So who actually eats bear?

Joined
Dec 22, 2018
Messages
614
When I lived off grid, I'd throw a frozen bear roast in the pressure cooker with a packet of Lipton soup mix....go split a couple pieces of wood, come back in 20 minutes, you're eating. It's great in sloppy joes, beans, biscuits and gravy too....
 

as.ks.ak

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Aug 22, 2015
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771
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AK
Two way I LOVE to do bear.

1. Hit it with a Blackening Seasoning Rub. Then low and slow in the smoker. Be sure internal temp gets high enough. Let rest, then pull it off the bone. I make 1 lb. vac seal baggies and freeze them. Pull them out for sandwiches, tacos, nachos whatever. Easy and ready to go.

2. Another whole quarter, hit it with a salty cilantro rub to cure. Let sit 24-48 hrs and hit with more rub every 8-12 hrs until you feel it’s soaked in nice and good. Then cooked it low and slow confit style until internal temp is good....talk about incredible pulled bear that melts in your mouth. I do the same with the confit bear, pull it and then freeze it in 1lb vac seal bags.

3. Grind up the rest and use for bear tacos!!

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pk_

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Jul 30, 2017
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368
Location
Florida
Black bear is fantastic. Don’t eat it rare or undercooked (Same as wild pork).
 
OP
Buckarooman17
Joined
Apr 4, 2020
Messages
60
Sounds like quite a few people like it! I guess I’ll have to try some if I can find a bear here in a few weeks.
 

NUGGET

WKR
Joined
Oct 7, 2019
Messages
328
Two way I LOVE to do bear.

1. Hit it with a Blackening Seasoning Rub. Then low and slow in the smoker. Be sure internal temp gets high enough. Let rest, then pull it off the bone. I make 1 lb. vac seal baggies and freeze them. Pull them out for sandwiches, tacos, nachos whatever. Easy and ready to go.

2. Another whole quarter, hit it with a salty cilantro rub to cure. Let sit 24-48 hrs and hit with more rub every 8-12 hrs until you feel it’s soaked in nice and good. Then cooked it low and slow confit style until internal temp is good....talk about incredible pulled bear that melts in your mouth. I do the same with the confit bear, pull it and then freeze it in 1lb vac seal bags.

3. Grind up the rest and use for bear tacos!!

2d2e8c6b9d15ddcb7e6411c43d45200f.jpg

5c67820237f77c661189c54ef5eeef0d.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I just eye f***** this.
 

Agross

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Jan 25, 2017
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1,763
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Michigan
Roast and brats were my favorite to do with black bear. Hopefully if all this crap straightens out, I'll be bringing one home the last week of August from Ontario. It may have been mentioned already but get the meat cooled as soon as possible and when cooking and eating it , make sure it is fully cooked. We also liked chili with the burger.
 

Maverick1

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Joined
Jun 1, 2013
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1,858
I shot my first bear....tried to cook it all kinds of different ways to make it palatable. It wasn't for me. I ended up making some of that bear into sausage, which turned out alright. (Not as good as deer, IMO).

A year later I gave it another chance, thinking that perhaps maybe there was something I could have done better in the field dressing, aging, or meat packing areas....or maybe that it was just not a very good specimen. Unfortunately, I had the same results with the second bear as the first - couldn't hardly stand it. (And I really like eating wild game). Gave about half of that second bear away to my Dad, who will eat just about anything, and he liked it. Must be me!

I was telling this story to a friend of mine, and he suggested I take my third bear into a local meat processor, and have them to brine it and smoke it with the bone in the hindquarter like a pig, and that's what they did. And it is absolutely awesome that way! It was so good that I brought it to thanksgiving one year, and the rest of the family ate the whole quarter up, preferring the bear over the thanksgiving turkey. Most of them commented that it was much better than what they imagined bear tasting like, and quite a few saying it tastes like corn beaf. Pretty awesome stuff. (My family now asks me if I got a bear each year, and if I'm bringing any to thanksgiving!)
 

MattB

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Joined
Sep 29, 2012
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5,743
Great meat in general, but I probably would not salvage the meat from a fish, bait (depending on the bait) or dump bear.
 

Trial153

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Joined
Oct 28, 2014
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8,236
Location
NY
I like bear, especially a fall bear. Here is what I do with bear from the hinds down.
Brine/net then smoke boneless hinds into hams.
loins I use for some kind of pulled meat or stew
Shoulders I make stew/ grinds
Neck I make a boneless post roast.
I render the lard for cooking and put it in jars

No steaks at all......
 

Oregon

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Joined
May 15, 2018
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820
Location
Oregon coast
I think the flavor of spring bear is better than any mulie I’ve eaten. I notice a huge difference in taste from a fall bear.
Spring bear is like veal. Hasn’t used it’s muscles in months, hardly any fat, and it’s primary diet waking up is grass. REGARDLESS, it is still a tough meat. Back straps hit heat and they curl up a little.
I pound my bear steaks or run them through the cuber. Roasts are a great option.
 

kylem

Lil-Rokslider
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Oct 30, 2016
Messages
172
Location
North Idaho
We absolutely love bear meat at our house. I'd take a bear roast over an elk or deer roast every time.
 

Coldtrail

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Joined
Dec 9, 2019
Messages
359
Nothing wrong with bear, sausage, roasts, ground, shredded like pulled pork etc etc. I was at a party where we roasted one like a pig and though a little dry, was still good with some gravy added.

Since you are in Wyoming, don't turn your nose up on mountain lion either, a smoked lion is pretty good and their are recipes for cooking that are delicious. They are not scavengers and eat their meals fresh, so no funky taste. I've hunted Wyoming lions, but am a non resident so the cost to hunt plus $400 tag keeps me from going much. But a resident connection? I'll bring the hounds, you keep the hide & I'll keep the meat:)
 
Joined
Apr 8, 2019
Messages
1,976
I like to make a bear stew and add some eggs. You end up with poached/boiled eggs in the stew depending on how long you let them cook.We call it bear stew with rooster bullets at my house.
 
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