Mountain Lion??

[gophergrease]

I had someone ask me a strange one the other day.
Can you eat mountain lion, and how would be the best way to fix it?

I don’t think it would be some thing I mite want to try, but had to ask.

[Ozark Tracker]

I would have to think not,  back in my younger days, I trapped a lot and an old man I knew wanted all the coons I caught.  He would put them in his oven and bake them,
 but
 when I brought him the coons He always wanted me to leave at least one foot on, so he could see it wasn't a cat,  he said he tried to cook one once and and it stunk up his house so bad he nearly had to move out.

[Forty Rod]

The old time mountain men ate them.  I don't recall reading where any said how they were.

[Advertising]

[Russ T Chambers]

Hey GG
Back when I was still back in Milwaukee, there was a restaurant that was put into an old public pool house.  It was called the Natatorium, and had a live porpoise show in the center area (the old pool, screened by plexiglass .. to keep the diners dry)  The main draw for the restaurant was it’s exotic dishes.  They had giraffe, hippo, rhino, emu, etc.  The thing I decided to try was lion. (Thought I’d try eating something that would have been eating me if given a chance.
That said, it wasn’t that impressive.  I remember it was rather tough, and rather tasteless.  The chef must have thought it didn’t have much flavor either, as it came with a side of some sort of sauce.  Way too long ago to remember the details.
I would guess mountain lion would be similar.

[Delmonico]

It is said that some of the Mt. men favored Mt. Lion over any other meat.   I've never seen any recipes but i would guess cook it like bear, a real fat one might require par-boiling to remove some of the grease.

I thought I was going to get to cook some about 4 years ago at a class I taught, sponsered by G&P, they had shot one that was outside a high school in the area, but there were problems on the leagal side as to if it could be done.  I was just going to cook it with taters, onions a carrots like I did the deer, elk and bear I did have to use.

[Oregon Bill]

I have heard it can be excellent eating, but I recall a case in Idaho perhaps 10 years ago where a cat hunter and several buddies contracted trchinosis that the health authorities traced to mountain lion jerky that hadn't been brought to a high enough temperature.

[Forty Rod]

Didn't know big cats could get trichinosis (called "rabbit fever" in some places...caused by parasites in the rabbits), but it stands to reason.  They eat jackrabbits and those critters sure have it every place I've ever been.

[El Peludo]

 

---- a real fat one might require par-boiling to remove some of the grease.

, says Delmonico.

I don't think I ever saw a fat mountain lion; a couple of pretty big ones, but I don't think I'd characterize them as fat. 

[Silver Creek Slim]

Interesting topic. 

Slim

[Sod Buster]

Found this on the internet.  I haven't tried it....

Mountain Lion Chili    
Ingredients:
1 pound mountain lion, ground
3 4 ounce cans of diced green chilies
1 6 ounce can diced tomato
1 6 ounce can jalapeño
 1 dash creole seasoning
1 diced onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
Tortillas 

Cooking Instructions:
Brown meat in skillet with a trace of oil
Add garlic, onion, chilies, tomatoes, jalapeños, and a dash of creole seasoning

Simmer

Serving Suggestions:
Eat with tortillas and eggs for excellent huevos rancheros

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Mountain Lion, the other red meat.

[Singing Bear]

Wonder if this'd work.  The Chinese eat cat.  They first cut open the belly and gut it, stuff it with live snakes (heck if I know what kind  ) and stitch it back up.  They then place the cat into a big pot of boiling broth or water.  When the  heat gets high enough inside the cat, the snakes start to get real active like.  With all that writhing, they end up tenderizing some of the cat and get cooked in the process.  Kind of a kung pao cat surprise? 

Now I suppose this would work with mountain lion if you got yerself a nice size python or anaconda.    Ack!  Backstroke. 

[El Peludo]

    

Now, that's just plain nasty, Singing Bear!  Echh!

 

[litl rooster]

Darby, Montana..... every Januaray or Feb. they have a Cat Hunters Ball....Main course is the Backstraps...Cain't say I have tried or attended....Have to ask wife, if any of her family has ever.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

So, Singing Bear, do they eat the snakes, too?

[Singing Bear]

Sorry El P, but I swear I ain't makin' that one up.    ...and yeah, they eat the snakes too. 

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I'ver tried a lot of wierd stuff, but that one could be beyond even me. I mean, Cats! Of course the snakes might be good.

[Camille Eonich]

   

Now, that's just plain nasty, Singing Bear!  Echh!

 

Agree.

[Marshal harpoluke]

 

Deffinetly not kosher.

 

[tarheel mac]

There used to be a company called Herter's who had a series of books, and in one of those, the Herter people claimed that mountain lion tasted like veal...but it, along with bobcat, wasa good eating meat...Now around here alot of folks roast coons....and some people I know even have eaten muskrat, (tastes like rabbit) 'possum...(no idea...I guess it tastes like possum ) and beaver, which tastes like well...beaver..(both beaver and muskrats are both vegatarians so no reason they shouldn't taste fairly good, really.) Most plant eating animals are supposedly good to fair eating, but apparently with meat eaters you take more of a chance with getting some strong tasting meat...