Bear Meat Matters

From Field to Plate

Humans hunting for food to feed their families has been a tradition dating back centuries—hence cave drawings. For many, their survival heavily depended upon hunting and utilizing the meat. And although there are places down the street, such as the grocery store or supermarket, where food can be found and bought nowadays, many hunters agree that hunting as a means of acquiring food is the primary reason they do it. Bringing the meat back home after a hunt is not only a time-tested practice that is hard-wired into our DNA but also one of the essential components of being a genuine steward of nature itself. It shows that our intent for hunting isn’t simply for the kill—but for what it can provide us via food for health and survival.

For the most part, many of us recognize the importance of utilizing the harvest resources, such as the meat, to the best of our ability. Deer and elk, popular staples in the wild game category, are considered delicious food, and with good reason. When properly taken care of, processed, and prepared, the meat from these species can taste like a little slice of heaven. It is so good that you might ask yourself, “Why would I eat anything else?” Ask other hunters who pursue these species, and you will undoubtedly hear their love and excitement for having meat in the freezer ready to be thawed out at a moment’s notice for when friends come over for a get-together.

Outside of these common and popular species, though, are species that are pursued but are not necessarily seen the same way as other wild game when it comes to meat quality. The black bear is one of them, and it comes with a heavy heart that there are still folks who look down on bear meat for various reasons. When bear meat is a staple in your household like mine, these concerns from others confuse me. How could one of the most nutrient-dense wild game meats my family enjoys not be seen or viewed as good quality meat like other wild game?

It’s no secret that bear hunting and meat are often looked at differently than other species for various reasons. Even though this may be the case, there is more to this story than what’s told. Bears and bear meat have value. Not just value, but immense value just like other wild game species. To prove this, let’s dive into three common myths surrounding bear meat and the case for why bear meat matters.

Linden Loren Fall Bear

Myth #1: Bear meat involves too much work.

Bear meat is worth the effort. To process and break down a black bear can take a few hours or more. Due to the thickness of the hide and the fat, extra effort is required to prevent spoiling of the meat, depending on where you are hunting and what time of year. These tasks can be challenging and require extra time and work; however, with all these things, it comes down to the same effort that is applied to other hunting measures like harvesting other species, packing your gear, or hiking up hills. Think about the house projects, traveling, and work-related tasks you have completed in your lifetime during the off-season. The time and effort required to break down a black bear and gather up all the resources accordingly to bring it back home is not outside of our capacity when taking into consideration the handful of things we do regularly that take up more effort and time. Bear meat doesn’t involve too much work; it’s more like the same amount of work you have put in before time and time again in other areas of life.

If you can put effort into others, your career, hobbies, kids, and your family during the off-season, at the very least, you can do the same for the Bears during the season by making the most of the resources from a successful harvest they have provided you. Imagine telling the next generation that the reason for not making the most of the resources from a bear, such as meat, is because it takes too much work. That is the exact opposite example we should set for them as it will be a message that may stay with them and mesh into other areas of their life to avoid effort-related tasks. There is no need to be timid about hard work, so next time you harvest a black bear, get to it and do what needs to be done.

Alex Kurashev Bear Shank

Myth #2: Bear meat doesn’t taste good.

Bear meat tastes phenomenal. For example, if you have had canned bear meat, you know that it can taste like a combination of pulled pork and a juicy ribeye. So mouthwatering that, for a moment, you almost don’t believe what you are eating. Bear meat is just like any other meat. There are steps to ensure it will taste good, which many others wou

ld agree with. When a venison steak is overly cooked, it can taste dry. When a venison steak is cooked correctly, it can taste delicious. The same goes for bear meat—how it’s cooked matters. Ultimately, to ensure bear meat tastes great, though, the process starts earlier than the kitchen. When it comes down to it, how

the meat is preserved and stored is a critical first step to ensure that the quality of the meat is maintained. If that box is checked, the next focus would be how you dice up the meat for the specific methods of cooking that you are interested in. It is here during this phase, that the creative opportunities lay and the endless ways you can consume that delicious bear meat. Bear meat can be great for a breakfast sausage, lunchtime burger, or a meatloaf dinner—a staple in my household. There is no limit to what type of mouthwatering dish or meal can be made with bear meat, so the statement that bear meat doesn’t taste good is false. When you properly care for the meat and are willing to explore new ways of preparing it for a meal, you will experience the proof.  The best part of preparing and cooking bear meat is that there are endless options to what you can make. All that is required is creativity, time, effort, and willingness to test different dishes. Because who knows, it could lead to one of the best dishes you have ever had.

Jana Waller Blair

Myth #3: Bear meat is incredibly harmful to our health.

Bear meat is beneficial for our health. It’s one of the most nutrient-dense meats on the planet due to its vitamin and mineral content, healthy fat, and, of course, good-quality protein. Bear meat can no doubt support our health and well-being, so why does it get a bad rap? This concern stems from how it is prepared and cooked properly; for when it is not, there is a chance of coming down with an infection—trichinosis. Many outdoor enthusiasts and even some of the public know this, but this conversation has more layers than initially thought. According to the CDC, trichinosis is a rare disease in the United States, with only about 15 confirmed cases per year.1 Sure, not all cases may be reported, however, even then, trichinosis is rare compared to other potential villains we might encounter, dietarily speaking.  For example, the CDC estimates that each year, 48 million people get sick from a foodborne illness, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die.2 Much of these foodborne illnesses stem from fast food, so the claim that the reason to avoid bear meat is solely because of trichinosis is something to be aware of, however, if that is a serious concern, you better avoid fast food, which can statistically harm you more. This isn’t to say that we don’t have to worry about trichinosis, but to make sure we prevent it by preparing and cooking the meat properly while being aware that there are far more common health challenges we face that can sneak up on us that we also need to take into consideration. Bear meat is a stellar food source for our overall health. It is a natural multivitamin and can help you lose weight and feel stronger, which is why you feel like running through a brick wall after consuming it.

Brett Benton Liquid Gold

Pass this on.

To change a commonly held tradition and thought process, a new message must be continually shared for it to travel through time. With that said, here is the message: bear meat is worth the effort, tastes delicious, and is excellent for our health and well-being. Pass this on to your friends, family, kids, neighbors—everyone. Change starts here, and we must follow our word with action to see it through. It is the duty and responsibility of each hunter to make the most of the resources, such as meat, to the best of one’s ability to show respect for wildlife and the environment. This is how we preserve our past time and origin, which connects humans to the natural world and their food sources. Bear meat matters, and it always will.

Linden Loren

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