the grind, to where he was only using 5% beef fat, so I’ll check back in and let you know how it goes. I’ve never done this before.

 

[go4thegusto]

NONE, too greasy. First time I did a bear we made some jerky and that stuff coated your mouth. Now we trim 100% of fat off even for sausage. Better off adding pork.

 

[gtriple]

I just killed a fatty boar, and the butcher I used suggested I leave on quite a bit in the grind, to where he was only using 5% beef fat, so I’ll check back in and let you know how it goes. I’ve never done this before.

If I had to estimate the percentage, it'd be about 10%. Going to thaw some out tonight to make burgers.

 

[chasewild]

Trim it, render it, or freeze it and use it in other things.

 

[tracker12]

I leave no bear fat on my bear meat. But I do save it and render it.