Bear meat

[Doc]

I have never eaten bear meat. What is the general opinion of you people as to what it tastes like and is it something that you really enjoy?

[airedale]

It is edible but greasy, stringy and a flavor I did not care for and for my palate a long way from enjoying it.

Al

[Farflung]

the few times I was given it, I always treat it like pork, in that apparently it can carry Trichinosis. I have had it  from very  tender and delicious to kind of tough. A friend cans his, and it is quite good. I also  have had it as slow cooked with  a grape jelly/ soy glaze on  it. Was tender and delicious, although probably any  meat prepared like that would be good.

[jperch]

On a fishing trip to Quebec there was a bear hanging in camp when we arrived.  We were given some to try and I recall that it was stringy as mentioned but tasted ok.  I have only seen one bear in NY while deer hunting.  I would not shoot one because I have heard too many stories about parasites.  One of those stories came from a processor in Dansville who got infected from handling the carcass.  He must have transferred something to his mouth by accident.  We actually had a bear on the Oswego State campus a few years ago, it was dumpster diving.  The wildlife has changed quite a bit in my lifetime.

[Gobbler Chaser]

OK, I'm going to tell you guys a story. Years back as I was heading to my blind in the dark to dumb hunt turkey I was walking along the trail and got hit by that overwhelming sensation to take a dump. Well I took care of business and moved on to my blind and hunted the morning till about 10:30 and started to head back down the trail to go home. I came upon the spot where I did my business earlier that morning and a bear had eaten that big steaming pile of crap right down to the ground, yep completely gone. I've eaten bear meat in the past but it was that morning that I decided never again. Just ain't kosher.

[airedale]

1 hour ago, Gobbler Chaser said:

a bear had eaten that big steaming pile of crap right down to the ground

See, there is a reason they taste like shit 

Al

[Doc]

I watch a lot of these Alaska based programs on TV, and those people all seem to make bear meat a staple right along with their deer and moose, beaver and muskrat meat. That is what prompted the question. So I just had to ask.

[Enigma]

Bear soup. Crazy good.