Ways to try bear meat?

[yakimanoob]

Hey folks,

So here's the situation.  I plan on hunting bear this year for the first time, but when I shared this idea with my (amazing, hunting-loving, meat-eating) wife, she was unexpectedly appalled. Apparently to her, and to be fair even to myself before I started thinking about it, elk and deer are dinner but bears are not. 

After some long discussions on the ethics of bear hunting, we reached a compromise: I can hunt bear, but before I do, we both have to try the meat to see if it's worth eating (as we both agree that a desire for the meat is a pre-requisite to killing an animal).  I'm convinced by reading that bear meat is or at least can be delicious, but it's totally fair she wants us to try it to make sure we don't hate it and kill an animal for no reason. 

While I agree in theory, it does present a difficult practicality: how on earth do I acquire bear meat without hunting it myself?  We don't know anyone who bear hunts and has meat they could share with us, and I also want to ensure we try a berry-fed bear and not one that's been filling itself with rotten seafood. 

Any advice?  I've already googled to the best of my ability and it seems that, understandably, there's no one out there trying to farm black bears so they can legally sell the meat. 

Thanks in advance for the help!

[JDHasty]

McCleary Bear Festival - but it was a couple weeks ago

http://mcclearybearfestival.org/

[Luna butte]

The best recipe I can offer is

Hang n skin your Bear while your wife starts a Kraft brand Mac n chee.
Immediately upon removal of the hide throw away anything that ain't hide and enjoy the Mac n chee.

I've been privileged plenty with bruin meat and folks who can definately cook well struggle when attempting to make bear palatable.

It's an acquired taste.... Like dung, crazy folks love it.

[Luna butte]

Oops, sorry I didn't realize I was in the bear hunting forum. I'm going to say that all you are exempted from my prior post and I'm sure you all cook a fine bear steak, now excuse me while I slide out the forum door into lurker mode.

[idaho guy]

pm me your address and I will send you some bear sausage for free. After you have it you will shoot 2

[yakimanoob]

pm me your address and I will send you some bear sausage for free. After you have it you will shoot 2

Sent!  Thanks

[JL]

IMO, it just requires the right prep/recipe in relation to your taste buds. What doesn't though? One of the best meals I've ever enjoyed repeatedly was a 95% Bear meat massive diameter sausage that we used to cook up on the ice. Cast Iron and butter on a propane grill. That's it. I swear, it was so delicious nobody even bothered with eggs etc... and we always had non-hunters w/ us. Probably teriyaki if I had to guess and I'm sure the freezing temps and wind chill triggered some sort of a primal appetite... but one I'll always welcome.

[Timberstalker]

I've never had a piece of bear meat I didn't like. Period.
We are blessed on the east side to take Bears that eat fruit in the fall, no fish.

Anyone that says bear meat is bad, either didn't take care of it correctly/prepare it correctly or has f-ed up taste buds.

[h20hunter]

I like the roasts corned, the steaks grilled, the trim and what not in pep or summer sausage. Westside bears I believe are either great....eating berries and grass...or are unedible. Ask Stang...he shot a spring bear that was awful.  I only have two under my belt but both were fine eating.

[carpsniperg2]

I've never had a piece of bear meat I didn't like. Period.
We are blessed on the east side to take Bears that eat fruit in the fall, no fish.

Anyone that says bear meat is bad, either didn't take care of it correctly/prepare it correctly or has f-ed up taste buds.

It depends a lot on what the bears eat to. So if they have been chowing on skunk cabbage they might not be so tasty  I don't like them greasy the fall bears I have killed and ate where nasty compared to the spring bears I have killed. The less fat the better for me.

[yakimanoob]

Like I said, I'm convinced by reading that the meat will be great 

But as they say, happy wife, happy life. 

[WAcoyotehunter]

I have had several bears and generally enjoy the meat.  Try a simple recipe, seasoned and grilled (cooked through). 

[idaho guy]

pm me your address and I will send you some bear sausage for free. After you have it you will shoot 2

Sent!  Thanks

You will get the meat tomorrow-already made into german sausage. Your wife will MAKE you go bear hunting I swear ha ha. Sent ups so someone should be looking for it. It is froze now

[Machias]

I also think it has something to do with what the bear was doing before it was killed and obviously how quickly it is cooled and taken care of after it's killed.  I think bears run by dogs any distance do not taste near as good as a relaxed, unaware bear that has been eating berries.  I think a bear that has been run hard has a lot of lactic acid in it's muscles and does not taste near as good.  Also a bear killed but not recovered for some time does not taste as good as one gutted quickly, skinned and cooled quickly.

[MADMAX]

and remove ALL the fat

[yakimanoob]

You will get the meat tomorrow-already made into german sausage. Your wife will MAKE you go bear hunting I swear ha ha. Sent ups so someone should be looking for it. It is froze now

You are a gentleman and a scholar!

[ghosthunter]

My wife who has been very supportive of my hunting for over 30 years, Likes deer ,elk and grouse. She will not try duck at all.

And refuses to try bear for any reason. She says a bear has paws like a dog so no go. She doesn't want me to even cook it when she is around.
She did jump in and help me cut my spring bear up.

Most of my bear meat will be going to hunting camp.

