Author Topic: Question on Bear Fat (Read 4537 times)

Pappy · « **on:** November 01, 2020, 05:39:56 pm »

My nephew is a taxidermist, he had a nice fat bear brought in and ask if I wanted the fat, I Said of course, now I have never rendered Bear fat, done my share of Pig and deer tallow but never a bear, I got 18 lbs of fat and rendered it down this weekend,got 11 lbs of grease, it turned out nice and clean but as of this morning it hadn't got solid like Pig and deer does, does it just take a while or does it stay thinner, It's not just a liquid but is still really soft compared to the other animals I have done. Just wondering if I done something wrong. I just put it in a pan and cooked it off until I had nothing but grease and cracklings left, They were good by the way

then strained it into another big pan. I plan on straining it again through a cheese cloth into smaller containers, just wanting to know if I need to do something else

?
Pappy

Hawkdancer · « **Reply #1 on:** November 01, 2020, 11:50:39 pm »

Might try rendering with in a water bath! If nothing else it should white and pretty! But I've never handled bear fat either!
Hawkdancer

Pat B · « **Reply #2 on:** November 02, 2020, 08:39:03 am »

Pappy, I have some rendered bear fat and it has stayed a creamy consistency. Mix a little bees wax and some pine pitch and make a good leather dressing and for bows too. I've also heard it makes the best biscuits.

Fox · « **Reply #3 on:** November 03, 2020, 04:58:34 pm »

At a Earth skills rendezvous I was making buck skin with a mentor and he didn’t have enough vegetable oil for the dressing, so he went and traded for some bear fat... it was liquid. Put some lecithin in it and it made some real soft hides.

-Fox

WhistlingBadger · « **Reply #4 on:** November 03, 2020, 08:55:59 pm »

Mine is almost liquid at room temperature. It sets up in the freezer, though.

Pappy · « **Reply #5 on:** November 04, 2020, 03:56:00 am »

It has been in the fridge[not freezer] for a few days now, checked it yesterday and it has set up pretty firm, plan on straining it one more time this weekend through cheese cloth , put in smaller containers and call it good, thanks for the info.

Pappy

WhistlingBadger · « **Reply #6 on:** November 04, 2020, 10:18:22 am »

Quote from: Fox on November 03, 2020, 04:58:34 pm

At a Earth skills rendezvous I was making buck skin with a mentor and he didn’t have enough vegetable oil for the dressing, so he went and traded for some bear fat... it was liquid. Put some lecithin in it and it made some real soft hides.

-Fox

Oooooh, bear fat for brain-tanning! Interesting idea. We are discouraged from using brain these days because CWD is so common, but I might have to try bear fat with some lecithin...or maybe an egg?

Hawkdancer · « **Reply #7 on:** November 04, 2020, 10:54:55 am »

Might use beef or pork brains instead of the wild ones. Not real primitive, but safer! Just remember to cook them outside! They have a stout aroma!
Hawkdancer

Fox · « **Reply #8 on:** November 04, 2020, 06:33:54 pm »

Quote from: WhistlingBadger on November 04, 2020, 10:18:22 am

Quote from: Fox on November 03, 2020, 04:58:34 pm
At a Earth skills rendezvous I was making buck skin with a mentor and he didn’t have enough vegetable oil for the dressing, so he went and traded for some bear fat... it was liquid. Put some lecithin in it and it made some real soft hides.

-Fox

Oooooh, bear fat for brain-tanning! Interesting idea. We are discouraged from using brain these days because CWD is so common, but I might have to try bear fat with some lecithin...or maybe an egg?

Yeah works great, lecithin and oil is what I use instead of brains. For one deer hide it’s 2 TBS of lecithin, and 3 TBS of oil, mixed up real good in 2 Quart jars of water.

-Fox

WhistlingBadger · « **Reply #9 on:** November 06, 2020, 07:05:13 am »

Quote from: Fox on November 04, 2020, 06:33:54 pm

Yeah works great, lecithin and oil is what I use instead of brains. For one deer hide it’s 2 TBS of lecithin, and 3 TBS of oil, mixed up real good in 2 Quart jars of water.
-Fox

I will definitely give that a try some time.

Digital Caveman · « **Reply #10 on:** November 06, 2020, 07:44:18 pm »

There's a way to tan without mashed deer brain or weird chemicals and complicated/expensive processes? Tell us more about it and I'll find some hides!

Jakesnyder · « **Reply #11 on:** November 15, 2020, 04:40:56 am »

theres lots of ways to tan other than brains or complicated processes. Egg yolks (I've heard people using the who egg too), mayo is another one ive herd of(have not tried but sounds like it would work). Or you could do more of a pickling with alum and salt mixed with water.(not sure how harsh alum is but i have used this method on rabbit hides.

Digital Caveman · « **Reply #12 on:** November 15, 2020, 08:13:34 am »

Eggs sound very doable. Should they be used just like brains? I've read how brains are used.

What exactly is the chemical process of tanning? I.e. what do these substances do to the hide?

Thank you,

Ed Brooks · « **Reply #13 on:** November 15, 2020, 08:32:51 am »

An old Indian told me if you keep rendering it down it gets think and paste like, and is the best boot grease around.

Pappy · « **Reply #14 on:** November 15, 2020, 05:12:54 pm »

I have done mine twice more and strained through cheese cloth, it is thick now like lard once cooled, I got 5 quarts and 3 pints of really nice bear lard I will call it.

Thanks
Pappy

Primitive Archer