Anybody Sell Bear Grease Commercially For Succotash?

[fusil de chase]

Looks like ya need to go bear hunting,

 

[Billnpatti]

I have used bear grease for several different things and once it is cleaned of old bits of cracklins and "stuff" I really can't tell it from plain old lard from the store in how it smells, tastes or works as a bullet lube. Bears and hogs are in the same family.

Besides, $28.50 for an aphrodisiac?? Buy the little blue pills. They are a lot cheaper and if she says "No, ain't happening", you still have 4 hours of walnut cracking available to you so your investment won't be a total waste.

 

[Alden]

Thanks for the tips.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

Ok all my Succotash knowledge was gained with a spoon :wink:
So I'm just asking, why bear? If your just looking for a grease used by natives .....Duck, duck, goose :blah: Beaver? raccoon? I would think day to day across the population, each of these would be at least as likely to be the grease on hand.

I totally understand if you just want what you want (I am that way about many things) Just thought I would point out, in many a village one of these other greases was likely the staple food.

 

[tenngun]

Alden- do you know what type beans the Indians actually used? I thought they added bits of venison, not sure on the bear fat. Was the corn of a yellow color or multi-colored "Indian" corn? I don't know myself.
It's been awhile but I'm trying to recall if bear fat tastes much different from any other fat- once really purified. You might be going to a lot of effort for nothing. To the best of my memory bear fat really doesn't have a unique taste.
And....depending on the period, the eastern Buffalo might still have been around, you could probably just get some marrow bones.

Either of the two types of Lima beans -- think the yellow grow better higher. No meat as far as I know but green onions I've heard of. Corn was not the perfect pretty yellow sweet stuff we have today though there were different type.

Try corn sold as animal feed. While it is a modren hybread and not the corn Idians ate it is a flint corn and low in sugar and cheap to boot

 

[tenngun]

And you've been teasing us grit eaters as eaters of animal feed anyway

 

[BillinOregon]

I have some beaver oil that remains solid only when frozen. I like to rub it into my atlatls and dart shafts. Can't vouch for it as food, though.

 

[Billnpatti]

I have tried eating wild onions and they are pretty strong. Nothing like the green onions that you find in the store. You just have to be careful in how many you put into your food or it can become bitter and have a strong onion taste.

 

[tenngun]

And deaths camas looks a lot and taste a lot like onion. You just don't find out until an hour or so after dinner.

 

[fusil de chase]

I have some beaver oil that remains solid only when froze

You have not lived till you have eaten beaver tail! In these parts the original inhabitants consider it a delicacy for good reason.

Oil like you describe is often rendered by hanging animals that hibernate for long periods (like marmots) in the sun and collecting the fat that drips off. It is often used as a carrier for topically applied medicines.

 

[Alden]

Sounds like me laying out on a hot Spring day! Never thought of collecting the runoff...

...till now.