Bear Meat Summer Sausage

[josbocc]

Looking for some advice.  I have a friend that tried my beef/pork summer sausage, and loved it.  Now he tells me that he has an abundance of bear meat, and wants some made from the bear.

Anybody tried this?  I usually mix my beef/pork at 50/50 and use LEM's summer sausage kit.  Should I cut back on the pork, or should I stay at 50/50? 

Any input is appreciated.  Thanks.

Jeff

[NePaSmoKer]

Looking for some advice.  I have a friend that tried my beef/pork summer sausage, and loved it.  Now he tells me that he has an abundance of bear meat, and wants some made from the bear.

Anybody tried this?  I usually mix my beef/pork at 50/50 and use LEM's summer sausage kit.  Should I cut back on the pork, or should I stay at 50/50? 

Any input is appreciated.  Thanks.

Jeff

I done bear, It can be fatty so you may want to cut back with the fat cut in. When i get back home i will find my bear  SS recipe.

[pmmpete]

Bears can have large amounts of fat under their skin, but if you trim all the fat off bear meat, it's almost as lean as deer, elk, antelope, or bighorn with the fat trimmed off, and is quite tasty.  However, when you broil bear meat, it will develop a slight oily sheen on its surface.

I don't know how bear fat tastes, because I trim all the fat off my game.  Last time I shot a bear, a friend who is an outdoor writer talked me out of all the fat from the bear.  He explained that back in frontier days, bear grease was used as a lubricant for bullets.  He cooked up the grease, tried it out as a bullet lube, and wrote an article about the experience.  So I don't know how bear fat would taste in sausages.

[KyNola]

Bears can have large amounts of fat under their skin, but if you trim all the fat off bear meat, it's almost as lean as deer, elk, antelope, or bighorn with the fat trimmed off, and is quite tasty.  However, when you broil bear meat, it will develop a slight oily sheen on its surface.

I don't know how bear fat tastes, because I trim all the fat off my game.  Last time I shot a bear, a friend who is an outdoor writer talked me out of all the fat from the bear.  He explained that back in frontier days, bear grease was used as a lubricant for bullets.  He cooked up the grease, tried it out as a bullet lube, and wrote an article about the experience.  So I don't know how bear fat would taste in sausages.

So you've never made bear meat summer sausage?

[pmmpete]

Correct, I have never made bear meat summer sausage.  Based on having eaten a lot of bear meat, which tastes good, I suspect that bear meat sausage would taste a lot like sausage made out of deer or elk, and if you trim the fat off the bear meat, I suspect that you should add the same kind and amount of pork as you would when making sausage out of deer or elk. 

[KyNola]

Correct, I have never made bear meat summer sausage.  Based on having eaten a lot of bear meat, which tastes good, I suspect that bear meat sausage would taste a lot like sausage made out of deer or elk, and if you trim the fat off the bear meat, I suspect that you should add the same kind and amount of pork as you would when making sausage out of deer or elk.

And I would suspect you are probably correct. :)  I have eaten bear as well and it is good albeit a bit fatty if not trimmed and prepared properly.

[josbocc]

NePas, Ky, and Pete,

Thanks for your input.  I've got to find out from my buddy if the bear is currently in whole muscle state, or if it's already been ground.  If it's still in whole muscle state, I'll trim it as fat-free as possible.  The key is going to be getting the pork to bear ratio correct so that it's not too fatty.  When I do my ground beef summer sausage, I take a whole pork loin from Sam's Club, and leave all of the fat on it when I grind it.  From what I'm gathering, I might want to trim some of the fat off of the pork.

In any case, it's new territory for me.  I will post results, and I continue to welcome any suggestions or tips.

Thanks Again,

Jeff

[NePaSmoKer]

Well there again I don't know what I'm doing.
HAHAHA

[pikeman_95]

My old uncle used to save all his bear fat for making pie crust. He said it made the best pies. I guess they were good but I never tried one. If he could make pies out of the fat I think you might treat it just about like pork. If it was well trimmed I think what you missed would not be noticed.
KC

[viper125]

Well me I don't use fat from any wild game.  My experience is most is rather strong, more so then the meat. I always trim and replace with pork fat. But interested in hearing how it is if you use it. I know I hate deer fat. 

[NePaSmoKer]

This is fresh bear sausage.

4 lbs bear meat. trim as mush of the fat off as you can
1 lb fatty poke butt
2 T kosher salt
2 t black pepper
1 t celery seed
1/2 t dried savory
1/2 t dry thyme
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dry red wine.
hog casings

Combine all ingredients into the cubed meats, mix together to coat well. Grind thru course plate. stuff into casings and make 4-6" links. place links on cookie sheet and cover with clear wrap. fridge the links for 2 days before cooking/grilling. You need an IT of 160* on the links.

[josbocc]

This is fresh bear sausage.

4 lbs bear meat. trim as mush of the fat off as you can
1 lb fatty poke butt
2 T kosher salt
2 t black pepper
1 t celery seed
1/2 t dried savory
1/2 t dry thyme
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dry red wine.
hog casings

Combine all ingredients into the cubed meats, mix together to coat well. Grind thru course plate. stuff into casings and make 4-6" links. place links on cookie sheet and cover with clear wrap. fridge the links for 2 days before cooking/grilling. You need an IT of 160* on the links.

Many Thanks Oh Sausage Guru.  And Happy Holidays!!!

Jeff