At least 54 bears bagged: Hunt attracts protesters seeking to help wounded bruins

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,057
3,327
Pestletown, N.J.
Here is the N.J. Fish and Wildlife link to the up-to-date kill data.
It hasn't been updated since Monday though, when 136 had been checked.
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/bearseas05.htm

Bears are good to eat. Some hunters I have talked to insist they are not.
It is like a stronger flavored beef.
One of the few things that don't taste like chicken!
I have had it several times slow cooked in brown gravy or cut in small cubes in stews.
Personally, I don't hunt them and enjoy the opportunities I have had to watch them in the woods of NE Pa.
 

ecampbell

Piney
Jan 2, 2003
2,889
1,029
A friend of mine shot a bear in NY state 2 years ago and gave me a steak. I ate it that way, not wishing to disguise the taste. I'm not sure I even swallowed the first bite, pretty gross. It was VEREY greasy, even before I cooked it I noticed the red meat glistened. The meat had no pieces of fat on it, but I don't think bear could ever be described as lean. It was a young, small bear, which I would think would be sweeter than an older one (just thinking of those mature stinky bucks people like to shoot).

Ed
 

LARGO

Piney
Sep 7, 2005
1,553
134
54
Pestletown
I don't hunt, had the occasion to try bear though.
Found it dark,and yes.....Greeezy.
I guess it really is in the preparing.Stew sounds safe.
I also had bear sausage, blended of course.
That was a disaster.
 

Gerania

Explorer
May 18, 2004
280
30
Marlton
Years ago someone gave my husband and I some venison. He cooked up a small batch and it was terrible, tough, gamey tasting. The rest of it lay in the freezer for months until the day he came home with a yard sale find, a book called How to Cook Game. The preparation and cooking method below turned the rest of that meat into some really tasty dinners.


Cooking strongly flavored game:

Brine it as you would a turkey. One cup Kosher salt to a gallon of water, or about 2/3 Morton Kosher salt or 1/2 cup table salt (no iodine). How long? It depends on the size of the piece of meat. For example, from a chart I found: pork loin 2-8 hours, whole pork loin 1-3 days. Get rid of the brine, rinse the meat.

Marinate it. Red wine is good. Apple cider works too. Add something acidic to help tenderize, orange or lemon slices, red wine or balsamic vinegar. Throw in an assortment of aromatics, onion, garlic, whole peppercorns, bay leaf, a blade of mace, juniper berries, sprigs of fresh thyme, a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce for example. I'd marinate for at least 6-12 hours, but don't leave it for toooo long or you'll just end up pickling the meat. Discard the marinade.

Cook as you would any piece of meat that might be tough. Brown and then pressure cook, braise (stovetop or oven), or use a slow cooker/crockpot. Be careful about adding salt or salty liquids like broth while cooking because the brined meat will need little or no more additional salt.
 
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