[yakimanoob]

I gotta say I'm not the biggest fan of duck meat either.  I've had duck that was delicious, but I've had much more duck that I didn't care for particularly.  It's certainly not BAD, just not really my thing.  I've never been big on turkey leg either, so maybe my brain just wants white meat to be white and dark meat to be... um... red.   

[yakimanoob]

Not to derail my own thread, but I can't help but wonder if getting a bear will make me want a smoker so bad I can't help but spend the $$. 

[kselkhunter]

My smoker gets used a lot.  So does the sausage maker.

I just sausage all my waterfowl now, and it's phenomenal.  This is my first year bear hunting also, and I plan to sausage at least half of it. 

[idaho guy]

I also think it has something to do with what the bear was doing before it was killed and obviously how quickly it is cooled and taken care of after it's killed.  I think bears run by dogs any distance do not taste near as good as a relaxed, unaware bear that has been eating berries.  I think a bear that has been run hard has a lot of lactic acid in it's muscles and does not taste near as good.  Also a bear killed but not recovered for some time does not taste as good as one gutted quickly, skinned and cooled quickly.

I agree with you on the care of the meat and it does make a difference what the bear is eating for sure. But I have had some great  meat from bears run  by hounds and also some not so good meat from bears run by hounds. So I am not sure about that one. 

[Machias]

   probably has more to do with how they are taken care of after they are killed then.

[Machias]

My smoker gets used a lot.  So does the sausage maker.

I just sausage all my waterfowl now, and it's phenomenal.  This is my first year bear hunting also, and I plan to sausage at least half of it. 

Just make sure to get it to the proper temp for the required amount of time, 

[kselkhunter]

Yep.  I add pork belly in my sausage, so have to cook it well anyway (same trichinosis concern).

[yakimanoob]

I'm sure you'll all be very unsurprised to hear that the sausage was fantastic, and my wife is officially in support of my bear hunting efforts 

Thanks again to idaho guy for so graciously sharing.  Now let's see if I can make all this talk worthwhile and actually harvest a bear!

[yakimanoob]

On a different note...  how do I delete an attachment or turn a photo?  It appears right side up when I open it on my computer, but apparently that didn't help... 

[Blacktail Sniper]

 

Good luck!

As has been said, after the kill treatment is very important to what you will end up with as a finished product.

Get it dressed out and the hide off so it can start cooling right away, also remove as much fat as you can.  My bear had between 2"-3" on it that I shaved off, kinda amazing how rolly-polly those critters can get! 

Get all that off the carcus to help cool it off, especially in the early part of the season when temps are up.  Find a creek or cool, shady place out of the direct sun to work on it, also if ice can be had, use it generously.

[idaho guy]

I'm sure you'll all be very unsurprised to hear that the sausage was fantastic, and my wife is officially in support of my bear hunting efforts 

Thanks again to idaho guy for so graciously sharing.  Now let's see if I can make all this talk worthwhile and actually harvest a bear!

  we get a bear or two every year and by the next year we never have any left over!

[Machias]

Way to go idaho guy!!!

[idaho guy]

Way to go idaho guy!!!

  Sounds like the sausage converted him to a bear hunter!

[yakimanoob]

Way to go idaho guy!!!

  Sounds like the sausage converted him to a bear hunter!

Haha, the conversation around the table with my wife and two of our best friends was MUCH friendlier to the idea of killing a bear than it had been previously.  It's hard to argue with delicious meat 

[Ripper]

Bear meat is my favorite.

[tgomez]

I've never had a piece of bear meat I didn't like. Period.
We are blessed on the east side to take Bears that eat fruit in the fall, no fish.

Anyone that says bear meat is bad, either didn't take care of it correctly/prepare it correctly or has f-ed up taste buds.

Couldn't of said it better myself. Not only is it delicious, but it is my favorite animal to hunt and very rewarding. Bears are amazing animals and have many uses. Bear fat makes some of the best pie crust ever!

[idaho guy]

Way to go idaho guy!!!

  Sounds like the sausage converted him to a bear hunter!

Haha, the conversation around the table with my wife and two of our best friends was MUCH friendlier to the idea of killing a bear than it had been previously.  It's hard to argue with delicious meat 

thanks for the elk jerky just got it today

[HuntinCrazy]

I gotta say I'm not the biggest fan of duck meat either.  I've had duck that was delicious, but I've had much more duck that I didn't care for particularly.  It's certainly not BAD, just not really my thing.  I've never been big on turkey leg either, so maybe my brain just wants white meat to be white and dark meat to be... um... red.   

Turkey hind quarters braised in beef broth ....veggies ..Dutch oven. low and slow YUMMMM Kinda of like a stew

[Magnum_Willys]

 ( . Edit / post with phone )

[sumpnz]

Good luck!

As has been said, after the kill treatment is very important to what you will end up with as a finished product.

Get it dressed out and the hide off so it can start cooling right away, also remove as much fat as you can.  My bear had between 2"-3" on it that I shaved off, kinda amazing how rolly-polly those critters can get! 

Get all that off the carcus to help cool it off, especially in the early part of the season when temps are up.  Find a creek or cool, shady place out of the direct sun to work on it, also if ice can be had, use it generously.

If I get a bear in September, that is my plan.  However, I will also be saving that fat and bringing it out of the woods.  Bear lard is supposed to be fantastic.  I only say supposed to be because I don't have first hand experience, but am looking forward to correcting that deficit.

[yakimanoob]