2011 Spring Bear eats

[newhunterette]

I felt that it being Spring Bear season, I would add a little knowledge and a couple recipes for that delicious critter y'all had the chance to harvest. First off let me say congratulations to all those who have been successful in their harvest this year.


Why Bear meat?

The meat is safe, nutritious, usually tender and flavourful with careful handling and preparation. Domestic meat is expensive. It makes good economic sense to utilize as much wild meat as possible. Bears are easy to skin. Hunters take the hide anyway, so why not bring out the meat? An adult black bear is 75-100 lbs of good meat, a grizzly about a third more. Most bear meat has a mild flavour. For those who do not like the taste of wild game, it is easily hidden with marinades, spices or smoke cures.


About Bear meat?
Meat quality, if the animal is carefully field dressed and correctly cooked, can be excellent. The flavour resembles pork and venison combined. It is very rich meat.
Bear meat requires no aging and spoils more quickly than other big game, perhaps because of its higher fat content. Aging does not improve the flavor or tenderness of bear meat and actually tends to dry and toughen it. The flavour of grizzly meat is more pronounced and slightly coarser in texture but no less tender or edible. Grizzly meat does not freeze well. Three months is maximum, however, black bear freezes better, very similar to pork. Once the animal is boned out or cut to roast size, it looks much like any other type of game meat. The nutritional value of bear meat is far better than that of commercially produced beef. As with other wild game, it is high in protein, minerals and vitamins while low in fat and calories compared with beef. Means much more healthy for us.


Tips for cooking Bear Meat
All bear meat, like domestic pork, must be wellcooked to make it safe for human consumption. Follow standard pork cooking procedures. Always use a meat thermometer.The meat will be absolutely safe when it reaches an internal temperature of 170°F.Cook the meat until it looks white with no trace of pink meat or fluid. Freezing does not render northern bear meat safe for eating. Microwave cooking is not recommended because microwaves heat the meat unevenly.


BEAR BACON


1 Tbsp meat cure (Morton's) or salt peter
1 Tbsp dry mustard
2 Tbsp pickling spice
2 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp tumeric


Rub the flank meat thoroughly with dry cure and place in non-metal container. Pack with more curing mixture and store in a cool place. Leave 1 week, turn and move meat adding more cure. At the end of fifteen days, soak in clear water for an hour, then air dry for 48 hours. Smoke with a cold smoke for at least 48 hours, 'painting' the meat with maple syrup.


SMOKED BEAR HAMS


Follow the procedure for bacon but leave the hams in the dry cure for about twenty-five days. Soak in clear water for four hours, dry for three or four days and smoke with a cold smoke for about four days.

[newhunterette]

STEWED BEAR STEAKS

4 steaks
seasoned flour
1/4 c oil
1 large onion sliced 1 cup diced celery
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce


Dredge the steaks in flour and brown in cooking oil.Place in casserole and add the other ingredients. Cook 350F oven for 1

½, correct seasoning to your taste.

[newhunterette]

BBQ BEAR CHOPS

6 chops/steaks
oil
seasoning salt


Brush the meat with oil and place on bbq rack 4 inches above hot coals. Brown, brush with oil, turn and brown the other side. Raise the rack to 12 inches and cook until very well done. Serve with baked potatoes, salad, sautéed onions, mushrooms and garlic French bread. Scrumptious.

[newhunterette]

CURRIED BEAR

3 1/2 lbs diced bear meat
1 large chopped onion
1 diced clove of garlic
1 tsp ginger
1 c each chopped apple, celery, green pepper, tomatoes
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 c beer (any brand)
1-2 Tbsp curry powder
seasoned salt to taste


Sauté the meat, garlic and vegetables in olive oil. Add the seasonings and beer and cook over low heat until tender; about 1 hour. Serve over boiled rice. More
curry powder may be added to taste. Garnish with apple rings.

[newhunterette]

BEAR CHOPS DEVINE

8-10 bear chops
1 c sliced bacon
3 Tbsp butter
1 c beef consomme or beef broth
4 slices crispy bacon
1 urkranian sausage thinly sliced
1 c sour cream
salt and pepper to taste


Saute the chops until golden brown. Place in casserole. Saute the onions in butter and add, along with the rest of the ingredients, to the chops. Cook in a 350F oven for 1 to 1

½ hours.



