# I’m officially a fan of bear meat!



## jbogg (Nov 3, 2018)

Woke up this morning and got to work on the chili fixings with ground bear meat, while at the same time cranking up the Camp Chef smoker for a bear shoulder.   Not a bite left of anything by the end of the day.  I took FMBears advice and after pulling it out of the smoker I chopped it up and put it in the crockpot with my favorite barbecue sauce for a couple of hours. My nephew swore that it was beef brisket. That’s high praise from him.   I have had some elk tenderloin that was dang good, but as far as Georgia big game goes, this was definitely my favorite wild game meat by far.


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## strothershwacker (Nov 4, 2018)

I smoked some as well on my home made woodburner. Smoked it bout 3 hours at bout 250 then wrapped it in foil, gave it another 3 hours. Sliced it hot like brisket and it's the best meat I've ever pulled out of the woods. Ingredients: green hickory, black bear.


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## jbogg (Nov 4, 2018)

strothershwacker said:


> I smoked some as well on my home made woodburner. Smoked it bout 3 hours at bout 250 then wrapped it in foil, gave it another 3 hours. Sliced it hot like brisket and it's the best meat I've ever pulled out of the woods. Ingredients: green hickory, black bear.View attachment 948057



That looks fantastic!  I had mentioned to a couple of guys that I was not sure if I would ever shoot another bear after I got my first one.  It was going to depend on the taste.  All doubt has been removed. Hoping I can find another before they go to bed for the winter.


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## blood on the ground (Nov 4, 2018)

You sir have just made some delicious looking bear! I've never stride it but I certainly would!


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## model88_308 (Nov 4, 2018)

Excellent JB! That all looks awesome!

I have plans in place to have bear Chile for a meal on my next gift hunt! Me thinks you sealed the deal on that one now!


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## tree cutter 08 (Nov 4, 2018)

Making me hungry. Wish I would have thawed out a pack to cook this afternoon!


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Nov 4, 2018)

We had a big pot of bear chili last night for my little boy's birthday party.


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## greg_n_clayton (Nov 4, 2018)

jbogg said:


> View attachment 948026View attachment 948027View attachment 948028View attachment 948029
> 
> Woke up this morning and got to work on the chili fixings with ground bear meat, while at the same time cranking up the Camp Chef smoker for a bear shoulder.   Not a bite left of anything by the end of the day.  I took FMBears advice and after pulling it out of the smoker I chopped it up and put it in the crockpot with my favorite barbecue sauce for a couple of hours. My nephew swore that it was beef brisket. That’s high praise from him.   I have had some elk tenderloin that was dang good, but as far as Georgia big game goes, this was definitely my favorite wild game meat by far.


What is your favorite sauce ?


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## greg_n_clayton (Nov 4, 2018)

strothershwacker said:


> I smoked some as well on my home made woodburner. Smoked it bout 3 hours at bout 250 then wrapped it in foil, gave it another 3 hours. Sliced it hot like brisket and it's the best meat I've ever pulled out of the woods. Ingredients: green hickory, black bear.View attachment 948057


To what temp you cook it to ?? We need more detailed info on these preparations guys !


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## FMBear (Nov 4, 2018)

All of it looks fantastic!  Glad you liked the finish in the crock pot.

My folks asked that I make sure I keep the one shoulder from my bear set aside in the freezer for Christmas dinner.  

I'm cooking up some marinated bear back strap this week finished in a mushroom & onion gravy.  My wife and brother love the finish of the gravy with the bear.


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## NCHillbilly (Nov 4, 2018)

That looks great! I always laugh hilariously when folks say that bear meat isn't good. They've never eaten any, obviously, or they really, really don't know how to cook, or let it rot before they processed it, one. Bear meat is the best wild meat out there. I ate many a biscuit back in the day made with rendered bear fat, too.


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## strothershwacker (Nov 4, 2018)

greg_n_clayton said:


> To what temp you cook it to ?? We need more detailed info on these preparations guys !


I let it hit 190 but not for long. Seems to make it more tender without drying out. And with it that hot they ain't no arguing wether it's safe or not. Everybody thats tried it is a believer.


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## whitetailfreak (Nov 4, 2018)

It'd be hard to take a man serious who didn't like bear.


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## jbogg (Nov 4, 2018)

greg_n_clayton said:


> What is your favorite sauce ?



