By David Draper

Tell people that you not only eat bear meat but that you also love it, and most will grimace and postulate second-hand opinions about how bear is not only inedible, but also disease-ridden. Cooking bear, the uninformed will righteously tell you, not only results in a bad meal, but also causes everything from severe nausea to death. Mention that you also render bear fat for cooking, and you can almost see their brain seize up. It’s actually quite entertaining—not unlike telling a redneck that Toby Keith votes Democrat. 

Ask these folks if they’ve actually tried bear and most will lower their eyes, kick the dirt a few times, and start sputtering excuses like “No, but I have this friend…”

So yes, I eat bear and ain’t afraid to evangelize about it. I have also started rendering the fat, which was thick and slick on this acorn-eating sow I killed with Steve Jones in New Mexico last fall. The resulting hard, white lard is a great medium for frying. To me, nothing beats onions and potatoes poached in bear fat—except maybe chicken thighs dusted with seasoned flour. I’ve also been told bear fat makes a great biscuit, which is what I’m reserving the last half-pint that’s in my fridge for, though I may sneak a spoonful out from time to time for fried eggs and hash browns.

Rendering bear fat is an easy affair, but it does take several hours. Luckily, this is mostly unattended cooking, requiring just a stir every now and then to keep the pieces from sticking to the pan. Several experienced bear hunters have told me you should do this outdoors if possible, as bear fat can produce an unpleasant odor. That wasn’t the case with my bear, but consider yourself forewarned—especially if you have a spouse or significant other who’s not exactly understanding of your kitchen experiments.

(Note: this is the same process used for rendering pork, duck or goose fat. If you kill a deer that has hard, white back fat, I’d also encourage you to try rendering that as well, despite contrary opinion that deer fat isn’t edible.)

Rendering Bear Fat

1. Clean the fat thoroughly, removing any stray hair and cutting away as much meat as possible.

2. Cut the fat into 1-inch squares and add to a deep stockpot. (The deeper the pot the better, as the grease may splatter.)

3. Set the pot over low to medium heat and stir regularly for the first few minutes to keep the fat from sticking. (A bit of water added to the pot can also help prevent scorching.) You want the fat to sputter, but not sizzle and turn brown, so keep the heat low.

4. Let the fat render and moisture evaporate. Depending on the amount of fat, this could take several hours or all day. Be sure to stir a few times every hour.

5. When the fat is completely liquefied and has stopped sputtering, you’re finished. There will be a few hard bits of fat—the cracklings—that will need to be filtered out.

6. Line a fine-meshed sieve with cheesecloth and set it over a bowl or large measuring cup. Slowly pour the rendered fat through the sieve to filter out the cracklings and impurities.

7. Transfer the fat to Mason jars, seal, and refrigerate. Bear fat should last several months in the fridge or even longer if frozen.

Comments (11)

from Koldkut wrote 20 weeks 2 days ago

You're killin' me man!

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from Proverbs wrote 20 weeks 2 days ago

I've harvested one bear, a nice, fat, cinnamon-colored black bear in Arizona. The thick, snow-white layer of fat was fairly astonishing. I didn't waste much of it, but I sure didn't eat it. We turned it into large candles to use outside.

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from Douglas wrote 20 weeks 2 days ago

I remember my Grandmother rendering pork fat. That stunk too. I will try this with deer fat next season. Or with a bear if I get one.
I personally think bear meat is great table fare, especially if its been eating the corn, carrots, and apples off some deer poachers bait piles!

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from Coondog2279 wrote 20 weeks 2 days ago

I've been rendering bear fat for years now and I can vouch for it making great biscuits. And just like the article says, I wouldn't recommend rendering it down in your home kitchen...It definately doesn't have a very appealing smell. Besides using it for cooking, it's great to mix in with bees wax to make a great leather boot dressing.

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from 007 wrote 20 weeks 2 days ago

I used to render it down for shoe grease, made them soft and supple and somewhat water-proof, but they also seemed to fall apart after a while. Now I mix it with bee's wax to lube patches for my flintlock. Some friends of mine killed one and after they butchered it they pitched the chunks of fat into the truck bed to render down later for shoe grease. A bit later in the week somebody noticed that it seemed to be getting away. When it was asked where the bear fat got off to, the cook for the week asked what they thought he had been frying their potatoes in all week. He would get a chunk of that fat, lying in the straw they bedded the dogs with and all the dog manure in that bedding, and use it for lard, dirt and all. Yum Yum!

