The idea of eating bear meat can be quite new and weird to some people.
But in the world of hunting, bear meat is loved by many, especially that of a black bear.
People who tasted the meat claim that it is not as weird as it sounds. In fact, they are of the view that bear meat can be as tasty as elk meat or bison meat.
Since you are here, we assume you are intrigued by the whole idea of eating bear meat, or maybe you want to take a bite the next time you are offered some.
So, the main question arises – what does bear meat taste like? Don’t worry! You’ll find all your answers here.
In the next following paragraphs, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about bear meat and how it actually tastes like.
What is Bear Meat?
In the simplest words, the meat of a bear is called bear meat. Earlier, it fell into the category of “venison” (game meat). But now Venison primarily refers to the meat of deer, antelope, and elk.
Bear meat is not as red as venison or cattle meat but is much darker than white meat. Thus, bear meat is categorized as red meat.
Similar to beef, it has fibers, but larger with a chewy texture.
What Does Bear Meat Taste Like? Does Bear Meat Taste Good?
Did you know the taste of bear meat varies in different bears? This is mainly because of their diet.
A plant or fruit eating bear would taste delicious, but you might want to avoid eating a bear on a fish diet.
Bear meat tastes quite similar to venison. However, it’s relatively sweeter.
As compared to old bears, the meat of younger bears has a milder flavor. We can classify bear meat in terms of season as well.
Spring bears mostly feed on young vegetation. Thus their meat is tender.
On the other hand, during fall, bears tend to have large layers of fats, plus their meat tends to be coarser and hard.
Most people are of the view that bear meat is greasy. This is true to some extent, considering the layers of fats a large bear can have.
Some hunters also compare the taste of bear meat to beef. But as compared to beef, the taste is much stronger.
Also, fats in beef enhance its flavor. However, in the case of game meat, the fat gives an unpleasant flavor.
So, it is best to remove them before cooking.
How to Cook Bear Meat?
There is only one rule to cook bear meat – Slow Cooking! Whether you want to stew or grill bear meat, make sure not to rush while cooking bear meat.
Bears can carry infections depending on their diet. So, in order to kill all the potential trichinella, you need to cook it for long at about 160-degree temperature.
As said earlier, since the fats in bear meat may alter the taste of your meal, you might want to remove all the fat layers before cooking it. If at all the bear meat is very hard, you can grind and cook it.
Keep in mind that bear meat spoils quickly. So, you shouldn’t hang and store it as you’d usually do with venison.
However, once you have butchered and cleaned the meat, make sure to freeze them for storage.
Conclusion
Eating bear meat isn’t meant for everyone. But just as other game meats like that of a wild boar, squirrel, or rabbit, it is not something poisonous.
In fact, depending on how you cook it, it can be very delicious.
About The Author
Sharing is caring!