My favorite sauce is made by Lilie’s Q Barbeque Sauces & Rubs “Smokey” flavor.  All of their sauces are good but Smokey is our favorite.


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## tree cutter 08 (Nov 4, 2018)

I like to cook mine till 205 if doing like pulled pork. Just put in a pan with Apple juice and wrap tight to keep moisture in. Seeing this thread flung a craving on me. Had bear for supper tonight.


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## Back40hunter (Nov 4, 2018)

Sure is a delicious thread, haha! I always liked it cooked in a crockpot then add some BBQ sauce just before serving. Makes a great BBQ sandwich. I need to put one in crosshairs. It’s been a while since I had any bear meat in the house.


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## lonewolf247 (Nov 5, 2018)

All of the above looks awesome!  I've never had the chance to hunt bear or try a bear meat dish. Looks good!


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## Rabun (Nov 5, 2018)

Man that looks good!  Congratulations...again...from the mountain to the smoker  Thanks for sharing...you're making a bear believer out of me!

Do you guy's age bear meat like you would deer?


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## GAbullHunter (Nov 5, 2018)

Itching to get back up for another bear myself before they all hide out. Didn't get much meat back off last one, so to speak( I'll be field dressing an icing my next one to bring home an finish out).. So need to get the bear meat back in the freezer. Sure would be good to have some here for Thanksgiving dinner roast! Can't wait... When I cooked my roast I cooked it on 200 for about 4hrs then on 325 for an hour til it reached 180 then let rest for few mins while still sealed in bag before opening an enjoying some good ol tender juicy meat.. Those pics sure do look good!! Gotta get some bear bbq going next week for a dinner night now..   With that bear on menu now, here is what I did manage to get without hitting the woods; with rut in down here at the time here he stood on side hwy at 4:40 in the a.m. on my way to work. So with the cruise set at 68 he decided to cross the highway an ran into me so I wipped the truck around an drug him out the road to the side, an well rest of story is he got dressed an put in the cooler will soon join the freezer for some good meals. No need to let the good meat go to waste. He had a nice rack but lost half of it somewhere unfound on the hwy. Truck got a fist size dent an lost a brake light.... But sure is some good looking grub Jbogg!! We will be up soon again to get another bear.. Good eating to ya!!


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## jbogg (Nov 5, 2018)

Rabun said:


> Man that looks good!  Congratulations...again...from the mountain to the smoker  Thanks for sharing...you're making a bear believer out of me!
> 
> Do you guy's age bear meat like you would deer?



I took my bear to McClures in Blairsville and I think they let it hang for over a week before processing.  Whatever they did worked.  It is delicious!


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## Outlaw Dawgsey Wales (Nov 5, 2018)

NCHillbilly said:


> That looks great! I always laugh hilariously when folks say that bear meat isn't good. They've never eaten any, obviously, or they really, really don't know how to cook, or let it rot before they processed it, one. Bear meat is the best wild meat out there. I ate many a biscuit back in the day made with rendered bear fat, too.


Knew a fella who said bear fat would cure stomach ailments


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## FOLES55 (Nov 5, 2018)

I hate you guys!!!

I’ve never eaten bear before and this is killing me!!

I wanna Hunt, Shoot and Eat a BEAR now!!

Looks great guys, I’m hungry again now.


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## strothershwacker (Nov 5, 2018)

108lbs of it hung on my back for 2 miles. If that counts as letting it hang then yes. Keep ice at the truck. By the way the adjustable sternum strap on your Alps Outdoors pack isn't up for the challenge.  Had to paracord mine together. Made a much needed modification to it when I got home.


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## NCHillbilly (Nov 6, 2018)

One observation: Stalked bears taste a lot better than dogged bears, but they're both good.


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Nov 6, 2018)

NCHillbilly said:


> One observation: Stalked bears taste a lot better than dogged bears, but they're both good.



It's my opinion that folks who claim bear meat is terrible have suffered from 1 of 2 things:
1  The bear was dogged for miles and died with his adrenaline and lactic acid built up
or
2  The bear was paraded around town in the back of a truck for most of the day and the meat began to spoil


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## NCHillbilly (Nov 6, 2018)

northgeorgiasportsman said:


> It's my opinion that folks who claim bear meat is terrible have suffered from 1 of 2 things:
> 1  The bear was dogged for miles and died with his adrenaline and lactic acid built up
> or
> 2  The bear was paraded around town in the back of a truck for most of the day and the meat began to spoil


Yep. And maybe whoever gutted it poked the guts and the bladder to boot.


