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OT: what does black bear meat taste like?

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RRP
RRP Posts: 25,888
in EggHead Forum
OK - I admit I watch Discovery channel's Alaska The Last Frontier. Tonight they are hunting black bear and they said how great it tastes...so I have to ask...what does it taste like? For some unknown reason I assume it is greasy...
Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • Wolfpack
    Wolfpack Posts: 3,551
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    Greasy and stringy- can use it in a chili without issue but I've never liked it by itself
    Greensboro, NC
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,888
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    Wolfpack said:
    I
    Greasy and stringy- can use it in a chili without issue but I've never liked it by itself
    Good greasy like bacon greasy? Or is it strong greasy?
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
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    Chicken...
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
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    Clever VI, very clever. 

    Always had it stewed and Mom used to ladle the grease off, not skim, ladle. I think much depends on where the bear is from, like lobsters (garbage men of the ocean) bears who fatten up on the garbage dumps are even a little more greasy than a "wild" one. Haven't eaten bear in over 30 years, but I doubt it has changed. They look better in a Disney flick than on a plate. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • GlennM
    GlennM Posts: 1,365
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    Never liked it. Lost friends from feeding it to them. It's greasy like trying to BBQ gasoline! After skinning one you feel like your hands are covered in Vaseline
    In the bush just East of Cambridge,Ontario 
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  • Cymbaline65
    Cymbaline65 Posts: 800
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    Nasty-ass stuff in my book. Had it once probably 15 years ago and to this day, SWMBO still brings it up.
    In the  Hinterlands between Cumming and Gainesville, GA
    Med BGE, Weber Kettle, Weber Smokey Joe, Brinkman Dual Zone, Weber Genesis Gas Grill and portable gasser for boating
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  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
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    Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it true that humans generally don't like meat from meat eaters (fish is an exception).  I know black bears eat berries, but don't they eat meat too?  They're like, omnipotent.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


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  • gmac
    gmac Posts: 1,814
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    Ok as long as ALL the fat is removed prior to cooking. Think about old, rancid bacon. But I've had it that was heavily trimmed and was good. I hunt but I have no desire to ever shoot a bear for this reason. But then again, I don't shoot buck deer either because the antlers make very poor soup.
    Mt Elgin Ontario - just a Large.
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  • mimauler
    mimauler Posts: 136
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    To me it tastes like black bear meat.
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  • bettysnephew
    bettysnephew Posts: 1,188
    edited October 2013
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    Village Idiot said:
     They're like, omnipotent.
    Yes, the all powerful all knowing bear eats everything.
    A poor widows son.
    See der Rabbits, Iowa
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  • cookingdude555
    cookingdude555 Posts: 3,194
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    We have a silent agreement with bears, they don't wonder what we taste like, and we do the same. It's worked so far , leave it alone.
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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
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    bettysnephew said:
    Village Idiot said:
     They're like, omnipotent.
    Yes, the all powerful all knowing bear eats everything.
    I'm sure he meant omniscient.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
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  • bettysnephew
    bettysnephew Posts: 1,188
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    I'm quite sure that in most cases, bears eat pretty much anything they darned well please.  Not too many creatures around willing to argue with them.  They still taste like sour owl crap from my experience.  Please do not ask what sour owl crap tastes like, it was a very bad experience in my youth when I looked up agape under a tree in the back yard.  My mom didn't like it in her hair either.
    A poor widows son.
    See der Rabbits, Iowa
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    Village Idiot said:
    Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it true that humans generally don't like meat from meat eaters (fish is an exception).  I know black bears eat berries, but don't they eat meat too?  They're like, omnipotent.

     I saw what you did there

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,749
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    seem to recall it was better than a big ole tick covered moose, ours eat berries and nuts, no salmon here. ive seen a bear cubs skinned paw before, it looks just like a small childs hand so dont google that if your squeamish.
    :D
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
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    I witnessed a black bear crawl in the back seat of a car and tear open a bag of Cheetos... Also redecorated the interior.
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    As I remember my uncle used to brine it and then simmer it for a few hours and then drain and rinse and start over with the stew. I liked it.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    Also there is a huge difference in the flavour and fat content of spring bear and fall bear. Spring bear is much less gamey and a lot lower in fat content.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Aviator
    Aviator Posts: 1,757
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    One of the techs at work eats it all the time and swears by it. Has promised to bring me some but am very reluctant. May give it a try.

