# Bear Heart



## MontanaResident (Dec 7, 2019)

Wow! Cleaned up the hard fat, and the ventricles, marinated the 1" thick slices in Teriyaki for a few days. Pan fried some onions, peppers, mushrooms and then about 1/2 the heart. This with some noodles and Wow! I have some left over for an omelette tomorrow, and then the other 1/2 for dinner tomorrow.

Neighbors visited to see the bear claws and brought me over a big slice of venison meat pie they are eating thru. The eating is good.

I also have a Venison Roast in the slow cooker, to make shredded venison for bagel sandwiches.


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## U&A (Dec 7, 2019)

Pictures are required for this thread. 


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]


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## MontanaResident (Dec 7, 2019)

Tomorrow. I'm still bursting from the meal. Trying to avoid food coma.


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## stillhunter (Dec 12, 2019)

I talked to a guy a few months ago who has hunted and ate about all the game animals in the US and Alaska. He told me the best eating game of all of the game he's eaten is a mid age black bear that has been eating corn and blueberries, in eastern N.C. where he lives.I've never wanted to hunt bears but after talking to him I've changed my mind........


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## MontanaResident (Dec 13, 2019)

stillhunter said:


> I talked to a guy a few months ago who has hunted and ate about all the game animals in the US and Alaska. He told me the best eating game of all of the game he's eaten is a mid age black bear that has been eating corn and blueberries, in eastern N.C. where he lives.I've never wanted to hunt bears but after talking to him I've changed my mind........



I had always heard they were greasy and not hunted for meat but for the hide. I was reluctant to shoot this bear, hoped he would go away, tried to scare him away. Finally I had to shoot him. The meat is fantastic, and I will be ramping up my efforts next spring and fall to get another bear.


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## MontanaResident (Jan 20, 2020)

I have been rather stingy in enjoying the bear. Now that I have the Can-Am ATV, I plan to get a bear on a more regular basis (yearly?). I do see them quite often, but usually don’t take the shot (I like bears), but now I like eating them, now that I know that they are not all fat and greasy like the internet told me. Rather they are tender, juicy, and heck they are all over the place.


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## Slackjaw (Jan 23, 2020)

Just to throw it out there- bear meat is the #1 vector of trichinosis in the US.
I hunt large game and do all my own butchering, so don't get me wrong.
I'm just making sure everyone understands that undercooked bear meat is almost a sure bet of Trichinosis.
Please read the symptoms and be aware of them.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichinosis


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## MontanaResident (Jan 23, 2020)

Slackjaw said:


> Just to throw it out there- bear meat is the #1 vector of trichinosis in the US.
> I hunt large game and do all my own butchering, so don't get me wrong.
> I'm just making sure everyone understands that undercooked bear meat is almost a sure bet of Trichinosis.
> Please read the symptoms and be aware of them.
> ...



The State of Montana use to, but no longer tests bears for Trichinosis. I don't know if that makes them safe to eat or what.

My father is a proud patch wearing shopper of Costco. He has over the years developed a phobia about meat that is not from Costco. I remind him that the meat at Costco, like most all FDA inspected foods come from cattle, chickens, pork that is breed, raised and slaughtered in a confined area. These animals live, eat, sleep, piss and poop in their confined area til they are ready for consumption. Trust it to be safe -- and you trust the FDA, the butcher, the freezer, the transportation, the storage, the packaging, etc? Bears in Montana range free and long, eating berries, apples, roots, grass, and the occasional game -- I consider that about as natural as it can be. Famous last words? Maybe.

I will add that this bear was a nuisance, living in my area, tracks all over, multiple sightings, etc. He was enjoying the bumper crop of Oregon Grapes, that I too was picking. When I opened him up, his stomach was bloated with these berries, which is/has to be why he is so flavorful.

Thanks for the link. If I was to be as cautious as so many friends, neighbors and family wish me to be, I'd have to stay in bed 24/7/365.


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## banditt007 (Jan 31, 2020)

To begin I love bear meat (provided it had a clean diet on mostly plants) and would like to continue being a lover of bear meat, and not infected with Trich! Myself and a friend found "they are what they eat" his black bear had access to lots of fish and literally the meat smells like low tide no kidding. Other bears we have gotten with mostly access to just plants have been wonderful...including the fat. I always thought my venison was good until I got my first black bear. So far its my favorite. 

