Anyone can bear meat?

[jlirot]

I know I'm getting ahead of myself. I have yet to shoot a bear. This is my 3rd year out and I FINALLY got close to one. No shot but he was in range at least.

In the unlikely event that I actually do shoot one - has anyone canned bear? I canned a bunch of my deer this year and OMG it's amazing. It's a fair bit of work but I think totally worth it.

Wondering if anyone has experience with bear. I'm guessing that it's a lot fattier so I'd probably want to brown the meat before canning. I browned some of the venison and some I didn't. I don't think it made much of a difference other than lowering the amount of fat in the jars. Venison fat is supposed to go rancid pretty easily - and I don't think that bear fat does - so maybe not as much of an issue?

Thoughts?

[Gateholio]

I can it just like deer meat. I never bothered to brown any of it.

[MichelD]

My parents wouldn't let bear meat in their freezer when I got my first bear in 1976 so my 8-month-three-week pregnant wife canned it.

Most of the fat on bear meat is just that it is "on" the meat on the outside. With that particular bear we rendered 9 gallons of grease off it.

Used it for baking, greasing my caulk boots and diaper rash ointment on the baby. Had it around for years and years until it got rancid in the jars.

What she did was roast the pieces first then canned them. We've done others since. Once canned it lasts and lasts.

What I have found over the years is that despite most of the fat being on the outside of the flesh, there must be some in the meat too so frozen bear meat isn't much good over a year in the freezer. Deer meat lasts much longer. We're still eating some from 2018.

[RyoTHC]

Will be trying the first time this year now that we got an all American pressure canner, I can’t see how it wouldn’t good, canned moose back east was always great.

[jlirot]

Thanks guys! Now, if I don't finally plug a bear next week I'll be on here asking for your favorite spot. :-) I'm seeing a lot of sign and I finally got close to one (other than the sow with 3 cubs I've seen a coupla times - those guys will be fair game next year). Where I've been going isn't really conducive to sitting and glassing. I'll keep everyone posted.

Hoping to do some canning next week. I'm down to just a couple of jars of canned venison. So time for some canned bear! I'm thinking bear nachos would be a hit...

Cheers and thanks again!

[walker1985]

Thanks guys! Now, if I don't finally plug a bear next week I'll be on here asking for your favorite spot. :-) I'm seeing a lot of sign and I finally got close to one (other than the sow with 3 cubs I've seen a coupla times - those guys will be fair game next year). Where I've been going isn't really conducive to sitting and glassing. I'll keep everyone posted.

Hoping to do some canning next week. I'm down to just a couple of jars of canned venison. So time for some canned bear! I'm thinking bear nachos would be a hit...

Cheers and thanks again!

Just had bear nachos last night with the family. My 8yr old and 5yr old devoured it. I didn't tell them what it was until after and they said they wanted more bear ��.
Good luck next weekend with your hunt!

[walks with deer]

I know I'm getting ahead of myself. I have yet to shoot a bear. This is my 3rd year out and I FINALLY got close to one. No shot but he was in range at least.

In the unlikely event that I actually do shoot one - has anyone canned bear? I canned a bunch of my deer this year and OMG it's amazing. It's a fair bit of work but I think totally worth it.

Wondering if anyone has experience with bear. I'm guessing that it's a lot fattier so I'd probably want to brown the meat before canning. I browned some of the venison and some I didn't. I don't think it made much of a difference other than lowering the amount of fat in the jars. Venison fat is supposed to go rancid pretty easily - and I don't think that bear fat does - so maybe not as much of an issue?

Thoughts?

I saw your divorce thread head to the north island where women out number men shoot bear go fishing and talk to every woman you see..lol its been 18years since i went to cambell river i still need councilling lol..

[jlirot]

I saw your divorce thread head to the north island where women out number men shoot bear go fishing and talk to every woman you see..lol its been 18years since i went to cambell river i still need councilling lol..

Now that is some solid (funny) advice!