Rendering Bear Fat in a Slow Cooker
The "I ain't got time for that" method.
Life is busy, sometimes we don’t have time to babysit a stove… so I’m going to show you how to render your bear fat in a quick, easy and low maintenance manner. Clean it, chop it, stick it in the crock pot, set it and forget it (kinda... you should still stir it hourly).
Good quality bear fat mostly comes down to the bear’s diet, time of year, and how the fat and animal was handled after it has been harvested.
A good quality bear fat is usually white or creamy white, but it can also be light yellow, especially on berry-fed fall bears. If the fat is dark yellow, grey or greenish tones can mean poor diet, age or spoilage - don't use it.
The fat should smell very mild, slightly sweet if anything. If it smells sour, fishy or has a strong odour - don’t use it.
Raw fat should feel firm and waxy when it is, and a properly rendered fat becomes smooth and creamy once it has cooled.
If your premises fat is grainy or sticky that might mean it overheated or has impurities like hair or meat.
The bear’s diet really does matter. Bears feeding on berries, nuts, oats or corn usually produce excellent fat and meat, while those feeding heavily on fish or “dump bears” can produce a stronger-smelling fat.
Fall black bears are usually considered the best for rendering because they’ve built up clean fat reserves before hibernation - but the fat being rendered in this post is from a spring bear.
A good, healthy fat and proper processing will render down clear or light golden with very minimal burnt smell. If it turns dark quickly or smells burnt, the heat is probably too high - and that’s what we’re trying to avoid here.
Once your rendered fat has cooled it should be smooth, pale and clean-smelling and should not separate excessively or develop moisture pockets. If you notice mold, bubbling or sour smell - that means it spoiled.
A lot of bear hunters save only the internal fat and back fat for rendering because it’s usually the cleanest and mildest.
Rendered bear fat, often called bear grease or bear lard, has been used for generations. It’s especially something we want to utilize now, not only to ensure nothing goes to waste- but to help avoid the poisonous foods and cosmetics available to us in stores today.
Cooking Uses
There are endless uses for your rendered bear fat. Use it for cooking things like fries, potatoes or fish. Baking biscuits, pie crusts and pastries are another phenomenal use (stay tuned for a bear grease pie crusts recipe).
There are also a-lot of practical uses like balms and salves, seasoning cast iron, conditioning leather, waterproofing boots and gear, soap and candle making and skin or hair moisturizer.
Now enough yammering… let’s get to work.
How To Render Bear Fat in a Slow Cooker (crock pot)
Rendering bear fat is one of the best ways to make use of all parts of your harvest. The key is low heat, patience, and clean fat.
What You’ll Need
- Bear fat (obviously)
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Slow cooker
- Wooden spoon
- Coffee filter, fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth
- Mason jars or heat-safe containers
Step 1: Prepare the Fat
This is so important. Remove as much meat, bloodshot tissue, hair, and debris from the fat as possible. Clean white fat renders best and keeps longer.
Step 2: Cut It Small
Dice the fat into small cubes or partially freeze it and run it through a meat grinder. Smaller pieces render faster and more evenly.
Step 3: Bring Out The Slow Cooker
Fill the slow cooker (or crock pot) no more than 3/4 full with your prepared fat. Add a small splash of water to the bottom (about 1/4 cup) to help prevent scorching at the beginning of the process.
This is the cute little crock pot was super cost effective. It's simple, but so reliable.
Step 4: Cook Low and Slow
Set the slow cooker to LOW. Leave the lid slightly cracked so moisture can escape. I use the wooden spoon handle to prop it open.
Stir every hour or so. (I set a timer because I will get busy and forget it).
The fat will slowly melt down over several hours. Depending on the amount, this can take anywhere from 4 to 12 hours… so keep an eye on it.
Step 5: Watch for Cracklings
Once the solid pieces turn golden brown and stop releasing oil, the rendering is done. Don’t burn it… burnt fat can taste bitter. Nobody wants that.
Step 6: Strain the Grease
Carefully strain the liquid fat through coffee filter, cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer into clean jars or glass containers.
I used a coffee filter in a funnel because it was all I had at home, and the fine strain would clean out as many impurities as possible. I did have to change out the coffee filter three times through the process because it was getting clogged up with debris throughout the process.
Step 7: Cool and Store
Let the jars cool completely! This far keeps in the fridge for several months or in the freezer for over a year. It can take over 24 hours of refrigeration for the rendered fat to form into a more solid white lard.
