Teriyaki Bear
Yield: 6-10 servings
Ingredients:
2 pound whole-muscle bear loin
2 pounds fresh firm vegetables, such as snap peas, broccoli, and asparagus, trimmed and chopped into 1 inch pieces
fresh chopped garlic, to taste
½ cup yellow onion, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups venison or beef stock
2 cups low sodium teriyaki sauce
2 teaspoon lime juice
¼ cup mirin rice cooking wine
¼ cup cornstarch slurry (1/8 cup cornstarch dissolved in 1/8 cup water)
Directions:
Slice bear loin across the grain of the muscle into 1/8 inch thin filets. In a large bowl, toss sliced meat with the teriyaki sauce, stock, lime juice, and mirin, for a quick 10 minute marinade.
Strain the meat from the marinade. Reserve both the liquid and the meat. Warm a large wok or frying pan to searing hot. Coat the pan with olive oil and add the sliced bear meat. Quickly sear the meat for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bear from the pan and set aside to rest.
Return the pan to heat and cook the chopped vegetables, onion, and garlic similarly for 2 to 3 minutes. Add as much of the marinade liquids as you will want for the sauce. Finish cooking the vegetables in sauce for 2 to 3 minutes. Add cornstarch slurry to thicken and bring to simmer. Mix in cooked bear meat and warm through.
Tip:
Whole muscle bear meat can be taken from many areas on the animal, including round, sirloin, and even parts of the hip and chuck. You are looking for solid continuous muscle fiber that has no sinew running through. Most cuts, outside of the backstrap loin, will be no more than 2 inches thick and are ideal for the hot searing cooking of stir-fry. I also cut the meat for kabobs this way, as it greatly reduces toughness. I prefer to have the bear meat slightly frozen as it aides in making thin, clean cuts.