Bear

Bear meat is a wild game product with a distinctive, robust flavour that varies significantly depending on the animal’s diet — bears that have been eating berries and vegetation tend to produce milder, sweeter meat, while those feeding on fish can have a stronger, more pungent flavour.

The meat is dark red, coarsely textured, and can be quite fatty, particularly in autumn when bears are preparing for hibernation. It’s traditionally braised, stewed, or slow-roasted to tenderise the tough muscle fibres. Bear meat must always be cooked thoroughly, as it can carry trichinella parasites — it should never be served rare.

Bear is not available in Australia through conventional retail channels. It’s a regulated wild game product in North America, where it’s obtained through licensed hunting. It holds cultural significance for many Indigenous North American communities.