So who actually eats bear?

[floatinganchor]

I could understand if this conversation was about wolves or cougars but not taking bear meat would be an absolute travesty. The meat is a great contrast to all the super lean ungulates we eat. It has a fair amount of fat/oil in the meat which makes it far more desirable for summer sausage, pepperoni sticks, roasts, cook down, pulled bbq sandwiches, smoking, canning, breakfast sausage... I use it for anything except steaks. Take the 4 quarters, neck, and back strap and remove as much fat off the deboned meat as possible then prep and freeze it how you would any other animal. You won’t regret it.

Bear is great but cougar is even better!

 

[floatinganchor]

I’m grinding up a bunch of bear burger and sausage right now. It tastes amazing!

 

[Squamch]

Okay, this will seem weird, but it’s been on my mind for a while:

Has anyone eaten Raccoon? I’ve heard of raccoon markets in rural areas, especially decades ago where some down-home country folk loved eating coon. Don’t they essentially have similar diet and body as a black bear?


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Yep. Tasted pretty good, but was pretty stringy too. I think that was just because it was big chunks slow cooked then pulled. If it had been cut up a bit more it would have been fine.

 

[805Bowhunter]

I love it. Like others have said, summer sausage, roasts etc. Its a predator so I'm a fan of people hunting them regardless, I do enjoy eating though (black bear). I've never had/tried grizzly.

 

[MeatBuck]

People who know what’s good eat bear meat. Barring fish or dump bears of course.
This being the reason I wait til way after season to take my meat to the processor. I know what my bear was eating but who knows what kind of diet the other bears in the grinder had.
The thought of a bear with a dirty diaper hanging from his face is enough to turn my guts so I avoid the chance of eating mixed meat.
Just dropped 28lbs off at Orland Meat Processor for summer sausage and teriyaki sticks Thursday in preparation for deer/bear season.

 

[Garrettg_926]

I’m not a fan of bear meat. But the land owner were I deer hunt loves it. I just give it all to him

Good call, lol. I give all of mine away as well.

 

[GPATTI]

Great for sausage and hamburger! Beyond that, all bets are off.

 

[Hogyotedeer]

bear meat are the best.

 

[DigDug]

I had it once, from one of my uncles. It was ground up, so I'm not sure what cut it came from, but it was pretty tasty.

 

[Clarktar]

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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What temp do you aim for when smoking? I have a roast thawed out, and plan to coat it in blackening spices then smoke it on the traegar. First time cooking bear...

 

[marshland_max]

We do!

 

[as.ks.ak]

What temp do you aim for when smoking? I have a roast thawed out, and plan to coat it in blackening spices then smoke it on the traegar. First time cooking bear...

Anywhere over 165 is good. I wait until mine is falling off the bone though. I hit 185 generally. Here’s a good temp info/guideline to reference.

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[Clarktar]

Anywhere over 165 is good. I wait until mine is falling off the bone though. I hit 185 generally. Here’s a good temp info/guideline to reference.


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I have a thick backstrap all rubbed up. Going to smoke it until it hits 165, then let it rest for a bit and eat. Will report back.

 

[BackcountryBloodline]

I have a thick backstrap all rubbed up. Going to smoke it until it hits 165, then let it rest for a bit and eat. Will report back.

Without any moisture that may very well become shoe leather, I like to maintain as much moisture as possible and rarely go past 145 unless I'm braising or slow cooking in a crockpot. I would probably smoke it for 60-90 minutes to get a decent smoke ring then wrap it in foil with some garlic butter to cook it through the rest of the way, spring bear especially will dry out incredibly easy. 165 is instant death but you can kill trich at 137 if you hold the temperature long enough, in my experience anything past 150 without lots of moisture negatively effects the quality but if you wrap it in foil with some butter/oil/honey that can counteract that.

 

[as.ks.ak]

Without any moisture that may very well become shoe leather, I like to maintain as much moisture as possible and rarely go past 145 unless I'm braising or slow cooking in a crockpot. I would probably smoke it for 60-90 minutes to get a decent smoke ring then wrap it in foil with some garlic butter to cook it through the rest of the way, spring bear especially will dry out incredibly easy. 165 is instant death but you can kill trich at 137 if you hold the temperature long enough, in my experience anything past 150 without lots of moisture negatively effects the quality but if you wrap it in foil with some butter/oil/honey that can counteract that.

Totally opposite experience....but I smoke whole quarters. Not certain cuts.


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[BackcountryBloodline]

Totally opposite experience....but I smoke whole quarters. Not certain cuts.


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Nice, do you smoke unwrapped the whole time? I've never done a whole quarter but went to a buddies last summer when he had a full leg on the pit. I saw the thermometer hit 150 around 6pm, never reached 160 until around 8 and at that point it was pretty much inedible no matter how much beer you tried to wash it down with, wished I had spoke up but figured he knew what he was doing which apparently was not the case. How is the outer bark on a full quarter that hit an internal temp of 165 in the smoker? I may just have to experiment one day but I'm scared to dry out half a backstrap let alone a full quarter

 

[Clarktar]

Well, I would say the taste and moisture was fine. But damn, the texture was not what I like. It was more mushy, like liver. Bummer. Live and learn. I smoked it slow to 130 deg. Then stuck it in castiron with a bunch of butter and a lid, and waited for internal to rise to 150.

 

[Southforkguy]

bear is great eating. Don't be a sheep

 

[Goatie]

I had to stop bear hunting when I realized I was allergic to bear meat. Throat closing, itchy skin, the whole deal. Loved to eat it and really enjoyed hunting them up until that point.

 

[stitchesdraw]

Taken many a game large and small over the years
Best tasting meat equal to or above the rest is a low fatted archery spring bear with a good shot. It’s just delicious. Deff a favourite amongst our family and wonder table fare. Wouldn’t trade spring bear hunt meat for much. Although hunting moose and elk is a good use of a fall in the bush lol


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