(Photo courtesy of Adam Berkelmans)
May 30, 2025
By Adam Berkelmans
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For those old enough to remember, there was a certain dopey bear dressed in an orange A&W shirt that would appear on our television screens during commercial breaks. Rooty, as he was apparently known, would lumber out to promote root beer with a catchy tuba tune playing in the background: Ba-Dum, Ba-Dum, Ba-Dum-Dum…
Thinking back on that commercial and knowing that bear meat pairs exceptionally well with sweet flavors, I decided to buy a bottle of root beer for the first time in years and use it to make bear stew.
The resulting dish turned out pleasantly, but not cloyingly, sweet, with the root beer accentuating the delicious richness of the bear. I used some standard root vegetables in this stew, but feel free to add in your favorites to round it out. I found that using lots of black pepper balanced the stew out with a soft heat and a complex zing.
The only problem with this dish is that I can’t get that song out of my head now. Ba-Dum, Ba-Dum, Ba-Dum-Dum…
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Serves: 6-8Prep Time: 30 minutesCook Time: 3.5 hours
Ingredients: (also can make with any other big game meat)
2lbs bear stew meat Kosher salt 2 tablespoons bear fat or oil 3 tablespoons flour 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1.5 cups (12 fl. oz) root beer (I used A&W) 1 rutabaga, peeled and cubed 2 large carrots, peeled and cubed 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 large onions, cut into petals or chopped 3 cloves garlic, chopped Black pepper 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 3 cups bear stock or water Minced chives or parsley for garnish (Photo courtesy of Adam Berkelmans) Directions:
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Salt bear meat generously. Heat the fat or oil in a Dutch oven or skillet (with a lid) over high heat. Add the bear meat and sear on all sides until well-browned, about 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add the flour and tomato paste and stir it in, cooking for another 3 minutes. Add the root beer, rutabaga, carrots, potato, onions, garlic, lots of black pepper, Worcestershire, and the stock/water. Bring to a strong simmer, then reduce to a very low simmer. Cover and cook for 3 hours. Remove the lid, raise heat to medium, and simmer until the stew reaches the consistency you most enjoy. Taste for seasoning, and add salt as necessary. Garnish individual bowls with parsley or chives and serve with some buttered bread or baguette. Enjoy!
Adam Berkelmans
Adam Berkelmans, also known as The Intrepid Eater, is a passionate ambassador for wild food and a proponent of nose-to-tail eating. A Jack-of-all-trades, but master-of-none, he has spent a lifetime collecting knowledge and experiences, trying his hand at wilderness canoe guiding, whole animal butchery, hazard tree removal, riparian restoration, arborist work, organic vegetable farming, park operations, food blogging, recipe development, and education.
Starting his brand, The Intrepid Eater, in 2020 as a response to the pandemic, he has since developed over 600 recipes, which can be found on his website, www.theintrepideater.com, and across hunting and outdoor media, both online and in print. With a heavy focus on wild foods, he derives inspiration for his recipes from international flavors and techniques and looks to make his plates pop with bright natural colors and flavors.
He also works closely with Harvesting Nature, providing support as managing editor, podcast host, writer, cooking and butchery instructor, and recipe contributor.
A Canadian, Adam spends his time between Ottawa and a cozy lake house north of Kingston, Ontario, with his partner Kathy and small münsterländer Arrow. When not cooking, he can be found hunting, fishing, foraging, gardening, reading, traveling, and discovering new ways to find and eat food.
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