Grizz Skull

[slyfox]

Does anyone know the best way to cook a grizz skull.

[i6s1]

2 hours in the oven at 450, serve with salad, mashed potatoes and gravy.

[pupper]

wow, you guys are brave. why dont you just order a pizza?

[huntwriter]

Clean the skull as good as possible with a knife and then cook it out in a mixture of water and bleach (60% water 40% bleach). Check often and pick off meat that comes loose. When the skull is cooked out and clean put it in cold clean water with bleach (same mixture as above) until it is cooled down. Then paint the skull with streight peroxide and pour some in the brain cavity. Let it dry. It will turn out snow white.

Caution: Be careful not to over cook the skull as the bone will become very brittle. When you discharge the cooking water do it slowly as there will be some of teeth at the bottom of the pot which have fallen out of the skull during the cooking. The missing theet can be easily glued back in the skull with a hot clue gun. When you cook the skull the pot should be big enough so the skull is completely submerged in water.

Due to the strong smell I would advice to cook the skull outside in the backyard or so, as it otherwise will stink up the house for days on end.

Good luck.

[Jager]

X2 on what HuntWriter said. I was told to keep the pot at a simmer as opposed to a rolling boil. Why? I'm not sure thats just the way I was taught. I learned the hard way that straight bleach will eat right through the bone. When I use the peroxide at the end I usually drape some toilet paper over the skull to keep the liquid from running off.

good luck

[SteadyGirl]

You could always send the skull to me and we can have the hide beetles clean it up for you really well. A caution with boiling. If you boil too hot or too long it weakens the teeth and can crack the bone itself. If you over bleach you also weaken the integrity and longevity of the bone. I find the hide beetles followed by a bit of peroxide to work really well. The best I have seen so far.

[blacktailslayer]

If you soak the skull in a bucket of water( with a lid on) for a week before simmering it the meat will come off much easier. Make sure you use peroxide not bleach, bleach will eat the bone away.

[Will]

Please don't use Bleach...boil with plain water.
Bleach dissolves Bone and doesn't take much overdoing to ruin a nice skull...stick with water and hard work....much safer;)
Steady's right about the Peroxide afterwards, brush it on and let dry in the sun.....several aplications till it's as white as you like.
She's also right in that Beetles do the Best Job possible...even preserving the fine Nasal passages which Bleach and water or even just boiling alone dissolve;)
Good Luck !

[Gateholio]

Steady

I have to come to the city at one point to drop off a hide for tanning, and pick up another one, and maybe I will meet you and drop off a ittle skull and those claws..

What is your schedule like these days, are you off on weekends or??? What is conveinient for you to meet somewhere/some time?:p


PS Bleach is corrosive...If you use it, use in small amounts and well diluted.

No need to boil with the beach, either...I find it best to simmer the skull, then remove, rip off cooked flesh and repeat until clean. I also have used a commerical de greaser that sucks alot of the oils and fat out, so you dont' get arancid smelll..;)

[mainland hunter]

degreasers are a good idea, i also use beetles

[bighornbob]

Clean as much meat, brain, eye balls off as you can. Simmer for about 20 minutes then take a pressure washer to it. Either use your own or go to a car wash. Wear rain gear and boots when you do as the chunks of meat fly off when using the washer. Try and get some commercial strength peroxide that will have white very quickly.

BHB

[Greenfields]

Where do you find the beetles?

Cheers
Brian

[Will]

Used to be able to order colonies of them from the states....I suspect they won't make it across the border anymore;)
They are usually called Dermesticide Beetles(sp?) basically "Carpet Beetles" You need to get a "Colony" going and then let them play.....they stink and it's not something you want going on in your basement:p