Bear Oil Storage

[410-er]

How should Bear oil be stored?Fridge,freeze,or at room temp in glass jars?

 

[matt denison]

All of the above seems to work.

I have some on my work bench, been there for 3-4 years, that's the cashe that I use all the time. I also have a batch in the freezer for future use. I don't know if it NEEDS to be frozen but I don't get a chance at bear oil that often so I don't take a chance with the big stash, I freeze it. Others may have different ideas.

Matt

 

[BrownBear]

If the fat used to make it was real clean, it should keep just fine at room temp. My source of bear fat tells me he's still working on the large batch he made 10 years ago. He's got a jug sitting on the shelf in his shop, and it doesn't smell bad at all. That's brown bear/grizzly fat, so I hope I'm not stretching too far in assuming the same would be true for black bear.

 

[Deadeye]

I have a coffee can full that's been in the bottom of my refrigerator for at least 25 yrs.
Seems to be the same as when I put it in there.
Deadeye

 

[Bill Hall]

I've had the same experience with black bear oil. I just used the last of what I had from a bear my nephew killed in 2001. It was kept on a shelf in a plastic container, looked and smelled just like vegatable oil. I think the trick is to get it really clean by straining it a few times. Bill

 

[rabjr]

Absolutely, if it is not pure fat to begin with then it will go rancin after a while. If one takes care to clean it up, all meat and blood trimmed from it, it should store for a long time. I still have some left from the first time I rendered bear fat in 2004. It is stored at room temp on a special shelf in mason jars and it's just fine. :thumbsup:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Before the hot oil is poured into containers for any kind of storage, it should be poured through filters- Old T-shirts to remove any large debris, but those cotton coffee filters will work to remove blood, and small debris from the oil. The oil that comes out of the filter will be almost like water in color- a bit on the yellow side-- but decidedly pale.

YOU can't Filter Rendered FAT ENOUGH. When in doubt, add more filtering materials.

I use a spaghetti strainer, lined with cheese cloth, and/or old clean T-shirts. Then I put coffee filters- for my drip pot-- into the strainer on top of the shirts, or cheesecloth and pour the oil onto the filters. The strainer sits over a very large Bowl. When the oil in the bowl begins nearing the bottom of the strainer, I remove the strainer to another pot, or bowl, and then pour the filtered oil out into jars for storage. I repeat until I have filtered all the hot, rendered oil, and filled all my jars.

Let the oil cool to room temp, unless you want a partial vacuum in the jar to aid in avoiding spoilage. Without debris, or water in the oil, the oil will not go bad. Just keep it cool.

The Debris carries in the bacteria, and water gives bacteria a place to swim and multiply. The Debris often provides a food source for the bacteria. Its the waste from the bacteria that spoils the oil. You can refilter the oil to remove the waste, then heat it back up to kill any remaining bacteria, and then refilter the hot oil again for storage and use. The heat should make the oil suitable to use for cooking again.

 

[zampilot]

I'm guessing the same applies to bear grease?

 

[paulvallandigham]

If you are referring to filtering it, yes. The Cleaner it is, the less likely you will have problems with bacteria. I don't have any personal experience with Bear Grease, altho I have a tin of something that swears its true Bear Grease- I didn't make it. Its dark brown in color, and very sticky. :thumbsup:

 

[410-er]

Then I'll leave them be just as they are at room temp.Desalted in water 3x and filtered.

 

[paulvallandigham]

That color looks fine. I think you did well. :hatsoff:

 

[tg]

I have some that I renderd in 1999 from a can full of fat a taxidermist gave me. I have used it gave some away and the little left is still good as far as I can tell. I have a couple of tins of Bear oil mixed with bees wax about 50/50 that has lasted well in my bag/shooting box for 7-8 years with no sign of being rank or rancid, the stuff seems to have a pretty good shelf life, if it is hard for one to come by the coold storage may be a good hedge against problems.I used to let him know I wanted some and within a few weeks would find a coffee can full on my front porch, I would go to Deer or Beaver oil if Bear was not to be had I have used these with good results.

 

[rabjr]

Thats a lot darker than what I usually get. I have to wonder if the age or the bear makes the differance or where they are at and what they eat.

A young Adirondack bear gave me clear as water oil. The bear fat I get from New Brunswick is a slight off color.

 

[paulvallandigham]

The other reason for the darker color is that the oil might have over-heated during the rendering process. The jar at the top of your stack is what I have seen the most, but the people who rendered the bear fat were not new to the process.

I have seen oil used for frying food come back Darker in color, after filtering it, and that is due to the oil getting too hot! If you don't have a good thermometer to monitor the heat, its pretty easy to let the oil get too hot. :hmm: :hatsoff:

 

[justafeedboy]

Mine looks like Swampy's and is sitting on a shelf in the basement, I did label it so that if i'm ever not around someone will know what it is, and how special it is.

 

[tg]

The time of year may have something to do with the coloration, I have not rendered enough to see any difference from fall to spring but due to the Bears nature this could be a factor.

 

[rabjr]

So it's all about the temp when rendered, ok.

BTW, I found the neatest way of sending bear oil through the mail, well that is if your a Brewer. :haha: Left over vials that hold liquid yeast hold a good amount for give aways. :thumbsup:

 

[Bill Hall]

Ya know swampy, if one of those vials were to accidentally fall into that bag you're sending me, I might accidentally send some more elk jerky your way. Seeing how I just ran out of bear oil. :hmm: Bill

 

[rabjr]

Gah, now I gotta find another bear to squeeze! :shocked2: