Cougar Jerky

[frazierw]

Made up some jerky from the cougar i killed earlier this year.  Flavor is great, left it on the dehydrator a little long is the only issue i have with it.  I used the pepper flavoring and cure from Cabelas. 

[Wolfdog2314]

Good to hear.

I kept my cougar backstrap and tenderloin from my cougar this year for pan fry and jerky. Pan fried in Pride of the West is great!

Gotta try the jerky next.

The rest I had done in to breakfast sausage, real good too!

[carpsniperg2]

Cougar is great if done right. I have had it a few times. Just make sure it gets done. I know a person that got very sick from poorly cooked lion steaks.

[garrett89]

Interesting. Never had lion meat yet.

[bearpaw]

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/trichinosis/basics/prevention/CON-20027095

Trichinosis Prevention
By Mayo Clinic Staff

The best defense against trichinosis is proper food preparation. Follow these tips to avoid trichinosis:
Avoid undercooked meat. Be sure whole cuts of meat other than poultry and wild game are cooked to an internal temperature of 145 F (63 C) throughout, and don't cut or eat the meat for at least three minutes after you've removed it from the heat. Cook ground pork and beef to at least 160 F (71 C). They can be eaten immediately after cooking.

Using a meat thermometer is the best way to ensure the meat is thoroughly cooked.

Avoid undercooked wild game. For both whole cuts and ground varieties, cook to an internal temperature of at least 160 F (71 C).

Avoid undercooked poultry. For whole cuts and ground varieties, cook to a temperature of at least 165 F (74 C). For whole cuts, let the poultry sit for three minutes before cutting or eating.

Have wild-animal meat frozen or irradiated. Irradiation will kill parasites in wild-animal meat, and deep-freezing for three weeks kills trichinella in some meats. However, trichinella in bear meat does not die by freezing, even over a long period. Neither irradiation nor freezing is necessary if you ensure that the meat is thoroughly cooked.

Know that other processing methods don't kill parasites. Other methods of meat processing or preserving, such as smoking and pickling, don't kill trichinella parasites in infected meat.
Clean meat grinders thoroughly. If you grind your own meat, make sure the grinder is cleaned after each use.

[bearpaw]

I forgot to mention, a study by the University of Montana several years ago found that (if I remember correctly) 14% of bear and 47% of cougar they checked tested positive for trichinosis. Cougar is very good meat, but cook it well done! 

[boneaddict]

I've had cougar jerky. I loved it, but trich does scare the heck out of me.

[bearpaw]

I know of numerous cases of trich in NE WA. I remember once a guy took bear jerky he made to work and about 8 people got trichinosis.

[trophyhunt]

I've had cougar and bear, would you know if you got trichinosis?

[carpsniperg2]

Oh you would know it. The guy I know had horrible diarrhea vomiting and got super dehydrated from fluids coming out both ends. It can get severe if not treated and has a lot of weird stuff that comes on later. Don't remember what all he said but it wasn't pleasant.

[bearpaw]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichinosis

Signs and symptoms
The great majority of trichinosis infections have either minor or no symptoms and no complications.[7] There are two main phases for the infection: enteral (affecting the intestines) and parenteral (outside the intestines). The symptoms vary depending on the phase, species of Trichinella, quantity of encysted larvae ingested, age, sex, and host immunity.[8]

Enteral phase
A large burden of adult worms in the intestines promotes symptoms such as nausea, heartburn, dyspepsia, and diarrhea from two to seven days after infection, while small worm burdens generally are asymptomatic. Eosinophilia presents early and increases rapidly.[9]

Parenteral phase
The severity of symptoms caused by larval migration from the intestines depends on the number of larvae produced. As the larvae migrate through tissue and vessels, the body's inflammatory response results in edema, muscle pain, fever, and weakness. A classic sign of trichinosis is periorbital edema, swelling around the eyes, which may be caused by vasculitis. Splinter hemorrhage in the nails is also a common symptom.[10]

They may very rarely cause enough damage to produce serious neurological deficits (such as ataxia or respiratory paralysis) from worms entering the central nervous system. The CNS is compromised by trichinosis in 10–24% of reported cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, a very rare form of stroke (3-4 cases per million annual incidence in adults).[11] Trichinosis can be fatal depending on the severity of the infection; death can occur 4–6 weeks after the infection,[12] and is usually caused by myocarditis, encephalitis, or pneumonia.[13]

[hunter399]

Trichinosis is infection caused by the roundworm Trichinella spiralis or another Trichinella roundworm. Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, muscle pain, and fever. People acquire the infection by eating raw or undercooked contaminated meat.
These are your first signs.

[trophyhunt]

Wow, sounds fun!  Thanks guys

[sumpnz]

Yeah, if I were going to make cougar or bear jerky (were I ever lucky enough to kill either animal) I'd cook it at 250F for long enough to ensure core temp got above 160F.  For thin slices that are already at 130F or so from the smoker I'd guess that 15 minutes would probably do.

[Halo]

Also remember not to eat cougar if you are allergic to cats, I know someone who ended up in the hospital that way.