Monday, July 13, 2009

Bison - the other red meat



Bison, aka American Buffalo, is being touted as a healthier alternative to beef. Leaner, lower in fat, cholesterol, and calories, Bison is truly the "other" red meat.

I've now had Bison three times. The first, this past winter on a trip to Deer Valley. A lightly seared filet, served rare was moist, tender and very flavorful. The second time I made a rib-eye bison steak at home. The results were equally as delicious. The steak was generously seasoned with Kosher salt, than seared over a very hot grill, just 2 or 3 minutes per side. My son and I were wowed by the flavor and tenderness of the steak.

Last night I made a bison sirloin steak. This steak was incredibly lean, and on the advice of my butcher, I marinated the steak for four hours. A thicker cut then the rib eye I previously grilled, this steak cooked for four minutes per side. Even after sitting for five minutes, the steak was still medium rare. The meat, which I served thinly sliced, was delicious, but as it cooled it became increasingly tough.

My verdict on Bison? It is definitely worth trying. I would not think twice about purchasing a rib eye steak, and am keeping my eyes open for strip steaks or tenderloins. The sirloin, well, it was tasty, and less expensive then the other cuts, but next time I will definitely try marinating the meat longer, at least overnight.