Top 5 Bear Meat Recipes

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It's springtime, so we know folks are traveling near and far to hunt and kill wild bear. If you're lucky enough to find success this spring, or you have a supply of bear meat already in the freezer, we want you to have some go-to recipes. So, we've rounded up our most popular and printed-off bear meat recipes and put them all in one place. Try one, or try them all. We made sure not to skip dessert! 

1. Bear Sauerbraten Recipe

Although black bears are found all over North America, they have an Old World aura around them. Therefore, bear meat is a natural fit for many Central and Eastern European recipes. Here, a bear roast gets the traditional sauerbraten treatment with a long marinade in red wine and vinegar, with a slightly sugary sauce that pairs with the natural sweetness of the meat.

Serves: 4
Prep time: 30 minutes + marinade time
Cook time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 (4-pound) bear roast
• 1 ½ cup red wine
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 onions (1 grated, 1 chopped)
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 6 juniper berries
• 4 bay leaves
• 4 cloves
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• Kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons bacon fat
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¼ cup golden raisins
• ¼ cup chopped parsley

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2. Wild Bear Tequila Chili Tacos

This isn't your typical taco recipe – swapping beef for bear will exceed your expectations. For those who wish for a lower-carb option, simply cut out the tortillas and serve all ingredients atop your favorite salad green mix.

Serves: 4-5
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours

Taco Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 pound lean bear meat, ground
• 1 large red onion, peeled and diced
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, diced
• 2 green bell peppers, diced
• 2 red chilies, chopped with seeds
• 2 jalapeños, chopped
• ¾ cup tequila
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 4 or more cups beef broth
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 3 teaspoons paprika
• 1 ½ teaspoons oregano
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Kosher salt
• 12 flour tortillas, toasted in a hot pan or grill

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3. Vietnamese Black Bear Pâté Chaud

Pâté chaud is a savory hand pie, filled with ground pork, herbs and spices, wrapped in flaky puff pastry. Along with bear meat in this recipe, I added pork for the fat and texture. You can adjust the ratio here however you like and go down as much as 20 percent. This recipe makes a huge batch, so make it a party! If not, cut down the recipe as you like.

Serves: About 27 pastries (three 9-pastry batches)
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground black bear meat
• 1 pound ground pork shoulder
• ½ cup minced onion
• 4 scallions, green parts minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 (4.67-ounce) can pork liver pâté (I used the Flower brand)
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 6 dashes Maggi seasoning (optional)
• 3 boxes Pepperidge Farms frozen puff pastry (2 sheets each)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon milk or water

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4. Blackened Black Bear Nachos

Making this bear nacho recipe is fairly simple. It actually takes longer to gather your ingredients than it does to cook the meat. Black bear meat is a nutritious source of protein and can be substituted with ground brown bear meat if that is what you have on hand.

Serves: 6-8
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: To temp (160 degrees) or until almost crispy brown (roughly 10 minutes on medium-high).

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ground bear meat
• Tri-colored tortillas
• Cajun seasoning
• 8 ounces shredded smoked cheese
• 3 jalapeños
• 1 red onion
• 1 white onion
• 5 tomatoes
• 2 avocados
• ½ bushel cilantro
• 1 banana pepper
• Tri-colored tortillas
• 3 lemons or limes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

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5. Apple Pie with Bear Fat Crust

To make this apple pie recipe, Denny says that you'll first want to prepare the crust. Then you’ll prepare the filling and bake until golden brown and bubbling.

Crust Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour, sifted
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon  salt
• 1 cup of rendered bear fat

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