Corned Bear

100 lb. Bear meat, boned and trimmed of fat
8 lb. salt
4 lb. sugar
2 T. baking soda
2 oz. Saltpeter
1 gal. water

Essential for this is a 20 gallon keg or stoneware crock. Salt the meat
down in layers in the keg, alternating layers of salt and meat. Let stand
24 hours. As soon as you finish salting the meat, mix the sugar, soda
and saltpeter in the water and let stand. After the meat has been in the
salt for a day, pour the sugar solution over the meat in the keg. Keep
the meat cover with liquid - a plate with a brick or rock on it will help
hold the meat down in the solution. After 4 days drain the liquid from
the keg into a large enamel pan and bring the liquid to a boil.

Strain out the blood residue by pouring the liquid through cheesecloth.
Return the solution to the keg and put the plate and rock back to hold
down the meat. Now store the keg in a very cool place for 4 to 6 weeks.
Use the meat as you would corned beef.

from: Lowbush Moose (And other Alaskan recipes)
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Saltpeter - The name for potassium nitrate, which is used primarily in the meat industry to help preserve cured meats. It gives a distinctive pink color to hams and bacon. There are recent reports from the USDA that nitrates, and nitrites are carcinogenic.