Smoked Black Bear Barbacoa Tacos with Fire-Roasted Pineapple Salsa

Bear is rich, dense, and built for slow-cooked flavor bombs. This recipe leans into that low and slow shredded bear shoulder infused with smoky chipotle, citrus, and rendered bear fat. Finished with a bright pineapple salsa that cuts through the richness.

Wild. Authentic. Signature Rule 1 Outdoors.

Ingredients

Bear Barbacoa

• 3–4 lb black bear shoulder or neck roast (trimmed of excess fat/silver skin)

• 1 tbsp kosher salt

• 1 tbsp coarse black pepper

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika

• 1 tbsp chili powder

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 3 cloves garlic, smashed

• 1 yellow onion, quartered

• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo + 1 tbsp adobo sauce

• 1 cup beef or venison stock

• Juice of 1 orange

• Juice of 1 lime

• 2 tbsp rendered bear fat or bacon grease

• Optional: splash of dark beer or black coffee

Fire-Roasted Pineapple Salsa

• 1 cup diced grilled pineapple

• ¼ red onion, finely diced

• 1 jalapeño, minced (seeds optional)

• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

• Juice of ½ lime

• Pinch of salt

For Serving

• Warm corn or flour tortillas

• Crumbled queso fresco or cotija

• Pickled red onions

• Fresh lime wedges

How to Cook It

1. Season & Sear

Rub roast with salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, cumin, and oregano.Sear in hot cast iron or smoker at 400°F until browned on all sides.

2. Low & Slow Cook

Transfer to Dutch oven, crockpot, or foil pan on smoker.Add garlic, onion, chipotles, stock, citrus juice, and fat.Cook 6–8 hours at 250°F until meat shreds easily.

3. Shred & Reduce

Pull meat apart with forks.Reduce cooking liquid until thick and glossy, then toss meat back in.

4. Pineapple Salsa

Grill pineapple slices until charred, then dice and mix with other ingredients.

5. Build the Tacos

Bear barbacoa → pineapple salsa → queso → pickled onion → lime squeeze.Eat immediately. Repeat aggressively.