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## The mtn man (Nov 6, 2018)

Just make sure you get it hot enough to kill the possibility of triganosis, i think thats the correct grammer. Bear is as good or better than any wild game, squirrel happens to be my favorite, like others said, if people are meat eaters and dont like it, its because they either cant cook, or they didnt take care of the carcuss after the kill.


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## Killer Kyle (Nov 6, 2018)

The food's looking good JB!!! I have been eating the fool out of mine, and my supply is quickly disappearing. I've been enjoying bear burgers a lot lately. My favorite kind is bear burger with bacon on a brioche bun with pimento cheese, jalapenos, strawberry jam, and BBQ sauce. kind-of like the "Clarkesville Burger" from Midtown Grill.

Several weeks ago, my father took the leap and asked me to cook him a bear burger. He has never eaten bear before. He took a bite of the burger, chewed it up and swallowed it. Took another bite and swallowed it and looked at my mother and said "It.........it might actually be better than beef!!" He absolutely could not believe how good it was. 
I've got another bear lined up to hunt on Chattahoochee during the November rifle hunt. Hoping it stays put so I can get after it in a couple weeks!


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## Rabun (Nov 6, 2018)

Man those bear meals sure do look good!


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## jbogg (Nov 6, 2018)

Killer Kyle said:


> The food's looking good JB!!! I have been eating the fool out of mine, and my supply is quickly disappearing. I've been enjoying bear burgers a lot lately. My favorite kind is bear burger with bacon on a brioche bun with pimento cheese, jalapenos, strawberry jam, and BBQ sauce. kind-of like the "Clarkesville Burger" from Midtown Grill.
> 
> Several weeks ago, my father took the leap and asked me to cook him a bear burger. He has never eaten bear before. He took a bite of the burger, chewed it up and swallowed it. Took another bite and swallowed it and looked at my mother and said "It.........it might actually be better than beef!!" He absolutely could not believe how good it was.
> I've got another bear lined up to hunt on Chattahoochee during the November rifle hunt. Hoping it stays put so I can get after it in a couple weeks!



Now that’s a tasty looking burger Kyle.  Outstanding!  Did you add any fat to the bowl before grinding?  And did the burgers hold together well on the grill?


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## tree cutter 08 (Nov 6, 2018)

That's a good looking burger Kyle! I been playing around this last year and have come up with some good combos. Might have to try the strawberry jam. Throw a grilled slice of peach on yours next time and see what ya think.


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## GAbullHunter (Nov 6, 2018)

Sure nuf some fine cuisine restaurant looking style meals I'd say... ? where do you start with the knife an fork nevermind I got hands!


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## whitetailfreak (Nov 6, 2018)

Bear Spaghetti and meatballs for supper tonight. It's smelling good!


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## Buckman18 (Nov 6, 2018)

It’s been hard for me to eat bear meat since I found that hikers toe in one while field dressing it a few years back near the AT.


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## Killer Kyle (Nov 6, 2018)

jbogg said:


> Now that’s a tasty looking burger Kyle.  Outstanding!  Did you add any fat to the bowl before grinding?  And did the burgers hold together well on the grill?


jbogg, I did add fat. I processed my own. I trimmed until I had to try and find fat to trim off. It turned out really lean. I ground almost two whole hams. Just left out a little pack for stew. I threw in three packs of the cheapest bacon that I could find. Can't remember the name. I just ground the bacon and set it aside. Ground the bear and kneaded in tje ground bacon very, very thoroughly. I tjen course ground it all again, and kneaded again, and then weighed and packaged.
I havent had time to put them on a grill get (I'm a charcoal man). I've been gettimg home late and just frying them in a skillet. They hold together (my way) just like any beef. They cook into a perfect patty. 

Today, I saw a random advertisement on FB that was from Matthews Archery. It included their recipe for "Harvest Stew'. Its a simple and unique way of making a venison stew (similar to a beef stew recipe), but it would make a killer bear stew to serve on top of a massive pile of thick mashed potatoes. It included sprigs of Thyme which I love in a stew or salisbury steak or xune steak and gravy. It included red currant jelly which I would substitute strawberry jam for, and included mushrooms. I stumbled upon a bunch of Black trumpet mushrooms in the NF, so I plan to toss those in there.


