Smoking mountain lion meat???

[D.Freeman]

Anyone ever smoked any mountain lion meat? My brother I law is big into cat hunting but isn’t much a a cook. He gave me a front quarter to try smoking. I looked around online but didn’t find anything about smoking mountain lion meat. It is apparently fairly similar to pork in texture and flavor. I haven’t smoked much wild game aside from sausage, lots and lots of sausage, but I am afraid it may get dried out easily being that it is so lean. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Jayjay1976]

You'd eat a freaking cat? If it tastes like pork, the buy some friggin pork. Disgusting.

 

[vrodbrad]

548880 rIf you Smoke it will taste good. What type smoker

 

[vrodbrad]

my dang cat

If you smoke it it will taste good.

 

[ba-brewer]

If you did not say you already got a front quarter I would say you misunderstood him when he said "I bagged a cougar"

According to this link it says you need to boil out any flavor before eating.
http://www.montanaoutdoor.com/2013/01/how-to-prepare-and-cook-mountain-lion-meat/

 

[Jayjay1976]

If you did not say you already got a front quarter I would say you misunderstood him when he said "I bagged a cougar"

According to this link it says you need to boil out any flavor before eating.
http://www.montanaoutdoor.com/2013/01/how-to-prepare-and-cook-mountain-lion-meat/

So first hunt and kill a majestic creature, then dismember and boil(!) the meat until flavor is gone, then sprinkle on nachos and enjoy! Why not just buy some ground beef or bison meat? I'm no vegan, but scavengers and carnivores aren't intended for human food. I suppose you can eat whatever you shoot, so why not shoot some tofu or something else that doesn't eat faces for breakfast?

 

[TwistedGray]

First of all, no.

Second of all, slice a thin piece and taste. Use that to determine how to cook.

I don't eat top predators*, can't comment.

*Some exceptions apply

 

[ba-brewer]

So first hunt and kill a majestic creature, then dismember and boil(!) the meat until flavor is gone, then sprinkle on nachos and enjoy! Why not just buy some ground beef or bison meat? I'm no vegan, but scavengers and carnivores aren't intended for human food. I suppose you can eat whatever you shoot, so why not shoot some tofu or something else that doesn't eat faces for breakfast?

The title of the thread caught my eye, I was not aware that you could eat mountain lion. I knew that some of the cats could be eaten but did not know about the trichinosis thing. I think it is good that someone is willing to try and eat the flesh instead of just letting it go to waste.

 

[Jayjay1976]

The title of the thread caught my eye, I was not aware that you could eat mountain lion. I knew that some of the cats could be eaten but did not know about the trichinosis thing. I think it is good that someone is willing to try and eat the flesh instead of just letting it go to waste.

In nature, nothing is ever wasted. The grass, the sky, the trees, they know. There are just some things that people needn't eat.

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

I’ve heard that mountain lion tastes pretty good. Just smoke it and enjoy. To all the haters, vegetarians and hunters have more in common than not. Most hunters will eat what they kill. This is no different then what the mountain lion is doing. Mountain lions hunt elegantly with there bodies and instinct. Man hunts with our guile and cunning. Kept animals like cattle and even free range livestock don’t live full lives and serve a purpose of food for people. Hunted animals at least have a chance to avoid hunters. And live free lives until their death. If I had the choice I would take the place of the free animal rather than the caged one. Who delivers death is arbitrary and not of concern to an animal. Please don’t put your human values on their freedom, least they become slaves of labor like you.

 

[JohnSand]

Interesting thread.
If it makes you feel better, I hunt kitty unarmed, and just eat it raw.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

You'd eat a freaking cat? If it tastes like pork, the buy some friggin pork. Disgusting.

Why is this wrong? Is it because it doesn't fit into your American biblicized' cloven hoof normality?

Numerous cultures eat of things that are outside of what we consider standard fare.

Vietnamese eat rat. Many europeans eat horse. Innuit eat polar bear. The Swiss have a dog meat sausage and or jerky. The list goes on and on.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I'm no vegan, but scavengers and carnivores aren't intended for human food.

