[Sca-cooks] Bear was, Pantry Raid

[Deborah Hammons]

All "game" meat has a different taste.  Many years ago I was in a
discussion over just when and where the term "gamey" began to be used to
describe something that did not taste good.  I have been actively been
hunting and fishing for over 30 years.  Have never taken bear.  (Because
they are too dumb to know they are dead before they get to you, and I am a
bowhunter).  The best deer I have ever tasted came from a wheat farm in
Montana.  Moose from Pinedale, Wyoming.  Elk from Saratoga Wyoming.

Antelope, well.  is antelope. I have had domestic goat and it is better
than "speed goat". I think it is because antelope have a hormone they
release when they run, that makes the meat strong/bitter tasting if you
don't let it metabolize out.  Moral, don't shoot one you have seen running,
and make a good enough shot that it doesn't run off.

Bears are omnivores. And on lean years eat more meat than not.  The bear I
have tasted that had plenty of salmon and berries was much milder than
those driven to scavenging. Deer and antelope taken from areas thick in
sage will taste sagey.  Trout that are wild most often have a pink or red
flesh due to the fresh water shrimp they eat.  Hatchery raised are white
and muddy tasting.  It takes about a year in the wild before the alfalfa
pellets process out.  Same with salmon.

In my experience, how wild game is handled after the kill can also directly
affect the taste.  For example, most "venison" needs to be separated from
the bone, and fat.  Bear is a fat meat in the first place, so rendering it
slowly and draining OFF the fat will make it tast better.  It is rich. And
seems to lend itself to strong spices.

The best bear.  Taken in theYukon. Friends made a roast of a backstrap
chunk.  No fat.  Used their "Cajun" injector with accompanying spices.
Bacon wrapped.  Roasted in a clay pot for 6 hours.  Texture of pulled
pork.  Yum.

Aldyth

On Thu, Mar 7, 2013 at 9:33 AM, Valleri Collins <lstywnch at gmail.com> wrote:

> Morgana, I've been in Alaska for 16 years and have eaten bear twice. The
> first time my husband lovingly marinated, seasoned and roasted it. I took
> two bites before thinking, "I wonder if this is what dog tastes like," and
> couldn't eat any more. It was very rich and dark. The second time someone
> at work offered me a bite of his bear roast that had been stewed in the
> crock pot. It was the most nasty, foul, gamey thing I'd ever tasted and has
> put me right off bear.
>
> Valeria
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