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## Killer Kyle (Nov 6, 2018)

whitetailfreak said:


> Bear Spaghetti and meatballs for supper tonight. It's smelling good!


I'd like to see a recipe for bear meatballs!!!


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## whitetailfreak (Nov 6, 2018)

Homemade Sauce we canned back in the Summer, and Bear balls.


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## whitetailfreak (Nov 6, 2018)

Killer Kyle said:


> I'd like to see a recipe for bear meatballs!!!



1 lb. Ground Bear
1 egg
Parmasean Cheese
Chopped onions
2 cloves of minced garlic
Parsley Flakes
Italian Bread Crumbs
Salt and Pepper
375 degrees for 25-30 minutes

My wife doesn't measure anything.


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## Killer Kyle (Nov 6, 2018)

tree cutter 08 said:


> That's a good looking burger Kyle! I been playing around this last year and have come up with some good combos. Might have to try the strawberry jam. Throw a grilled slice of peach on yours next time and see what ya think.


I'm down with trying a slice of peach on a burger. I know Midtown Grill has a birger with peaches on it. Recipes like these sound strange, but they remind me of the Monte Cristo sandwich at Cheddars. It is a turkey and ham sandwich on white toast bread with swiss and provolone cheeses (I THINK). It is battered, deep fried, sprinkled with confectioners sugar, and served with raspberry dipping syrup.
Sounds like a crazy combination, but the point is that sandwiches like that appeal to almost every single taste sensation that humans love, all in a single sandwich.
Greasy, fatty, sweet, fruity, spicy, tart, cheesey, meaty, bready, BBQ-y. 
You can make one sandwich that appeals to so many different flavor sensations all at once. I absolutely love doing burgers that way!


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## Killer Kyle (Nov 6, 2018)

whitetailfreak said:


> Homemade Sauce we canned back in the Summer, and Bear balls.
> 
> View attachment 948518


I'm thinking you need a new name for those meat balls! ?


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## Killer Kyle (Nov 6, 2018)

whitetailfreak said:


> 1 lb. Ground Bear
> 1 egg
> Parmasean Cheese
> Chopped onions
> ...


I don't need an exact recipe for anything. These ingredients are just fine, and I thank you!
I'll be making some of these REAL SOON!


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## Back40hunter (Nov 6, 2018)

Have any of you tried canning your meat? I canned one a few years ago. Cut it into roast sized chunks and boiled the fat off twice. Then let it cool and cut it into stew meat chunks. Put these in the cans. It was great.


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Nov 7, 2018)

Back40hunter said:


> Have any of you tried canning your meat? I canned one a few years ago. Cut it into roast sized chunks and boiled the fat off twice. Then let it cool and cut it into stew meat chunks. Put these in the cans. It was great.


Yes, but that's not the way I canned mine.  I just cut it into stew meat sized chunks, pack the jars, add some salt and pressure can it.  I've served it this way with brown gravy and mashed taters to a lot of unsuspecting people that never knew they weren't eating roast beef.


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## whitetailfreak (Nov 7, 2018)

Killer Kyle said:


> I'm thinking you need a new name for those meat balls! ?



My wife chuckles every time she says it


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## NCMTNHunter (Nov 7, 2018)

northgeorgiasportsman said:


> It's my opinion that folks who claim bear meat is terrible have suffered from 1 of 2 things:
> 1  The bear was dogged for miles and died with his adrenaline and lactic acid built up
> or
> 2  The bear was paraded around town in the back of a truck for most of the day and the meat began to spoil



#2 happens a lot. Most don’t realize how fast bear meat can start to go down hill. I’m not sure about #1. I’ve never eaten a bear that wasn’t killed in front of dogs and I’ve never eaten a bad one.


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## Back40hunter (Nov 7, 2018)

northgeorgiasportsman said:


> Yes, but that's not the way I canned mine.  I just cut it into stew meat sized chunks, pack the jars, add some salt and pressure can it.  I've served it this way with brown gravy and mashed taters to a lot of unsuspecting people that never knew they weren't eating roast beef.


Sounds good! There is a facility in Eastanollee (Stephens County) open to the public for canning meat and produce. You do your own work but use the facility. They have quart metal cans that you can use. Pretty cool set-up. I’ve done lots of venison this way too, but I didn’t boil it. Just put it in the cans.


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