Bison Meat

Cooking Methods      Cooking Tips

 

Cuts

Round
     Steaks - Round, Top Round, Tip
     Roasts - Top & Bottom, Rump Eye, Tip

Sirloin
     Steaks - Flat Bone, Round Bone, Top

Short Loin
     Steaks - T-Bone, Top Loin, Porterhouse, New York Strip, Tenderloin
     Roasts - Tenderloin

Rib
     Steaks - Rib, Rib Eye
     Roasts - Rib - Large End, Small End

Chuck
     Steaks - Top Blade Steak, Medallions
     Roasts - Eye, Shoulder, Blade, 7-Bone

Flank & Short Plate
     Steaks - Flank, Steak Rolls, Skirt

Fore Shank & Brisket
     Shank, Brisket (point/flat half, whole)

Other Cuts
     Ground Bison, Cubed Steak, Stew Meat, Cubes for Kabobs     

 

 

Cooking Methods

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Broiling - Best for steaks cut from the Round, Short Loin, Sirloin and Rib
Start with a hot grill, cook hot and fast.

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Braising - Best for roasts cut from the Round, Fore shank, Chuck and Flank
Moist heated cooking, browning meat in oil, then adding small amount of water.

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Roasting - Best for roasts cut from the round, Short Loin, Rib and Chuck
Moist heated cooking, using larger amounts of liquid and low heat.

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Pan-frying - Best for cubed or marinated steaks

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Marinating - Best for steaks or roasts that are not from the Sirloin

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Cooking in Liquid - Best for cuts from the Fore Shank, Brisket, Chuck and Rib, especially for cuts with little meat and a lot of bone (Back Ribs, Short Ribs)

 

 
Cooking Tips

Bison meat is similar to beef and is cooked in much the same way. The taste is often indistinguishable from beef, although bison tends to have a fuller, richer (sweeter) flavor. It is not "gamy" or wild tasting. Bison is low in fat and cholesterol, and is high in protein, vitamins and minerals. Fresh cut bison meat tends to be darker red and richer in color than many of the other red meats.

The lack of fat insures that bison meat will cook faster. Fat acts as an insulator - heat must first penetrate this insulation before the cooking process begins. Marbling (fat within the muscle) aids in slowing down the cooking process. Since bison meat lacks marbling, the meat has a tendency to cook more rapidly. Caution must be taken to insure that you do not overcook bison.

Bison may be used with any of your favorite beef recipes if you remember a few basic tips:
bulletWhen oven broiling bison, move your broiler rack away from the heat about a notch lower from where you normally broil your beef steaks. Check your steaks a few minutes sooner than you normally would.
bulletIf you normally cook your roast beef at 325ºF, turn your temperature down to around 275ºF  for bison. Plan on the roast being done in about the same amount of time as with a comparable size beef roast. To insure the temperature you prefer, we recommend using a meat thermometer indicating the internal temperature.
bulletGround bison or bison burger is also leaner (most ranging about 88-92% lean). It will also cook faster so precautions must be taken to not dry out the meat. There is very little (if any) shrinkage with bison burger - what you put in the pan raw will be close to the same amount after you cook it. Pre-formed patties tend to dry out faster when grilling. (Hint: the thicker the patty, the juicier the burger). Although ground bison is leaner, there is no need to add fat to keep it from sticking to the pan or falling apart. All meat, no matter the leanness, has enough available to cook properly. The great thing about ground bison, you don't need to drain off any grease from the pan.
 

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