Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.

[koger]

Wife and I are heading to Hunters point to hunt with Eldon and the gang in last week sept., plan on bringing home the meat and utilizing it. I have had it several times, did not cook it, was great. What are your thoughts on the meat, on a scale of 1-10, 10 being good, or as good as deer. All feedback appreciated. I also plan on freezing the fat, and rendering it when I get back home, makes great gun oil, patch lube for trad ML's, me and a bunch of buds love the old smokepolse.s

[Pete McMiller]

I have had it a number of times and like it alot.  All the bears I have taken were younger so the meat was tender and not strong by any means.  The very best recipe I have used is "Corned Bear" and cabbage.  Just like corned beef.  I used to take the largest Nesco roaster full to a wild game feed that had 100 people come with their own 'dish to pass' and my Corned Bear was always the first to go.  I couldn't count the number of recipe cards I gave out.  

If you or anyone wants the recipe, send me a PM and I'll get it to you - BUT not until AFTER I get back from Elk Camp and I leave in the morning.

[ChuckC]

I like it better than deer.  It is a sweeter meat.  We make roasts, shredd it into BBQ, or french dip type sammies, or my favorite. .  bear and noodles !  Mmmmm
ChuckC

[Ray Lyon]

Get it cooled quickly and from there it makes wonderful table fair.  Roasts in a cast iron dutch oven over an open fire all day are fabulous.

[wtpops]

I must be eating with the wrong people. I've never.cooked it my self but have never taken more than two bites of any bear meat, maybe one day I'll try some that is good

[Ron LaClair]

Bear roast is the absolute best...better the the best prime beef IMO. It's fine grain and sweet. I've always gotten as much roast as possible and whats left into bear burger. You can take a chunk of bear meat and just boil it and it's good.

Like Ray said, skin and get in on ice ASAP. Unlike deer, a bear will sour quickly.

Several times I've roasted a hind leg in cast iron. Just season with salt and pepper...don't need any barbeque sauce...    

   

   

[Blue Tick]

I'm headed to New Brunswick this upcoming June on a bear hunt and have been debating on whether I want to try to bring the meat back. I've good stories and bad on eating it.

[Paul Shirek]

I made soup out of some of the smaller pieces of meat and followed a basic recipe for beef barley soup and it was great. Lots of black pepper and some cumin... good!

[Rick Wiltshire]

I shot a 400 pounder this spring at it taste great!!!!

[Machino]

I have killed two montana bears and I can't say enough good things about the meat. I have generally always ground everything.  Regular ground for spaghetti/lasagna/loafs, a little mesquite ground for burgers, and of course, breakfast sausage (followed a Jimmy Dean recipe).  It was gone too quick!  Its got good fat content as well.  I also have 25ish pounds of fat I still have to render.  A taxidermist friend of mine tells me it makes the best baking ingredients on earth.  His girth can back up his eating.

[kestimator]

My buddy Sam Stephens, a fellow TGr has hooked me up with some of his bear meat and it has been delicious!!!!!!!!!!  I prefer it to any warm blooded creature to date!!!!!!!  

As far as preparing it.... just use your favorite venison recipe and expect a sweeter experience!!!!

[JJB2]

Best meal my wife and I ever had is bear tenderloin in a blackberry sauce.  throw the loin on the skillet for a few mins on each side, oven for 15 mins or so, skillet the sauce to cook it down and the finished product melts in your mouth.  PM me if you want the actual recipe and I'll get it out of the AK wild game cook book I bought in Homer. I love bear, can't wait to get another one in the freezer.

[SAM E. STEPHENS]

I love bear , I dont cook it any special way just treat it like any other meat. Salt , pepper , garlic and a little Tony Chacheres is what I do to everything. And it makes a fine kielbasa sausage..
,,,Sam,,,

[kestimator]

Originally posted by SAM E. STEPHENS:
I love bear , I dont cook it any special way just treat it like any other meat. Salt , pepper , garlic and a little Tony Chacheres is what I do to everything. And it makes a fine kielbasa sausage..
,,,Sam,,,

Amen Sam!!!!

That sausage you gave me was also awesome!!!
Aren't you supposed to be heading NW asap???
Us mooching friends are very interested in you having a fun and successful time out West....you know...so that we can help you with freezer over-flow issues    LOL!!!!
Jackie has been asking about bear meat and when you'll be back home for TX deer hunting  

[kestimator]

Sam,

You know that Jackie and I won that chili cook off using your bear meat as the main ingredient....btw....his school cook off is coming up again in Sept    .....no pressure    LOL!!!!

[Vig]

Bear meat is good!  Take care of the animal (good shot, skin and cool quickly, etc.) and it will be great.  Summer sausage is a personal favorite...

[Don Batten]

This is from an old post i made on the SVBZ site:

While I'm on a roll, heres a quick and easy way to cook bear.
To me the most important part of good bear meat is to get the meat cool as soon as possible. As with all meat, the younger the animal the better it will be. Take a few steaks and cut into 2" cubes. put in pressure cooker and just enough water to generate some steam. I put a little salt,pepper and just a pinc of cloves in. bring up the pressure and cook for 15min. In a bowl combine 1 large bottle of catalina dressing, 1 large onin diced, 1 8oz can sliced black olives, 1 8oz can mushrooms. stir. take meat out of pressure cooker and spead in bakeing pan. pour sauce over and bake at 350 for 35- 40 min uncoverd. serve with wild rice and veg of you choice. DB

[koger]

Looks good so far guys, keep'em coming!

[ChuckC]

as was stated earlier, definately save (and render) some of the external body fat.  I hear you can use it for almost anything.  It cleans up nice and white.  My wife made a pie crust using it and it was really good !

ChuckC

[Steve O]

All the bears I have taken care of myself have been outstanding in taste.  As Ron said, bear pot roast is incredible.  I made one in the dutch oven for the boys during a Michigan Longbow hunt last fall and it is one of my top 10 meals ever eaten and I have been to fine restaraunts all pver the world.

The kids and I had bear burgers on the grill last night...they can't get enough!