Looking for a tasty way to prepare black bear? This is the best pulled bear recipe I’ve ever had and it’s a wonderful way to make strong tasting bear meat, milder.
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When it comes to hunting and preparing wild game, most folks consume deer, elk and (if you live in the north) moose.
Ruminants.
But when it comes to black bear, many hunter’s wives are left scratching their heads, especially when working with an older boar.
Let’s be real here. The flavor can be quite strong, especially if the animal came from a hot and dry climate (what my childhood family called “sage brush” country).
This recipe will help you turn your black bear meat into a tasty dish that everyone will love. But first? Here are a few tips that will make this pulled bear recipe taste ever better!
How to Make Bear Meat Less Gamey
Try implementing some of these tips for milder tasting bear meat. They’ll help, while still retaining enough of the “bear” to give your dish that full body flavor wild game should bring to the table.
Harvest younger black bears
I know, I know! This advice may be a little late if your black bear is already in the freezer! But if you want good eating bears, harvest younger ones that are 2-3 years old. Younger boars are far less gamey than an old giant who has been around for years.
Trust me. It makes a difference.
Trim off fat before packaging your bear meat
Bear fat carries a strong and pungent flavor. When butchering your meat, you should trim away the excess fat and either render it, or throw it out.
Too late to do this? 🙂
Then take time to cut the fat away before you start cooking the meat. Because the fat is where most of the gaminess is at!
And if you decide to bypass this step, be sure to remove the fat from your cooked meat before creating this recipe. Trust me. Bear fat is strong in flavor and most folks want as little as possible in their finished dish!
Cook your meat long and slow
I find that the longer you cook bear meat, the milder (and richer) it becomes. That’s why this recipe calls for browning your roasts, slow cooking them and then simmering them again for the final touch.
Add other flavors to help balance the taste
Last but not least, adding other fresh flavors will help create a tastier bear dish.
I find the key isn’t to get rid of the bear flavor but rather, to find other foods, herbs and spices that accompany and compliment it.
When it comes to additives, farm fresh is always best. Which is why I recommend using home grown tomatoes, onion and garlic for this recipe.
Make sure your spices are fresh and sharp too. It will really help!
Tools and Equipment
- 5 quart cast iron dutch oven
- meat fork
- cutting board
- sharp kitchen knife
- potato masher
Ingredients
- 3 lbs of bear roast
- 2-3 tablespoons of lard, butter or olive oil
- salt
- 2 cups water
- 1 onion
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 6-8 large paste tomatoes (fresh, frozen or canned)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon curry
- 1 tablespoon of oregano
Watch the Cooking Video
How to Make the Best Pulled Bear Recipe
To make this pulled bear recipe, start with 3 lbs of thawed roasts. Heat your cast iron dutch oven to medium and add fats or oil.
Place roasts in the dutch oven and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes in total. Sprinkle 2-3x with salt throughout the process.
When meat has been browned on all sides, cover the dutch oven with a lid and pop it into a 300F oven. Let it slow cook for 4 hours, turning the meat every hour or so. Cook until the meat becomes tender and falls apart.
Note: are you working with an old bear or very tough cuts of meat? You may want to increase cooking time to a total of 6-8 hours. If you do, you’ll need to add another 1-2 cups of water after 4 hours to keep enough liquid in the dutch oven to prevent meat from burning.
Remove the meat from your stove and let it cool in the dutch oven. When you can safely handle it without burning your hands, go ahead and cut it to size, then pull it apart.
To make your sauce, add 6-8 paste tomatoes (fresh, frozen or canned) to the dutch oven and simmer with the drippings (about 1 cup worth). Cook until tomatoes are soft, then mash them with your potato masher.
Let tomatoes gently simmer without the lid while you dice your onion and garlic. Add these and measure in your spices and oregano.
Stir often and simmer until onions are soft. Then it’s time to add your shredded bear meat!
Gently stir in shredded bear meat and continue to simmer and stir on occasion, until most of the liquid is gone.
Cut open some of your favorite homemade dinner buns and spoon pulled bear meat onto them. Serve hot. And enjoy!
FAQ
How long should I cook bear meat in the oven?
For this particular recipe, I recommend slow cooking your meat in the oven for about 4 hours at 300F to tenderize it.
Can I get trichinosis from eating bear meat?
Some bears carry trichinosis (a parasite) so as with pork, you should never consume undercooked bear meat. Like a rare steak! Safe bear recipes generally call for long cooking times in the oven or crockpot. This eliminates any danger of getting trichinosis.
Can I exchange bear meat for beef or venison in this recipe?
Yes, of course! In fact, this recipe is particularly well suited to lean meats (deer, elk, etc) because of the sauce you cook it in.
The Best Pulled Bear Recipe
Create this delicious recipe with pulled black bear meat and serve it over a homemade bun!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 3 minutes mins
Cook Time 5 hours hrs
Course Main Course, Meat
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people
Equipment
1 cast iron dutch oven
cutting board
sharp knife
measuring spoons
potato masher
Ingredients
- 3 lbs black bear roast
- 2-3 tablespoons lard, butter or olive oil
- 2 cups water
- 6-8 paste tomatoes (fresh, frozen or canned)
- 1 large onion
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon curry
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 6 dinner buns
Instructions
To Cook Your Bear Meat
Thaw 3 lbs of bear roast the nigh before you plan to make this recipe.
Preheat oven to 300F.
Heat a cast iron dutch oven on the stove under medium heat.
Add 2-3 tablespoons of lard, butter or olive oil.
Unwrap roasts and take about 5-7 minutes to brown meat on all sides.
Liberally sprinkle the meat with salt during this time.
Measure out 2 cups of water and add to the meat.
Cover with dutch oven lid and place in 300F oven and cook for 4 hours.
Turn the meat every hour to keep tender and moist.
Remove dutch oven from stove and let meat cool until you can safely handle it without burning yourself.
Shred the meat using a fork (or your hands).
Set it aside and create your sauce.
Sauce for Pulled Bear
Make your sauce in the same cast iron dutch oven, being sure to use the leftover drippings.
Add 6-8 paste tomatoes (fresh, frozen or canned) to your dutch oven.
Cook until tomatoes are soft and mash with a potato masher.
Let tomatoes simmer without a lid while you cut your onion into thin strips and mince your garlic.
Add onion and garlic to the sauce and measure out curry, paprika and oregano. Stir everything together and cook without the lid until onions soften.
Stir in your shredded bear meat and simmer until juices have nearly evaporated.
Slice open 6 of your favorite homemade dinner buns and serve hot.
Notes
Note 1: if you’re working with tough cuts of bear meat, you may want to cook your roasts for 6-8 hours to make sure they’re tender. In this case, be sure to add another 1-2 cups of water to your cast iron dutch oven after 4 hours to make sure the liquid doesn’t evaporate off and your roasts burn.
Note 2: you can make this recipe in bulk and freeze the finished product. Just pop it into a pan and reheat for a quick and easy meal.
Keyword black bear recipe, cook bear, pulled bear meat
