in the past iv had bear meat and it was awfull!!
now iv killed my first lil black bear and my daughter cooked some in a mushroom sauce and it was fantastic. tender and tasted very good.
question is what other recipes are there for yummy bear table fare.
this was a 200 lbs bear and had a tummy full of blueberrys. very sweet smelling meat and in great shape.
thanks
ted

As you found out some bears are great and some the dogs won't eat. I usually take the loins for the grill and have sausage made with the rest. I have also had some smoked bear ham And It was quite good.

Ted, I've played around with bear meat a bit. The only way I can eat it is like your daughter did, cooked in a nice gravy, or stew etc.

ted

I have cooked a lot of bear meat by simply seasoning it with your favorite seasonings, flour it [I do not dip mine in milk] and then cook in in olive oil.

I have shot a lot of black bears, and just like pigs I have never had a bad tasting one.

Also the front shoulder cooked in the oven with vegetables like a pot roast is delicious.

I nearly cover with half water half beer and a can of tomato paste.

I do wild pig shoulders the same way. Add potatoes, onions, carrots, celery, a can of stewed tomatoes... It is excellent.

Also, bear pig, deer, or elk, if you want to cook it on the grill, season it and put it in Itialian dressing, for a couple, to several hours, refigerated of course, then wrap it in bacon, using toothpicks to hold the bacon to the meat and cook it on the grill, either gas or charcoal.

Just do not cook it till it is tough as leather.

A little pink in the middle is just right.

Try corned bear, which is a good use for goose breasts as well.

Safe way to eat it too given that after brining it's boiled for a few hours.

I add a bottle of good lager to the brine and then a Guiness to the pot it's boiled in.

I've never cared for the fried or grilled bear, but I love the roasts.

awsome!!! thanks for the suggestions. i really liked the meat when she baked it with the mushroom soup. ill try the shoulder with all the vegies as well. this bear just falls apart its so tender. diff from all the rest ive tryed.

cant wait to get another and see if this is just a special bear or if my meticulouse care of the meat made the diff. im very particular with the care of the meat in the field and also have found with the moose we get that hanging for a week is the trick. makes great meat and so far has been very tender and not tough at all.

thanks again for the tips
ted

Bear meat is greatly affected by what happens to be on the bear menu at the time. Fall bear, fat from eating blue berries, is very good. Kill one in the spring after the sucker run, when it's been eating fish that it threw up on the stream banks two weeks ago, and it is rank.

Ted
I would also think of the many uses of Bear Burger. We usually harvest 2-3 bears each spring between two families. The choice roasts we leave as such, and then usually grind the rest. The burger is excellent and we usually add 10& pork fat or sometimes boneless pork ribs if found on sale. Primarily this is used in Chili, Spaghetti sauce and of course the bear burgers are a favorite with the kids.

quote:

Originally posted by swampshooter:
Bear meat is greatly affected by what happens to be on the bear menu at the time. Fall bear, fat from eating blue berries, is very good. Kill one in the spring after the sucker run, when it's been eating fish that it threw up on the stream banks two weeks ago, and it is rank.

Took the words right out of my mouth, Swampshooter. Bears that generally eat a fish diet taste nasty!

Bear burgers are the best. We add about 15% of pork fat to our bear. I mince onions and mushrooms in the meat before we grill the burgers. For variety I occasionally make very thin patties, add a handfull of shredded mozzerella cheese onto the pattie and top it off with another thin pattie, pinch the end together well and tighten up the burger shape and grill...yum.

Crock pot:
I cube 1 inch chunks of bear roast and cover meat with a can of Campbell's French onion soup (two if the crock is full of meat). I cook this on low all day and serve with mashed potatoes and a veggie.

Oven roast:
I cut my roast into big chunks and put them in the bottom of a 4 qt casserole dish. Mix a heaping tablesppon of Kraft minute tapioca (dry) with 2-3 cups of tomatoe juice, mix well and pour 1/3 over the meat. Cube up potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, onion and zuccini and mix remaining tomatoe/tapioca sauce with vegetables and pour vegies over the meat. (The tapioca/tomatoe juice makes a tasty thick sauce when done cooking). Cover casserole dish and place in oven set at 325 for about 3-4 hours. The last 1/2 hour put a drained cans of french cut green beans on the top of the casserole.