Uhh, many fish are scavengers or carnivores.

Numerous americians eat alligator and snake.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I knew that some of the cats could be eaten but did not know about the trichinosis thing.

Trichinosis is not just about cat. It is more to do with under cooked and can be transmitted by pork too.

 

[lump42]

I’ve heard that mountain lion tastes pretty good. Just smoke it and enjoy. To all the haters, vegetarians and hunters have more in common than not. Most hunters will eat what they kill. This is no different then what the mountain lion is doing. Mountain lions hunt elegantly with there bodies and instinct. Man hunts with our guile and cunning. Kept animals like cattle and even free range livestock don’t live full lives and serve a purpose of food for people. Hunted animals at least have a chance to avoid hunters. And live free lives until their death. If I had the choice I would take the place of the free animal rather than the caged one. Who delivers death is arbitrary and not of concern to an animal. Please don’t put your human values on their freedom, least they become slaves of labor like you.

Exactly it's the ultimate 'free-range' meat out there. Mountain lion range is fairly large, a 10- 500 sq miles.

 

[GoeHaarden]

 

[ba-brewer]

Trichinosis is not just about cat. It is more to do with under cooked and can be transmitted by pork too.

I knew Trichinosis was in pigs and bears, but did not know it was in cats or caused from ringworms. I recall people saying it is less of a concern now a day with domesticated pigs and thought it was a genetic thing not a parasite infection.

 

[Sbe2]

Interesting thread.
If it makes you feel better, I hunt kitty unarmed, and just eat it raw.

Nicccee

 

[D.Freeman]

You'd eat a freaking cat? If it tastes like pork, the buy some friggin pork. Disgusting.

Sorry, I don’t have any room in the freezer for “friggen pork”, it’s full of cat meat right now.

Look, JJ, clearly you are not a hunter, and that is fine. To each their own. I didn’t come on here to argue the merits of hunting/eating wild game. I’ve been down that road too many times in my life. I did come to this forum to ask advise from people who might know something more than I do about certain topics. Let’s all leave our moral/political/religious opinions aside and just have a conversation about cooking meat.

 

[D.Freeman]

548880 rIf you Smoke it will taste good. What type smoker

I’m sure it’ll taste good out of the smoker, most things do!!! I have a Masterbuilt electric smoker. I also have a charcoal “ugly drum” smoker I built before I got the electric but haven’t used it since the upgrade.

 

[D.Freeman]

I don't eat top predators, can't comment.

I was always leary of eating predators in the past as well. No reason other than I figured they didn’t taste as good. But, I’ve been hearing for he last few years from my in-laws how good it is, so I’m willing to give it a try.

Cats are know to carry trichinosis occasionally but so are pigs and bears. With proper food preparation and cooking temperatures all risk is eliminated.

 

[ba-brewer]

Cats are know to carry trichinosis occasionally but so are pigs and bears. With proper food preparation and cooking temperatures all risk is eliminated.

If you treated it like a pork shoulder and smoked it to the fall apart pulled pork stage would that be sufficient to kill the trichinosis if it existed?

I seen people saying make jerky with it, that seems to make sense as I would think the meat is quite lean and the meat would be for sure cooked through.

 

[homebrewer_99]

JayJay: Like it or not, EVERYTHING living is in some other creature's food chain...including US.

Any meat, cooked and seasoned properly, tastes good. I've been to Korea 6-7 times...Cat? Dog? Not really a big deal. The first time eating it is really more psychological than anything else. Think about how hungry the first person must have been to eat a snail? Termites? Grubs?

Animals were domesticated to do the hard work for humans and to make them easier to catch and breed for a food source.

I can see you point about big cats to a point, but if you eat fish, hamburger, chicken or pork...cat is just another meat. You've already crossed over the line.

 

[JohnSand]

Bigdawg, that's laugh out loud funny.
But I won't be surprised if it gets deleted.

 

[Cyclman]

Is this a ***** hat?

 

[JohnSand]

Or a dinner.

