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Main Boards => Recipes/Grilling/ Barbecuing/Smokers => Topic started by: koger on August 21, 2012, 09:15:00 PM

Title: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: koger on August 21, 2012, 09:15:00 PM
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
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: Pete McMiller on August 21, 2012, 09:26:00 PM
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.
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: ChuckC on August 21, 2012, 09:56:00 PM
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
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: Ray Lyon on August 21, 2012, 10:13:00 PM
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.
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: wtpops on August 21, 2012, 10:17:00 PM
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
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: Ron LaClair on August 21, 2012, 10:43:00 PM
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...    :nono:

   (http://***********.bowsite.com/tf/pics/00small21671201.JPG)

   (http://***********.bowsite.com/tf/pics/00small45315274.JPG)
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: Blue Tick on August 21, 2012, 10:57:00 PM
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.
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: Paul Shirek on August 21, 2012, 11:06:00 PM
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!
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: Rick Wiltshire on August 21, 2012, 11:25:00 PM
I shot a 400 pounder this spring at it taste great!!!!
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: Machino on August 21, 2012, 11:44:00 PM
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.
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: kestimator on August 22, 2012, 12:13:00 AM
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!!!!
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: JJB2 on August 22, 2012, 12:20:00 AM
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.
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: SAM E. STEPHENS on August 22, 2012, 12:35:00 AM
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,,,
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: kestimator on August 22, 2012, 12:41:00 AM
Quote
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  :)
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: kestimator on August 22, 2012, 12:43:00 AM
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!!!!
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: Vig on August 22, 2012, 12:58:00 AM
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...
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: Don Batten on August 22, 2012, 06:14:00 AM
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
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: koger on August 22, 2012, 06:18:00 AM
Looks good so far guys, keep'em coming!
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: ChuckC on August 22, 2012, 07:49:00 AM
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
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: Steve O on August 22, 2012, 08:08:00 AM
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!
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: Ron LaClair on August 22, 2012, 11:22:00 AM
Quote
 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 !  
I use to render down the bear fat and we used it for cooking, pie crust, cookies, or just frying grease. One time when Jay Massey was in Michigan he stayed at our house. I popped pop corn one night while we watched TV. Jay commented on how good the pop corn was and I told him I popped it in bear grease. He said, "hmmm I'll have to tell Martha about that"

   
Quote
 
Bear grease, you can use it on your boots, you can use it on your hair. You can use it in the frying pan, you can use it anywhere .
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: Ray_G on August 22, 2012, 03:20:00 PM
In addition to all the great ideas you are getting, I'll throw this in.  I had my local butcher shop make smoked ham out of both hind quarters.  He boned them, put them in the net material and smoke cured them.  Good eatin'!
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: Scott Beitzel on August 24, 2012, 05:34:00 PM
i have tried bear meat about almost any way a fella could fried baked broiled basted poached packed and pickeled but the best i have to say that i have ever layed the small parts of my taste buds to was sausage ground large and mixed with a sausage meatloaf mix i believe mckormicks makes the seasoning it comes in a shaker and will season 20 lbs of meat grind mix let set over night and then package and freeze .
just make sure after you try it don't get any on your forehead or your tounge will beat your brains out trying to get it off lol.

it's that good ,

but then again just my taste,

Scott
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: chinook907 on September 05, 2012, 12:41:00 AM
It's excellent meat, a lot like beef.  We eat 1/2 to 2 bears a year, just depends on how it goes hunting and how many friends it is split amongst.

My favorite way to make it is as a stew.  A friends wife gave me a moose stew recipe a number of years ago, and I've changed it around and added things over the years, everybody likes it.  It would work for about any game meat and I make it all the time with black bear.  Hope you get to try it and enjoy it.

Bear or Moose Mushroom Barley Stew

1 1/2 – 3lbs bear or moose stew meat
2 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt & pepper
1 cup hot water
1 cup red wine (you can substitute 1 cup beef broth + 2 T red wine vinegar)
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup carrots, sliced (about 3 carrots)
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
6-8 cups hot beef broth
6oz can tomato paste
16oz can stewed tomatoes w/juice
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup lentils (dry)
1/2 cup barley (dry)
8oz can sliced mushrooms

Cut meat into eating-sized pieces, season with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 T olive oil in 5 qt. stockpot. Add meat and brown, then add flour and mix around.
Slowly pour in hot water, 2 cups of hot broth and 1 cup of wine.
In a saute' pan, heat 2 T olive oil, add onions & cook until carmelized, browned & tender
Stir garlic into onion mixture and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds
Mix onion/garlic into meat mixture and simmer (covered) for approximately 1 hour.

Pour in the rest of the beef broth, add tomato paste, stewed tomatoes w/juice, thyme, basil, bay leaf, and simmer (covered) for 20-30 minutes.

In a saute' pan melt butter, add mushrooms, sauté until tender.

Add mushrooms, barley, and lentils to the rest and simmer for approximately 40 minutes.

Note: you may need to add more or less liquid depending on how thick you like your
stew. The lentils and barely will soak up a lot of liquid so keep an eye on your
soup to make sure you don't run out of broth.
Title: Re: Bear meat, any cooks out there, thoughts, recipes etc.
Post by: frozen bow on December 22, 2012, 12:16:00 AM
I live in nothern Canada and I find bear taken in the fall are better than sprig bear. mabe because of the berries thay eat.