Spring Bear Meat

[craggerss]

Is spring black bear safe or good to eat?

Originally Posted by craggerss

Is spring black bear safe or good to eat?

If it is cooked properly, most definitely.

[ACKLEY ABE]

Cook it to a frazzle .....and then cook the frazzle. Bear can carry Trichinosis (ok somebody feel free to correct my spelling). They can also be very parasitic in the spring.

[ishootbambi]

safe to eat....yes, just cook it thoroghly....good to eat....for you to decide. i have a few friends that think it is terriffic.

[greylynx]

Especially those black forest type smoked hams.

Very nice.

[alacringa]

Originally Posted by ACKLEY ABE

Cook it to a frazzle .....and then cook the frazzle. Bear can carry Trichinosis

Actually, Abe, I'm fairly certain that your spelling is correct -- trichinella (the parasite in question) can also be carried by pork. Most people cook their pork well; bear should also be cooked well. Although I have never experienced it, trichinosis is quite an unpleasant condition.

[Matt L.]

Hey, for once I get to say that a word has been spelled correctly! Trichinosis is how it is spelled.

I've had black bear sausage before and it was very good, unfortunately that is the limit of my experience.

[GummyMonster]

Not to bad at all. The well cooked is imperative. In the spring, shooting one later in the season will provide better meat IMO. Gives them time to start eating new grass , etc, just like a beef or pork you butcher, the quality of their feed shows in the meat.
Good luck.
Ken

[Manitoba_Redneck]

I've also heard that if you freeze the meat completely it kills all the parasites in the meat. Is this true?? I'd rather freeze it completely than cook it to shoe leather.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by Manitoba_Redneck

I've also heard that if you freeze the meat completely it kills all the parasites in the meat. Is this true?? I'd rather freeze it completely than cook it to shoe leather.

No, freezing is not a guaranteed way to kill the parasites.

Play it safe
• 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 bear meat safe
for eating.
• Microwave cooking is not recommended because
microwaves heat the meat unevenly.

[uglyelk]

Yes cook your bear well done!

However don’t destroy your pork!

Times Have Changed

At one time, pork was served only well done. This was to ensure the meat was safe to eat and to melt out the fat. Today's Pork has changed.

Fact: Today's Pork is lower in fat and cholesterol than ever before. This is due to improved breeding and feeding practices, a revised grading system which encourages the production of leaner meats, and better trimming of external fat by the meat packer.

Fact: Trichinosis is virtually nonexistent in Canada due to improved production methods. In Canada, there has not been a case of trichinosis related to pork in over 15 years. According to Agriculture Canada, trichinosis is destroyed in any meat if cooked to an internal temperature of 137°F (58°C), well below the recommended 160°F (70°C) for a medium doneness.

Fact: As a result of these positive changes and improvements, Today's Pork should be cooked to a medium doneness. this will ensure the most profitable, tender and delicious pork that your customers expect.

Fact: Outdated commercial cooking methods that utilize the hotter/faster philosophy with oven temperatures as high as 400°F (204°C) and internal meat temperatures as high as 180°F (82°C) will result in dried out, tough finished products with the lowest yield and the highest possible portion costs.

Fact: The message is medium. Remember leaner pork means higher yields. In an industry that revolves around portion costs and thin profit margins, today's pork performs.

http://www.putporkonyourfork.com/foo...ing_costs.html

[Ormachek]

Originally Posted by Manitoba_Redneck

I've also heard that if you freeze the meat completely it kills all the parasites in the meat. Is this true?? I'd rather freeze it completely than cook it to shoe leather.

Freezing may kill large parasites suck as worms, but it won't do anything to kill bacteria and many smaller parasites. Cook it well!

[Islander]

Two words: Crock pot!



A few more as well: Corned bear, burger, oven jerky, canned... Bear meat is great eating, but the key is finding dishes that lend themselves to cooking it well done.

[jaybull]

Originally Posted by Islander

Two words: Crock pot!



A few more as well: Corned bear, burger, oven jerky, canned... Bear meat is great eating, but the key is finding dishes that lend themselves to cooking it well done.

x2 Bear is not for me cuz its to lean and must be cooked well done. But like Islander said it's not bad if you cook it right.

[honda450]

Best bear I have tasted was made in a stew.

[huntin]

yuck eating bear is like eating a coyote they stink and eat anything they can nevermind the worms

[Rantastic]

hey huntin... u have had pork right???? u know when they call pig food "slop" thats putting it nicely.... and bears are just big pigs... so just think bacon and ham... I havent had bear yet but intend on keeping our bear meat from this years spring bear hunt upon some of my friends advising me that its the best meat they have ever eaten... Very sweet.. So im gonna give it a try.