 

[Roland_deschain]

I would think cat would be fairly lean meat, perhaps brining before smoking?

 

[D.Freeman]

I was thinking of brining along with mopping throughout the cook

 

[TwistedGray]

Oh lordy lordy how the world spins.

I'm 100% for anything raised for consumption if done well. Mountain lions, giraffes, lion lions are typically not raised for consumption.

Then again, hunting is okay by me as long as we're not talking trophy without consumption.

 

[bigdawg86]

Triggered x 2. If wearing a quilted pink hat is defending women, then best of luck sir... Beta (male) to the max

That's enough tolling for the night lol

 

[Jayjay1976]

Beta to the max

What does that mean?

 

[Jayjay1976]

That's enough tolling for the night lol

Does this mean that your shift as a toll collector has ended for the night?

 

[Jayjay1976]

Interesting thread.
If it makes you feel better, I hunt kitty unarmed, and just eat it raw.

Man after my own heart.

 

[Jayjay1976]

JayJay: Like it or not, EVERYTHING living is in some other creature's food chain...including US.

Any meat, cooked and seasoned properly, tastes good. I've been to Korea 6-7 times...Cat? Dog? Not really a big deal. The first time eating it is really more psychological than anything else. Think about how hungry the first person must have been to eat a snail? Termites? Grubs?

Animals were domesticated to do the hard work for humans and to make them easier to catch and breed for a food source.

I can see you point about big cats to a point, but if you eat fish, hamburger, chicken or pork...cat is just another meat. You've already crossed over the line.

I've spent plenty of time in Canton province eating anything the sun shined on, including dog, donkey, horse and cat. I speak from experience when I say there is food meat and then there is sport meat. Food meat always tastes better. I'd hunt cows if I had to, they are tasty. Bear and cat? Not so much. Donkeys and horses are great work animals but lousy as food.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I've spent plenty of time in Canton province eating anything the sun shined on, including dog, donkey, horse and cat. I speak from experience when I say there is food meat and then there is sport meat. Food meat always tastes better. I'd hunt cows if I had to, they are tasty. Bear and cat? Not so much. Donkeys and horses are great work animals but lousy as food.

I agree...lousy as food...but that qualifier only works when you compare it to something else and you have a choice. When there is no choice it comes down to "meat is meat" and don't pass the brocolli.

 

[S-Met]

@everyone that says any meat tastes bad: you probably have never had it prepared properly and/or by someone who knws what they are doing. Some exceptions apply, and there are sub-par specimens of any species that probably shouldn't be consumed.I have had chicken, beef and pork that are inedible.

One of the best meats I've ever had was smoked black bear. One of the worst I've had was smoked beef brisket. Difference being preparation and technique. Goat and lamb are top picks for me, but cannot just take a cow/pig recipe and sub your meat for something else.

I've never cooked/eaten mountain lion,but assume that it is lean like most game meat. I would treat similar to jackrabbit and expect it to be tough. Bone-in preferred, low and slow. Mop regularly. Maybe wrap in banana leaf to help keep it moist. I think 165 is enough to kill trichinosis, but tough connective collagens won't begin to break down until 180.

Also might consider partial smoke 2-3 hrs, pull and wrap in foil for 2-3 hrs then back on smoke for last 1-2 hrs.

As for wood: oak, hickory and maybe cherry.

 

[Zuljin]

Rabbit, squirrel, nutria, alligator, shark, turtle, crawfish, ants, crickets, and once a scorpion.

 

[Zuljin]

Oh. And a rattle snake.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Also might consider partial smoke 2-3 hrs, pull and wrap in foil for 2-3 hrs then back on smoke for last 1-2 hrs. As for wood: oak, hickory and maybe cherry.

I smoke meats too.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Rabbit, squirrel, nutria, alligator, shark, turtle, crawfish, ants, crickets, and once a scorpion.

I'm not into anything that smells or tastes fishy. I haven't had rattler. Rabbit, honey bees (are very sweet...pull the stinger out first) and blacksnake I've had.