Bear hams

[Figboot74]

I got my first bear Saturday evening. I am planning on making hams with the rear legs. I would like some advice on the best cure and process. Bone in or out? Cure before or after freezing? Any other recommendations would be great.
 Thanks, P

[quadrafire]

Congrats on your first bear. Is there a story/pics?

I'm gonna follow along here on the Ham procedure. Glad you brought it up

[h20hunter]

Tagging this one.

[gaddy]

I don't know the process. The only bear i have been fortunate to get was done for me. They did bone out, cured and smoked before freezing.

[jasnt]

Had last years bear hams done and they where great!!  I don't know enough to do it my self so I had it done

[Kittman]

Congratulations on your first bear.   Morton Tender Quick works well for this.  Cure the meat at a temperature between 36 degrees – 40 degrees F. as Colder temperatures will prevent you from curing properly and warmer temps will encourage spoilage growth.  Bone in is fine as the marrow imparts good flavor, however the meat will still need to be properly cooked prior to consuming.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

COngrats! Keep us posted on the hams process!

[Figboot74]

Congrats on your first bear. Is there a story/pics?

I'm gonna follow along here on the Ham procedure. Glad you brought it up

Unfortunately the camera on my phone is broken so no full body shot. Here is a head pic taken by my stepdaughter.
This was a new spot a friend had told me about. My normal area was being sprayed by the tree company with a helicopter, so I decided to go check out this other area. Friday I found a ton of blackberries with trails all through them. Huge piles of crap. I hunkered down in between two small blackberry covered clearings. I heard a couple bears huffing at each other and got ready when the wind started swirling around. They must of smelled me, because one more huff from the bears and they were gone. This has been a repeat scenario this bear season. Close enough to be in range but they just don't want to come out in the open. I tell myself to be patient and try again tomorrow.
     I had some encouraging sign the next morning, a fresh pile of poo 30 yards from where I was the night before. This was enough to have me sitting in that downpour for 6 hours. Finally I had go get dry and warm. Back to the truck empty handed again. After pizza and a nap I was back in spot committed to saying until dark. 4 hours later out of sheer boredom I was using the range finder to get the distance of every rock or leaf or bird in sight. 93 yards was the maximum distance in the clearing. I was afraid I had pigeon holed myself to too small of a spot. Just then through the range finder I see a huge nose. He is standing on a log trying to find me with his snout. He is massive! The wind is still and it is dumping buckets. He doesn't smell me. Thank you mother nature.
     The adrenaline hits me like a truck. 86 yards and getting closer. 3 years of waiting for this moment almost got the best of me. "Calm down buddy, you got this." I told myself. Along with "DO NOT C*%K this up!" I have a great broadside shot with a sapling right behind his shoulder.  Nice. I patiently wait for him to move into the clearing. I ready the .270 as he starts eating some berries and grazing along I lose him in the brush. I focus the scope on the trail where he should step out and then he walks into the cross hairs. He finally gives me his right side and BANG! Bear down! The 150gr bullet found its mark and he only went 20 feet.
     I was close enough to where I could drive my truck and rope him out with it. This felt amazing until I realize I'm alone with 1 hour of light left. Luckily I carry a come-along, because I could not, for the life of me, get him into the truck by myself. My buddies didn't answer their phones(great friends). An hour later he is gutted in the truck. Now to the store to get ice.
I get home to no power, so I get to skin and break him down by a lantern. My wife and stepdaughter and her girlfriend all pitch in and help. Nice family bonding time. I've been in the field for 2 days and just got done processing a bear and we have no shower. I just sleep on the couch in the garage.
 

[saylean]

Congrats on your first! Looks like it has a nice chevron white patch there too. As far as the hams go, a lot of people don't care for the fat of bears (of course, some do). I would advise taking the layered fat off before cooking, then just baste with the natural juices as it cooks, or whatever spices you decide to go with.

Congrats again, must have been tough sittin in that storm Friday.

[wildbill2]

Im told bear meat may have trichnosis. Is that true?

[gaddy]

Well now, Life is full of adventures, and it sounds like you just had an awesome one. God eats coming your way.

[Figboot74]

Congrats on your first! Looks like it has a nice chevron white patch there too. As far as the hams go, a lot of people don't care for the fat of bears (of course, some do). I would advise taking the layered fat off before cooking, then just baste with the natural juices as it cooks, or whatever spices you decide to go with.

Congrats again, must have been tough sittin in that storm Friday.

Thanks.
 I was wanting to cure the hams for the holidays. We always have a big feed with wild game and a store bought ham. I was going to make cured bear ham and smoke them. I also trimmed all the fat off and am going to render it into lard. I normally do this with leaf lard from a pig.  He had a nice 2 inch thick layer of fat on his rump. I'm going to try Buckboard bacon with one the shoulders. I can't wait to put those ribs on the smoker this weekend.

[Figboot74]

Im told bear meat may have trichnosis. Is that true?

Yes. All black bear meat must be cooked fully.

[gaddy]

  Will be waiting for the pict's.

[whacker1]

My experience with bears is like Saylean said, It is the fat/lard that gives it a Gamy flavor, so I always try to trim as much as possible, smoke, so it can shed additional fat.

When you decide to cook it fully either at smoking before freezing or day of, I would again do it so that it can shed its own fat, Traeger, or some other method where the grease can settled out.  If covered, use a cookie drying rack to let the grease settle in the bottom of the pan.

the best bear roasts I have ever had were seasoned much like a prime rib, and cooked on an open flame with a rotisserie low and slow, but through where the bone would have been in a rear hind leg.

Many people think they can bread and pan fry a bear steak like they would a dear steak, and it cooks in its own grease and ruins the flavor......At least in my opinion.