Cougar Recipes?

gofishoregon · 08-18-2003, 01:53 PM

I just bought my tags for the upcoming archery season. In addition to the usual deer and elk tag I also bought a bear and cougar tag. Since the change in the law allowing you to carry a firearm while bow hunting I thought I might try to take a bear or cougar if the opportunity arose.

Just one thought, I don't have a problem with skinning and preparing a bear if I take one. I have eaten bear meat and found it to be quite tasty. But what about a cougar. Do people actually eat cougar meat? Do you have to eat the meat in order to not be "wasting a game animal"? I am sure I could figure out how to field dress it, but not sure if I want to cut and wrap it.

Any thoughts?

Fish Hawg · 08-18-2003, 02:01 PM

I have heard that it tastes like chicken or pork

I dont know because I have never tried it

Old Coot · 08-18-2003, 02:01 PM

See if you can find a copy of "Education of a Bear Hunter" by Ralph Flowers. Ralph was a bear control hunter for several timber companies, working out of the Montesano/Aberdeen area for decades. If I remembr correctly, he has a chapter or two about cougars and had kind words for them as table fare. The book is a good read.

gofishoregon · 08-18-2003, 02:13 PM

Hey thanks guys, If I get one I will field dress it for the meat first and then the hide/skin.

I found my answer in the regs. regarding wasting. There is an exception for cougars regarding wasting the meat.

I had a thought, I wonder if anyone has ever done an endangered species cookbook?

gofishoregon · 08-18-2003, 02:25 PM

[ 08-18-2003, 03:26 PM: Message edited by: gofishoregon ]

Myles · 08-18-2003, 07:48 PM

everything from aligator to venison, but no kitty??
http://www.justgamerecipes.com/index.htm

I do know someone who had it at a sportsmans banquet and said it was good, why not it eats deer and elk.

myles

MarlinMark · 08-18-2003, 08:36 PM

My taxidermist advised me that cougar will spoil faster than any other game meat. He said that it needs no aging time. I have heard from many houndsman that it is quite good. Stories of wildgame potluck parties where everyone there thought the cougar was the tastiest. Loins like always are great.

Mark

Mikeymoto · 08-18-2003, 08:47 PM

Too weird, today one of the gals at work was telling me that a friend got a cougar, and that they ate some. I asked so whats it like? "Well after you get over the fact that youre eating a cat, it was like pork chops, only greaser" I suppose that you might like a nice side of crisco in place of the mashed taters. Ill see if I can find and other info as far a cooking for ya.

pdxkevin · 08-18-2003, 09:03 PM

I found some...

Mountain Lion Green Chili

I think that it would be like bear in theat you must get the meat cooled as soon as possible. No showing off to the friends and stuff. Get that meat cooled.

tag-a-long · 08-19-2003, 05:54 AM

Send me an e-mail if you do not want the bear meat... Gene's Meat Market in Mehama makes the best pepperoni sticks, and summer sausage with it...

Swamp Critter · 08-19-2003, 07:12 AM

A few years ago I had a friend give me some meat from freshly killed and butchered Cougar. It was two large steaks from the hind quarter about 1" thick each.

I put them in a typical venison-type marinade for about 12 hours and then grilled them med-rare at a big BBQ party I was having so everyone who wanted to try some could.

Everyone who tried it said it was better than they would have thought and many people really liked the taste of the meat. I was one of them.

The cat was a younger male...it might be different if you ate an "older" one. :whazzup:

Give it a try, its not bad

Bill Monroe · 08-19-2003, 10:42 AM

I had an excellent cougar bourginon about 30 years ago at an OSU fish and wildlife club dinner, then had some baked at a wedding a few years ago...It was like a very lean pork...tasty.
too bad about the exemption in the regs...wasting some good meat.

gofishoregon · 08-19-2003, 12:48 PM

You guys are making me hungry.

Swamp Critter, do you think it is OK to cook it medium rare. I like my meat on the rare side but do you think it needs to be cooked longer to kill any possible parasites. Someone told me once any animal that eats meat can have parasites or worms, not sure.

Also, Bill, I think you are right. Why is it OK to waste cougar meat but not any other animals that require a tag. Is it OK to waste coyote meat? or squirel?

Ras · 08-20-2003, 09:32 PM

This from a traditional bowhunting aquaintance, who has a couple of cats to his name: "I am here to tell you that ***** is good to eat!"

So, there you have it,

Ras