Best ways to use bear meat?

[TheJason]

How about Chile verde?

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

We have always made a bunch of cube steaks with bear meat. We would run it through the tenderizer a few times. Always was a fan favorite.

 

[Sask hunter]

I always go sausage with mine

 

[Flatbrimmer]

The boss wasn’t all that thrilled I didn’t give the meat away with the hide.

Looking for best odds ideas for cooking here. Stroganoff? Pot roast style? Smoked and slow cooked for BBQ?

How about the grind pile? Burger? Sausage?

I second the bratwurst. I used the pepper n garlic blend in natural hog casings maybe erred a little heavy on the seasoning.. i let them sit in the fridge overnight and the next day smoked them to the recommended temp, (I think 170ish). When they were cooled enough I wrapped them up in bunches of 3-4 and they were a hit! The breakfast sausage came out really really good as well, but we’re not big breakfast eaters here. I should cook some up tomorrow.

 

[Sawtooth]

Congratulations on the bear. Did you get him in Arkansas or did you have to go to Mississippi for this one?

 

[Flatbrimmer]

Do you make your own sausage? Mix with pork bellies?

Used bacon bits n ends. Find the fattiest one you can. Worked really well

 

[TheJason]

Congratulations on the bear. Did you get him in Arkansas or did you have to go to Mississippi for this one?

Show Me state.

 

[Gerald Martin]

I’ve had smoked bear hams and smoked sausages that were delicious.

However, the last couple bears I killed were pretty simple. I slow cooked the roasts in red wine and beef bouillon with onions, jalapeños, carrots and celery. It takes a long time 6-8 hours on low heat for it to get tender. Seems like bear meat has a lot of collagen between the muscle fibers that takes a long time to break down.

The rest of the trim was ground into burger and we used it primarily for barbecue meatballs.

 

[TheJason]

Seems like bear meat has a lot of collagen between the muscle fibers that takes a long time to break down.

It also seemed like the fascia I trimmed off was thicker and tougher.

Do you add any fat in the grind?

 

[mtmuley]

I’ve had smoked bear hams and smoked sausages that were delicious.

However, the last couple bears I killed were pretty simple. I slow cooked the roasts in red wine and beef bouillon with onions, jalapeños, carrots and celery. It takes a long time 6-8 hours on low heat for it to get tender. Seems like bear meat has a lot of collagen between the muscle fibers that takes a long time to break down.

The rest of the trim was ground into burger and we used it primarily for barbecue meatballs.

Cubed up and made into a stew with veggies is how I use the most of it. But, the hams do smoke well. mtmuley

 

[Jbotto]

I’ve had fall MN bear before and it was really good. It’s been a long time though. If the taste isn’t great in yours I’d start with a lot of my very flavorful crockpot recipes that we use frequently: Korean bbq short ribs, Mississippi pot roast, and Hank’s barbacoa.

I’d possibly do a lot of different breakfast sausage recipes too both link and patty in batches of no more than 5-10lbs. That way if it isn’t good you aren’t stuck eating it forever.

 

[NEWHunter]

I’ve not been a huge fan of bear steaks for whatever reason. If not getting processed in to summer sausage, I do roasts or straight grind - with the majority being ground. The grind is used exclusively for hamburgers.

Toast the bun. Season burger with seasoned salt and pepper and keep the patties fairly thin. Put a decent sear on the burger to help keep from drying out and finish with indirect heat. Add provolone cheese, and some dill pickle slices. Make sure the cheese side is down to keep the bottom bun from getting all soggy. Top three wild game “dish” of all time. And make sure it’s real cheese from Wisconsin - that junk from tillamook would probably make it inedible. I wouldn’t chastise you for grilling some nueske’s bacon and topping the cheeseburger with it, but it’s not necessary and sometimes less is more.

 

[Gellar]

Show Me state.

was the first year of the season?

 

[HSi-ESi]

Slow and low.

Smoked is great - I did a brisket-ish piece for the SB a couple years ago, smoked ~250, wrapped after I hit 160 internal. Fed it to folks that had never had bear and there were no leftovers.

Shanks, neck, etc you can really hit hard to break down the connective tissue without ever drying out the meat. Other cuts will take a lot more abuse compared to beef even. You can't really mess up a bear roast, if it's not falling apart - then cook it longer (slow and low though, nothing above 250-275).

Gerald's posted his roast recipe a couple of times and it's great.

 

[jryoung]

How about Chile verde?

Chile colorado instead, then smash the cubed meat and put into enchiladas.

 

[Nick87]

Slow smoked and shredded for anything Mexican was great, the rest of mine I’ve done into sticks and summer sausage…Jalapeño/Cheddar was the best!

Had in a crock pot once with peppers, kinda like Italian beef. Was damn good.

 

[Dave N]

Mine made a damn good stew.

 

[BAKPAKR]

My mom would put as much of a hind leg as she could fit into her big dutch oven, add a bunch of sliced onions, diced celery, black pepper, salt, garlic, water, and cream of mushroom soup and then cook it all afternoon in coals in the fire pit. I couldn’t tell the difference between it and the best beef roast I have ever had.

I bet @Gerald Martin’s wine would have made it even tastier.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

You gave the hide away?

 

[TheJason]

You gave the hide away?

Yep