Upcoming Cook: Bear. Some questions...

[j_keegan]

I recently made a bunch of ribs on the PBC and shared some of the extras with my neighbor. He in turn said, "Hey, I'm going bear hunting soon - if I get one, want to throw a ham on there?" I said, "Sure!" I've eaten bear before, but never cooked it myself, so I'm trying to get ready in case he gets one.

I have read every post regarding bear in the Wild Game subforum on the site, and I'm very aware of the need to cook to 165F IT.

Some questions:

I have a PBC and I have a Weber 18" kettle. I've done several pork butts on the kettle with great success, and I know I can do roast-type things on the PBC as well. Is there any reason(s) to use one over the other as far as getting a better cook result?

Based on what I've read so far, I'm planning to dry brine it and then rub it with BBBR or similar - like I would prepare a pork butt. Does anyone have a recommendation for a better dry rub, or a different way to prepare it for the cook? I've heard it's to be treated like beef since it's a red meat...

When you smoke any meat, are you pretty much always trying to get a good bark on it? So, would this be one of the goals during this cook, as you would with butt?

One thing I haven't seen much info on is how to serve it or what to serve it with. Like a steak? Thinly sliced? I saw someone serving with mustard... Any opinions?

Any other thoughts or tips would be helpful and appreciated. Thanks!

[RonB]

I've never cooked bear, BUT someone here has and they did not cook it long enough and got Trichinosis, so please make sure it is well done.

[JCGrill]

I have not made bear either, but...

I would treat it like red meat. If trichinosis was not an issue I'd recommend it medium rare, but it is an issue, so don't go there. Bark is entirely up to you. I like bark on beef, but some don't; it's a matter of taste. I would probably slice it relatively thin, maybe quarter inch slices. I have seen a few wild game sauces out there that might do the job, but if you want my recommendation, go with Meathead 's huli huli sauce on this site. Serve it on the side to be drizzled over the meat to each person's personal preference.
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[kmhfive]

Ive only had bear sausage, but if you are getting a clod, I’d go low-n-slow until probe tender.

[Potkettleblack]

Pretty much this. medium rare bear is a good way to get the sicks.

[EdF]

I've heard it makes a difference what they eat, so go for the honey bear instead of the ones that eat fish or dump leavings!

[CaptainMike]

Totally agree. Grazers and browsers (deer, elk, etc) are pretty reliable from range to range, but omnivores like bear and varmints are quite a bit more unpredictable. I'll refrain from sharing a story about a dump bear and a baby diaper, but I think ya'll get the point.

[gcdmd]

I would like to know more details about the poster who contracted trichinosis, as the kill temperature for the parasite is relatively low.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-c...n/con-20027095

https://honest-food.net/on-trichinosis-in-wild-game/

For more articles Google "trichinosis kill temperature"

Domestic pork is generally not a problem, but wild game, including bear, is.

[HorseDoctor]

"Wild game" is pretty far reaching. Trich is almost unheard of in herbivores. Bear, cougar and wild hogs (in some regions) are the ones to be concerned with.

[Huskee]

Aside from trichinosis concerns, does anyone have further cooking advice/recipes for bear? Let's assume he understands the health concerns, since he said he does.

I've only had it battered & fried. My dad used to do venison that way, and it's still my favorite way to eat venison. The bear was the same, just a sweeter meat. I like to think if I had a pile of bear meat I'd do it that same way. Not sure I'd try to smoke it or grill it, at least not all of it (ok some, in the name of science and R&D and the fact that I'm a BBQ dude). I personally found myself not liking venison grilled as well. Anyhow, j_keegan I just use pancake batter with salt & pepper & garlic added for flavoring, cut it into thin strips the size of fish fillets & so on, coat the meat well and fry it up. Mmmmm.

[j_keegan]

I've never fried any red meat before - I'll have to try that sometime... Thanks! I've grilled venison quite a bit in the past, typically doing a reverse sear on it like steak and it's turned out pretty tasty. I think if he gives me some bear to try though, we'll have to at least do SOME on the PBC - for science! And for the AR forum... *slowly places hat across heart*

[Huskee]

j_keegan Probably not a popular method around here for meat...but on venison & bear it is REALLY good, heck beef too

[JCGrill]

I'm a grilled venison guy, but I haven't tried it fried.

[gcdmd]

A favorite way of cooking venison in Texas is "chicken fried," with the backstrap being the favored cut. It is typically cut into slices about one half to one inch thick and then pounded, floured (or battered), and deep fried.

[EdF]

A staple way of doing "cube steak" in my family as a kid.

[ecowper]

A couple of things from when I was a kid. Between my dad, me and my uncles, one of us usually got a bear each year.

Like Huskee said, battered and fried is great for the backstrap. We also made both stew and chili with bear. #NOM ..... Also take some of the bear steak cuts, cube them up, marinade in a vinaigrette, wrap in bacon, and grill them like kabobs or spedies.

My uncle would brine/smoke the bear hams .... talk about awesome christmas dinner!

The only bear I’ve cooked myself is bear sausage. Which is great, too.

[ecowper]

j_keegan thinking more about how my uncle did the bear ham, since that is your specific question .... he treated it like a pork ham, as I remember. It will be hard to get details from him, since he died in an accident on the Klamath River a few years back ..... so, going by what I can dredge up from memory. He definitely brined the ham, smoked it and added a rub/glaze to it. I do not know what his rub/glaze was, but it was definitely not a beef type rub. I recall enjoying it as a much more strongly flavored game meat, compared to a pork ham, but that there was heat/spice/sweet/salt flavors going on, in addition to the meat.

Sorry I couldn’t be more definite and helpful. I sent my dad a note to see what he remembers. Probably not more than I do, unfortunately. Dad was more of the weber with lighter fluid kind of guy, so I doubt he paid a lot of attention to what Chuck was doing.

[j_keegan]

Thanks ecowper - that is very helpful! Definitely gives me a direction to explore with the flavor/rub combinations... IF my neighbor gets a bear, I'll definitely write up a post on what we end up doing. Thanks again!

[ecowper]

I'll be very interested in what you do, if that happens.