Black bear is, in my mind, the most underrated wild game that walks the North American continent. Their mild, tender flesh, when prepared properly, could easily pass for a fine cut of beef to even the most discerning diner. In fact, bear dishes that I’ve made for neighborhood parties typically disappear long before more traditional fare. And it’s one of the few critters that I pack home to my notoriously picky family that will be devoured without a second thought.

Bears aren’t just delicious either. Their meat can also be prepared in a more diverse variety of recipes than anything else I hunt. So, occasionally I like to get creative. And bear shoulder barbacoa is one of our favorites.

Shoulders of all creatures present a unique culinary opportunity. Due to their profusion of tendons and ligaments, most people just add them to the grind pile. But, if you follow this recipe, you’ll probably just start wrapping them in freezer paper and saving them for a day when you crave a hearty meal with a bit of a kick. It’s worth mentioning before we get started that bears can carry the trichinella parasite. So, any method that you prepare bear meat must conclude with a minimum internal temperature of at least 160°F. But barbacoa is a long, “low and slow” cook, so we have nothing to worry about here.

Try to cover every inch of surface area with the dry rub. The author typically uses hardwoods for smoking, but don’t overthink it. Anything you have laying around will do.

Ingredients

• Black bear front quarter (This works well with deer, feral pigs, and everything else I’ve tried, too.)
• 2 Tbsp garlic salt
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp paprika
• ½ Red onion finely chopped
• 5 Tbsp chopped garlic
• 8 oz Canned chipotles in adobo sauce (Use half if you don’t like too much heat.)
• 2 Cups apple juice

You can brine the shoulder for a day if you like. I sometimes do this in a simple brown sugar/salt solution, but it’s far from required. Bears have enough juicy goodness as it is. So, you do you. Either way, set your smoker to 225°F and let it heat while you prepare the dry rub. Mix equal parts garlic salt, brown sugar, and paprika, and coat every square inch of the meat.
Place the shoulder directly on the grate and smoke for three hours. We just want the smoky flavor to permeate the meat. Next, place the shoulder in a large baking dish and pour the apple juice in the bottom. Then coat the top of the meat with the garlic, onions, and adobo chilis. Wrap the entire thing, pan and all, with aluminum foil, taking care to make it as airtight as possible. Then just place in the oven at 275°F for three more hours.

A happy black bear shoulder Barbacoa coated with spicy, savory love ready to pull or chop.

Older bears might need a little more time, but just check it with a fork to be sure it’s done. It’ll easily pull from the bone and then you can chop, or shred if you prefer, and discard any chunks of remaining fat or gristle. I usually mince the chilis in as I’m chopping the meat and save just a little bit of the drippings to top sandwiches or tacos with.
That’s basically it. This recipe is time consuming, but the preparation is simple. And, trust me, you will love the results. Due to meals like this, my wife is no longer happy until we have at least one bruin in the freezer, and it’s not hard for her to twist my arm into chasing a second one, either. Enjoy!

Sean Etter is a Georgia resident and the author of the recently published book In the Realm of the Raven. This is his first contribution to the magazine.