With that said, here is the problem with trich, it is not necessarily evenly spread amongst the meat. So you can have a meal that was trich free, and the next loaded with the parasite. Same goes for testing, its not evenly distributed in the meat. You do not need to cook the meat to 160F like everyone says...however there are precautions you must take. First thing to note, there are several strains of the Trich parasite, however most of the research has only been done on one, not nessissarily the one your bear has, but thats all the info we can get-so at least for the higher cooking temperatures we must put trust that it works across the board of the different strains....or don't trust it and cook it well done. There are charts of time/temperature relationships to kill (or at least make the parasite inactive) that includes freezing, as well as cooking temperatures. Again these charts are mostly based off of one strain that was common in domesticated pork. There is another strain that is highly resistant to freezing and freezing is NOT considered to make it inactive. As for cooking temps, again the info is based on one type, but to make things simple if you keep the meat at 137F for 3 minutes its considered safe to eat. At 140+F it takes 1 minute or less to render it safe.

Remember too, the accuracy of your thermometer and the fact that cooking meat in certain ways, think microwave, is going to result in major uneven cooking temps and despite using a thermometer you have a high likely hood of not killing all of it. Here is what I have done and so far has worked wonderfully for bear meat. I cook it sous vide and then brown in on the grill or cast iron. If you don't know, look up sous vide cooking, don't be intimidated its wonderful. This way you can be sure the entire piece of meat is safe to eat, and you can still enjoy it at a medium doneness. Stay safe and educate others. Bears/wild hogs/bobcat/cougar have high probability of being carriers...and I would imagine anything else that isn't 100% vegetarian. Almost all of the cases in the US are primarily from wild game, and of that, mostly bear meat. 

I always wanted a bear steak medium rare but stayed with a min of 137F internal temp- which brings it to medium. I agree with you that wild game is way more healthy, not to mention natural and humane than the commercial large scale meat production. You can feel good about what you eat. Enjoy but stay safe.


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## Backyard Lumberjack (Feb 9, 2020)

MontanaResident said:


> I have been rather stingy in enjoying the bear. Now that I have the Can-Am ATV, I plan to get a bear on a more regular basis (yearly?). I do see them quite often, but usually don’t take the shot (I like bears), but now I like eating them, now that I know that they are not all fat and greasy like the internet told me. Rather they are tender, juicy, and heck they are all over the place. View attachment 790390
> View attachment 790391



does look good! is that bear heart? maybe not. I have never had bear heart, but I have heard bear meat is quite good. I have had cow heart... bit like between liver and sirloin, imo...


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## MontanaResident (Feb 9, 2020)

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> does look good! is that bear heart? maybe not. I have never had bear heart, but I have heard bear meat is quite good. I have had cow heart... bit like between liver and sirloin, imo...



The bear heart was very good. Sauteed in onions, peppers, mushrooms, etc and anything tastes good. 2 more months and it is spring bear season, and with my newly acquired quad, I mean to get another bear. This time the hide will have its winter coat and should be in perfect condition. With the bear of Oct2019, I lucked out in flavor. I hope to get lucky again, for it is the best eating of any wild game I have eaten (Deer, Elk, Moose, various game birds, etc.).


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## Backyard Lumberjack (Feb 9, 2020)

MontanaResident said:


> The bear heart was very good. Sauteed in onions, peppers, mushrooms, etc and anything tastes good. 2 more months and it is spring bear season, and with my newly acquired quad, I mean to get another bear. This time the hide will have its winter coat and should be in perfect condition. With the bear of Oct2019, I lucked out in flavor. I hope to get lucky again, for *it is the best eating of any wild game I have eaten (Deer, Elk, Moose, various game birds, etc*.).




hi MR - that says a lot! to my way of thinking... because to say the least... both venison and pheasant pretty good chow! haven't had any pheasant lately, but did have some quail not too distant... and I stay pretty good in stock with venison. got a great neighbor. hunts his family farm. I gave him and his family some yard eggs few weeks back... then a knock at front door. and he handed me this. what was in a bag he had... _sometimes you just get lucky!_


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