The Best Way to Render Bear Oil
We’ve written a bunch about our love of bears. They’re beautiful animals that are absolutely delicious. Plus, they’re covered in fat. Delicious, mouth-watering fat that’s great for cooking. Bear oil has a very neutral taste/smell, lasts for over a year and can be used for most cooking applications.
Here is how we render bear fat into glorious cooking oil:
What you need:
Stockpot or buffet pan
Mesh strainer
Jars for storage
Instructions
Cut fat up into small chunks, cleaning any hair/grass/leaves/dirt off as you go (we try to keep the chunks under an inch)
Note: we have read that you can grind the fat as well but have not tried it
Toss the chunks into a pot or buffet and turn the heat on low
Note: you can cook at a higher temp (which will yield a slightly darker oil). If you do so, it is usually best to pour a small amount of water in with the fat chunks. This prevents the fat from burning to the bottom of the pan. The water will disintegrate by the time the fat has melted.
Simmer on low until most of the chunks are gone (with only cracklins left floating in the oil)
Pour the contents of the pan/buffet through a mesh strainer and distribute the oil into your jars
Pro tip: take the remaining cracklins, sprinkle a little salt and pepper on them and go to town. These things are amazing with a beer or even sprinkled on a salad.