[huntin]

Originally Posted by crazy_fool1

hey huntin... u have had pork right???? u know when they call pig food "slop" thats putting it nicely.... and bears are just big pigs... so just think bacon and ham... I havent had bear yet but intend on keeping our bear meat from this years spring bear hunt upon some of my friends advising me that its the best meat they have ever eaten... Very sweet.. So im gonna give it a try.

i've ate lots of pork even butchered my own they smell like pigs. I have also skinned out over 200 bears and they smell nothing like a pig but alot like a coyote yummy

[PoppaW]

Originally Posted by greylynx

Especially those black forest type smoked hams.

Very nice.

The only bear I liked was done this way. Steak, NO but ham, YES. Tasty.

[ex811]

The monster I shot on Vancouver Island last year was done as 'pulled pork', smoked only, but with an internal temperature sufficient to ensure no parasites, IF present, survived. Best Bear I've ever eaten.
I've enough bear hides/heads so I only hunt bears now for the meat (hides always find a home somewhere else). Taste great IMO, as long as you cook it right. Lots of recipies on the internet.

[Rantastic]

I was thinkin pulled pork too crock pot or over a fire wrapped in tin foil drizzled in BBQ sauce would be great.

[duffy4]

I have eaten a lot of bear and it is good. I once brought a bunch of cubed bear to a fondue party. One fellow in particular turned up his nose and made a big scene about "how could anyone eat bear". He tried it and liked it and so everyone was into it and cleaned it all up. (Meanwhile I was eating all the ruffed grouse)

I knew a fellow who worked in a F&W lab in Edm. and he tested all bear meat that came through the lab for Trichinosis. He said he never found any.

Like in pigs it COULD be found in bear but not so likely as we often fear.

Bear has some fat in it that is different from antlered game fat. It keeps the meat from drying out. Bear burger makes great chilli con.

I shot a big bear up north of Manning one year and even though it was spring, I rendered several quarts of fine white lard from him. Great for pie crusts and waterproofing my boots.

[BeerSlayer1]

(Meanwhile I was eating all the ruffed grouse)

Crafty old dude.

[bearstalker]

I have eaten my share of bear meat. Sausages, jerky, roast and even steak. It was all pretty tasty. With sausages, I have always had it mixed with pork to give it a bit more fat.

[Ticdoc]

trichinosis is both common and abundant in mtn lion. It is far less common and not abundant in black bear of Alberta.
Cooking, not freezing, is best method to deal with this potential problem.

ticdoc

[BlackHeart]

Just some thoughts....I have not tried bear myself yet.

In spring they come out of hibernation and have used up lots of their body fat. As most know, body fat is where a lot of the bodies toxins are stored. Bears as an high food chain level omnivour could have accumulated a fair bit of toxins in its system. Which now are circulating within their system from metabolized fat.

I'm not sure I would go for the spring bear meat and definitely not the fat at any time of the year. Maybe its OK???

[craggerss]

Originally Posted by BlackHeart

Just some thoughts....I have not tried bear myself yet.

In spring they come out of hibernation and have used up lots of their body fat. As most know, body fat is where a lot of the bodies toxins are stored. Bears as an high food chain level omnivour could have accumulated a fair bit of toxins in its system. Which now are circulating within their system from metabolized fat.

I'm not sure I would go for the spring bear meat and definitely not the fat at any time of the year. Maybe its OK???

exactly what I was wondering! But how many people eat there spring bears?

[Rantastic]

I do plan on eating my spring bear and was wondering how u would butcher it into the "black forest ham" style that is raved about so much. If anyone knows what part of the bear or which roast that u cut out to make this please pm me anything helpful you can.

Just my young and possibly naive thoughts on toxins...
i personally am not worried about the toxins... if there was any associated harm, im sure somebody would have done a study on it by now and posted their gfindings and everyone would know or the govt would put a warning against it like they do with CWD deer.

The fish most people eat out of lakes and streams may be more toxic than anything else and in a few lakes eating anything from the area is prohibited... like near a dangerous chemical spilling train wreck about 15 yrs ago has poluted one lake and they have done this... i forget the name tho.

Any animal eating or drinking in nature has the danger of being toxic with the increase in all the lead and other pollutants being dumped and/or leaching into the water supplys but i dont see it being worse than the steroid injected animals sold in grocery stores and fast food joints. Just my two cents but interesting idea about the toxins all coming out of the fat over the winter. Wonder if any study has been doen on that.

Most people I know who hunt bear, spring or fall dont eat their bears since they are not required by law to. They are simply after the trophy rugs/mounts. Nothing more. Interesting poll idea tho.