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from yanzi wrote 20 weeks 2 days ago

Asian dating --- If we still have the edge, walk around, or back to the other side. www.lilydating.com

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from hermit crab wrote 20 weeks 1 day ago

Great info DD! I really appreciate these sorts of articles. If you ever get a chance to render any deer fat, please give us a follow up! The doe my buddy shot this year contained more fat than I've ever seen on a deer. I wish I would've saved some it...

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from Marine ATC wrote 20 weeks 1 day ago

Yummm...

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from trailertrash wrote 20 weeks 1 day ago

I actually tried this just out of curiosity on my deer this year, a nice fat doe. It wasn't too bad. I used it on my eggs and home fries. It did stink a little but I would do it again. I didn't run it through cheesecloth or anything though. I figured leave the cracklings in because I like them and a little hair and dirt never hurt anybody.

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from bounty1 wrote 20 weeks 14 hours ago

Sounds like a lot of work. I don't mind work, but I also don't mind spending money at the grocery store.

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from Trapper Vic wrote 19 weeks 3 days ago

I'll stick to my pure lard. Bear fat? add lye and make soap if you insist on using it!

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from Coondog2279 wrote 20 weeks 2 days ago

I've been rendering bear fat for years now and I can vouch for it making great biscuits. And just like the article says, I wouldn't recommend rendering it down in your home kitchen...It definately doesn't have a very appealing smell. Besides using it for cooking, it's great to mix in with bees wax to make a great leather boot dressing.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from hermit crab wrote 20 weeks 1 day ago

Great info DD! I really appreciate these sorts of articles. If you ever get a chance to render any deer fat, please give us a follow up! The doe my buddy shot this year contained more fat than I've ever seen on a deer. I wish I would've saved some it...

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from trailertrash wrote 20 weeks 1 day ago

I actually tried this just out of curiosity on my deer this year, a nice fat doe. It wasn't too bad. I used it on my eggs and home fries. It did stink a little but I would do it again. I didn't run it through cheesecloth or anything though. I figured leave the cracklings in because I like them and a little hair and dirt never hurt anybody.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Koldkut wrote 20 weeks 2 days ago

You're killin' me man!

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Proverbs wrote 20 weeks 2 days ago

I've harvested one bear, a nice, fat, cinnamon-colored black bear in Arizona. The thick, snow-white layer of fat was fairly astonishing. I didn't waste much of it, but I sure didn't eat it. We turned it into large candles to use outside.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Douglas wrote 20 weeks 2 days ago

I remember my Grandmother rendering pork fat. That stunk too. I will try this with deer fat next season. Or with a bear if I get one.
I personally think bear meat is great table fare, especially if its been eating the corn, carrots, and apples off some deer poachers bait piles!

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from 007 wrote 20 weeks 2 days ago

I used to render it down for shoe grease, made them soft and supple and somewhat water-proof, but they also seemed to fall apart after a while. Now I mix it with bee's wax to lube patches for my flintlock. Some friends of mine killed one and after they butchered it they pitched the chunks of fat into the truck bed to render down later for shoe grease. A bit later in the week somebody noticed that it seemed to be getting away. When it was asked where the bear fat got off to, the cook for the week asked what they thought he had been frying their potatoes in all week. He would get a chunk of that fat, lying in the straw they bedded the dogs with and all the dog manure in that bedding, and use it for lard, dirt and all. Yum Yum!

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from yanzi wrote 20 weeks 2 days ago

Asian dating --- If we still have the edge, walk around, or back to the other side. www.lilydating.com

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Marine ATC wrote 20 weeks 1 day ago

Yummm...

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from bounty1 wrote 20 weeks 14 hours ago

Sounds like a lot of work. I don't mind work, but I also don't mind spending money at the grocery store.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Trapper Vic wrote 19 weeks 3 days ago

I'll stick to my pure lard. Bear fat? add lye and make soap if you insist on using it!

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.