NOTE: Mint sauce, mint jelly and orange sauce are excellent with bear meat and can be used to mask distinctiveflavours in fish-eating bears.

[newhunterette]

SUCCULENT BEAR ROAST
2-8 lb roast
4 cloves of garlic
2 chopped carrots
2 chopped celery
1 chopped onion

Insert slivers of garlic into the roast, surround with vegetables and cook at 350F for 1 ½ hours.


BEAR CAMP STEW
bear meat cut into cubes
1/4 c oil
1 chopped onion
2 c chopped carrots
1 c chopped celery
1 c diced turnip
1 bay leave
2 diced cloves garlic
1 c beef broth or consomme
1 can tomatoe sauce
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

3 c cubed potatoes
1 c peas
1 c mushrooms


Dredge the meat in flour and brown in oil. Add all the ingredients except the last three and cook for 1

½ to2 hours. Then add the potatoes, cook for 20 minutes,


add the mushrooms and peas and cook for 5 minutes.




Drop dumplings by spoonfuls on top and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Then cover and cook for 10 minutes longer.




DUMPLINGS

1 c flour
2 Tbsp butter
1 well beaten egg
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 c milk





Sift all dry ingredients, then stir in the butter, milk and egg; mix until moist. Drop batter by spoonfuls on top of stew and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Then cover and cook for 10 minutes longer.

[newhunterette]

Some Methods for preserving meat:

BRINING
1 gal. distilled or boiled water
4 lbs coarse salt
1 lb brown sugar
meat cure (Morton's) or saltpeter (optional)


Stir in the salt and sugar until it is dissolved. Add the saltpeter and test the brine. It should float a raw egg. If not, add more salt. Put the meat in a non-metal container and cover completely with brine. Weigh the meat down so it is covered at all times. Leave for six days at a cool temperature; turn thoroughly, repeat in a week and again in two weeks. Roughly, it takes three days for each 1 lb of meat.


NOTE: Meat may be wet or dry cured. This is either a method for preserving the meat or a preliminary step to smoking it.




CANNED
14 lbs small chuncked bear meat
4 tsp peppercorn steak spice
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground pepper


Canning meat is something that seems to have fallen by the wayside. Years ago, canning was a necessity, mainly because a number of people did not have freezers or even electricity. However, based solely upon the flavour of the final product, you should try it.


You can use any kind of wild game meat with the same successful results. Bear is particularly good.


Mix ingredients in a large bowl. Prepare the jars for processing, making sure jars and rings are clean and new lids are used. Check jars for chips or imperfections
where the lid seals onto the jar and discard any jar that is not perfectly smooth.
Pack jars with meat mixture. Each jar will hold 2 lbs of meat. Leave an open space in the neck of the jar (3/4 inch) and put lids and rings on snug. Place jars in a pressure cooker with enough water to come about half way up the sides of the jars. Boil for 20 minutes with the vent open. This process vents the jars inside the cooker. Close the vent and build pressure to 10 lbs. Turn down heat to maintain this pressure for 90 minutes.
Remove pressure cooker from heat and let sit until all pressure is completely bled off. Do not try to hurry this process by opening the vent or trying to take the lid off. Scalding yourself could result and the jars inside
the cooker could break.With all the pressure bled off (this takes about half an hour), remove the lid to the cooker and place your jars of canned meat on the counter to cool. Your canned meat is ready for any kind of a quick
dinner recipe, hot or cold. It also makes the world's best sandwich.


Just like Grandma did it.

[newhunterette]

CORNED BEAR
4 c water
1/2 cup coarse salt
1/3 c brown sugar
1 tsp meat cure (Morton's) or saltpeter
1/2 tsp all spice berries
1/4 tsp peppercorns
1 tsp pickling spice


This is a fast and easy corning technique which is done in the refrigerator. Cover the meat (brisket or neck meat) with the solution and keep in the fridge, weighed
down, for about 2 weeks. Turn the meat every two days so that it will cure.

[The Dude]

Thanks for that NHette.....my next bear is gonna be called Hammy, closely followed by Corny and Smokey :-)

[Fishgutz]

Ok I've been scanning through the regs and I can't find anything that states you must take the fur????? Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Johnnybear]

Ok I've been scanning through the regs and I can't find anything that states you must take the fur????? Correct me if I'm wrong.

You are correct. You can't eat it anyways:mrgreen:.