    ______________________________________________ 

    Large and Small BGE, Blackstone 36 and a baby black Kub.

    Chattanooga, TN.

     

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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    Trichnosis is still alive and well in bear. It has to be frozen for a week or something before being cooked and needs to be cooked to 160* as I remember

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • SaturdayFatterday
    SaturdayFatterday Posts: 468
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    Unbelievable amounts of grease.  Like, buckets and buckets of grease.  Has to be slow-cooked to be edible.  LS's uncle's method sounds good (brine, simmer, drain, rinse, stew/braise/slow-cook).  That trichinosis warning should be heeded, too:  http://www.epi.alaska.gov/bulletins/docs/b2000_18.htm

    Honestly, in terms of a ratio of effort to deliciousness of result, if you want greasy, slow-cooked meat, you're probably better off just basting a pot roast with herbs suspended in liquid bacon fat.

    [Northern] Virginia is for [meat] lovers.
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  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 9,834
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    henapple said:
    Chicken...

    As usual, you are not even close.  It tastes like Key deer.

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

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  • Brisket_Fanatic
    Brisket_Fanatic Posts: 2,884
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    You can eat it but it tastes like S***. A friend of mine owns a meat processing company and shot a black bear a few years ago. Only thing I ate out of it were premade bacon cheese burgers and you would never know that it was bear. Most people that ate it would not know any difference unless were told.

    NW IA

    2 LBGE, 1 SBGE, 22.5 WSM, 1 Smokey Joe

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  • GlennM
    GlennM Posts: 1,365
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    The moose comment is wrong. Moose is fantastic! Cook bear meat on a cedar plank, when it reaches 160 take it off the egg, discard and eat the plank!
    In the bush just East of Cambridge,Ontario 
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  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
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    You can circumcise the problem by not shooting the bear in the first place.   L-)
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,749
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    GlennM said:
    The moose comment is wrong. Moose is fantastic! Cook bear meat on a cedar plank, when it reaches 160 take it off the egg, discard and eat the plank!

    ive had young moose that was great and some older stuff I had to leave the room it was so rank smelling and that was just raw ground moose :))  new England moose now are horrid looking from the ticks, theres so many ticks you really have to feel sorry for them, saw on a while back where the ticks were so intense it looked like the moose was covered in grapes
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • bettysnephew
    bettysnephew Posts: 1,188
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    Here in Iowa both moose and bear are rarely seen, but I wonder if some of the off tastes are due to the animals often being hunted in mating season and males being the prime targets due to size and rack dimensions.  The deer that we have in vast numbers tend to prove this out as the bucks can have pretty odiferous meat when in full rut and the guys that like to hunt for trophy racks/mounts usually can only make them into sausage.  The fellows that hunt for meat try to take a good sized doe for the table.  Another incident is with pigs when a farmer decides to butcher an old boar.  They have such a distinctive flavor you can even taste it in well spiced sausage, and it isn't particularly pleasant.  I cannot imagine what some of the winners of the big boar contest at the Iowa State Fair would taste like.
    A poor widows son.
    See der Rabbits, Iowa
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,749
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    bettysnephew said:
    Here in Iowa both moose and bear are rarely seen, but I wonder if some of the off tastes are due to the animals often being hunted in mating season and males being the prime targets due to size and rack dimensions.  The deer that we have in vast numbers tend to prove this out as the bucks can have pretty odiferous meat when in full rut and the guys that like to hunt for trophy racks/mounts usually can only make them into sausage.  The fellows that hunt for meat try to take a good sized doe for the table.  Another incident is with pigs when a farmer decides to butcher an old boar.  They have such a distinctive flavor you can even taste it in well spiced sausage, and it isn't particularly pleasant.  I cannot imagine what some of the winners of the big boar contest at the Iowa State Fair would taste like.

    I would believe that's true,and the tick population is out of control up here and I bet that adds to it, the moose are just covered with them and the young are having a hard time even surviving the spring. best deer ive ever eaten was a thirteen pointer, smaller than 100 pounds

    http://tomremington.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/ticksonmoose.jpg

    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • bettysnephew
    bettysnephew Posts: 1,188
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    @fishlessman Where in Maine?  I have a buddy that lives in Gray.  He used to live in Kittery and worked at the sub yard.  I have motorcycled a fair part of the coast with him.  A beautiful place, but it gets even more snow than Iowa.
    A poor widows son.
    See der Rabbits, Iowa
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