Great thread NH. Lots of great idea's and I really liked the intro8-).

[Skull Hunter]

So, I'm thinking about making some bear sausage. This would be my first crack at making sausage. I don't think it's going to be too difficult, but I'm wondering if bear would have a high enough fat content on it's own, or would I need to add some extra pork fat?

[lorneparker1]

I would go 70/30 and i would wait till superstore or something of the like has pork butt or shoulder for cheap (uner 99 cents a pound) go buy a few mix it up and have at er!

[Slinky Pickle]

Newhunterette.... will you marry me? Oops... did I say that out loud?

[newhunterette]

Thanks for that NHette.....my next bear is gonna be called Hammy, closely followed by Corny and Smokey :-)
OMGosh you make me giggle


Ok I've been scanning through the regs and I can't find anything that states you must take the fur????? Correct me if I'm wrong.
I corrected my finger dyslexia so no worries all good


You are correct. You can't eat it anyways:mrgreen:.
Great thread NH. Lots of great idea's and I really liked the intro8-).
thank you muchly


So, I'm thinking about making some bear sausage. This would be my first crack at making sausage. I don't think it's going to be too difficult, but I'm wondering if bear would have a high enough fat content on it's own, or would I need to add some extra pork fat?
I usually use ground pork and add it for the extra fat

I would go 70/30 and i would wait till superstore or something of the like has pork butt or shoulder for cheap (uner 99 cents a pound) go buy a few mix it up and have at er!
what he said ....................


Newhunterette.... will you marry me? Oops... did I say that out loud?
lol OMGoodness you name is a real ummmmmmm interesting and yes you did say that out loud (let me ask my hubby if it's okay) see I knew I should have become a Morman..... :)

[newhunterette]

okay y'all here are 3 new bear recipes. a little unconventional but soooooooooooooo tasty.....

BEAR AND BROCCOLI

1 ½ lbs bear meat, cubed
2 c. strong coffee
¼ c. sugar
2 Tbsp. peanut oil
1/3 c. shallots, sliced thinly
4 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. ginger, minced or pureed
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2 c. broccoli, steamed

Marinate bear in coffee and sugar overnight. In a large wok or skillet, heat the peanut oil, sauté the shallots and garlic 3-4 minutes, add cubed bear meat, browning thoroughly, add ginger and continue sautéing, add remaining ingredients, turn heat to medium low, cook 20-30 minutes or until meat is tender, in a separate pot, steam broccoli then add just before serving. Serve with rice or pasta. I make green tea pasta but any of your favourite pasta noodles will be wonderful.

SMOKEY MAPLE BEAR SAUSAGE

2 lbs. bear meat, ground
1 lb. bacon, ground
1 Tbsp. maple flavouring, extract
2 Tbsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. coriander
½ tsp. liquid smoke (optional)

Chop bacon into 1” pieces and grind the above ingredients in a grinder until thoroughly mixed and blended, shape into desired size patties, fry in a skillet with a small amount olive oil. (be sure meat thermometer reads 165) Bear should be cooked right through. Make some yummy buttermilk pancakes and scramble some eggs and divine breakfast is made.


CEDAR PLANKED BEAR KABOBS

2 lbs. bear meat, cubed
Marinade:
½ c. soy sauce
¼ c. olive oil
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. pepper
Juice and zest from 1 lime
Olive or canola oil for basting

Mix all marinade ingredients together, pour into a zip lock back add bear meat, marinade overnight.

Prepare cedar plank: soak in water 1 hour to 24 hours, preheat plank on grill at medium heat for 5 minutes, brush cooking side of plank lightly with oil

Take wooden skewers which have been soaked in water as well (to prevent burning) thread meat cubes onto skewers. Brush meat lightly with oil, grill 15-20 minutes. Serve with wedges of lime.

[steelballs]

so let me get this right you hunt and have all the recipes you are the perfect lady. great recipes thank you

[gunnie2008]

so let me get this right you hunt and have all the recipes you are the perfect lady. great recipes thank you

x2
saving those recipes for sure!. x2 Thank you

[newhunterette]

so let me get this right you hunt and have all the recipes you are the perfect lady. great recipes thank you


x2
saving those recipes for sure!. x2 Thank you

thanks so much

I have a few more I will add in a few days

[East Van Ray]

Thanks for the recipes ... I mostly sausage everything but this looks like it is worth trying ...