RAPID CITY, S.D. – The beef against bison is that it isn’t beef.
“Some say it’s beefier than beef. Like any meat, you need to know how to prepare it and you have to start with the right animals,” said Bruce Aidells of Aidells Sausage Co. in California, and author of the Complete Meat Cookbook.
Aidells, from California, attended the International Bison Conference in Rapid City, South Dakota, along with several other chefs and food professionals.
The chefs echoed one another in their presentations to the 550 bison conference attendees, saying that bison is marketed as a premium product and should be handled accordingly.
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Ranched bison populations are expanding. In the decade ending in 2006, the Canadian population grew fivefold to more than 250,000 head, while the average price fell $1 per pound. Bison meat quality is improving and its availability has increased from about 10,000 head being slaughtered annually to more than 24,000 in 2006. American trends are similar.
Bison tends to be leaner than beef. However, meat packers say they regularly witness examples of well marbled bison carcasses just like they see poorly marbled beef.
Aidells said consumers need to be educated in how to handle the meat and it’s up to the industry to do the teaching.
“If you’re paying $12 or $15 or $18 a pound for something, whether it’s bison or beef, why would you ruin it in cooking?”
Aidells said premium cuts of bison and beef should be treated the same.
“Don’t overcook them and they will be tender and full of flavour. It’s mainly the other cuts that have given bison a bad name.”
He prepared short ribs for the conference to show how tender those other cuts could be.
“It’s low and slow for tougher cuts of beef or bison. Lower the temperature and give them the three to five hours they need. Or grind them and make sausage or burger for other dishes,” he said.
Cooking with moisture, or braising, is a technique that is once again finding favour in home kitchens, he said.
M.J. Adams, chef-owner of the Corn Exchange restaurant in Rapid City, said he buys his bison locally from the 777 Bison Ranch.
“The meat is fresh and it’s grown to be marketed as meat, not culled from a herd.”
Yayan Nuryana serves more bison than any other chef. The South Dakota Custer State Park Game Lodge’s menu is filled with bison items. The park has its own 1,400 head herd from which to fill the fridge.
“We make 20 gallons of bison stew every day. We serve between 550 and 600 customers each day. Many have bison. Short ribs, buffalo New Yorks and T-bones. We do bison sausage eggs Benedict with an ancho chilies hollandaise sauce. We treat every piece of bison like a great cut of beef. It never lets you down when you do that,” he said.
James Atten of Wheaton, Illinois, took part in a wagon train that was part of the conference.
“There wasn’t a piece of meat served that I couldn’t cut with a plastic knife. But it’s an uphill battle to change public opinion about it being tough,” Atten said.
Aidells said opinions are shifting.
“There’s a growing supply of high quality meat. That means more restaurants will invest in having it on their menus. More stores will give it space in the meat case. Now they have to work on consumer awareness and marketing.”
777 Ranch Ground Buffalo Empanadas
2 tablespoons olive oil 30 mL
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 pounds ground buffalo meat 1 kg
1/2 cup green olives, chopped 125 mL
1/2 cup moist sun dried tomatoes 125 mL
salt and pepper for seasoning
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and diced
Heat oil in a large sauté pan; add onion, garlic, celery and carrots. Sauté for five to eight minutes. Add the ground buffalo and cook until the meat is medium (the meat will continue to cook in the dough), breaking it up with a fork while frying. Add the olives and tomatoes and taste for seasoning. Remove from stove, cool and mix thoroughly with eggs. Divide dough into 12 portions and roll each out on a floured surface into an six inch (15 cm) circle. Brush the perimeter with water, scoop about 1/4 cup (60 mL) of the filling onto one side and then fold and press the two edges firmly together, crimping with the fork tines. Brush dough with an egg yolk and water mixture. Bake at 400 F (200 C) for 25 minutes or until browned. Serve with chimichurra sauce.
Empanadas dough
3 cups flour 750 mL
1/2 cup cold butter 125 mL
1/4 cup lard 60 mL
1/4 cup cold water 60 mL
1 tsp. salt 5 mL
Cut butter and lard into flour. Dissolve salt in water and work into flour, making dough. Rest for 30 minutes in the fridge.
Chimichurri sauce
1 cup chopped parsley 250 mL
3 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped 45 mL
1/4 cup red wine vinegar 60 mL
3/4 cup oil 175 mL
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 5 mL
Mix ingredients well, pour over empanadas. From Chef M.J. Adams, the Corn Exchange Restaurant, Rapid City, South Dakota.
Web exclusive recipes
Bone-in KY bison tenderloin with buttered leeks, rosemary oil and smoked salt
Serves two.
2 12-ounce bone-in KY bison filets
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 bunch of leeks, diced and soaked in water for 15 minutes
2 tablespoons butter 30 mL
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 15 mL
1/4 teaspoon smoked sea salt 1 mL
Melt butter in a heavy sauce pan on medium heat. Add leeks. Season with salt and pepper; turn heat to low and simmer the leeks until buttery. Keep warm.
Season the bison with salt and pepper and cook on a hot grill or barbecue to the desired doneness. Rest meat for five minutes.
For the rosemary oil: Warm oil and rosemary gently in a small sauté pan for 10 to 30 minutes to infuse the flavor.
To finish: Divide the leeks evenly in the center of two dinner plates, place the bison filet on top, garnish with the oil, sprig of rosemary and smoked salt.
– Recipe courtesy Michael Paley, Executive Chef, Proof On Main, Louisville, KY
Southwest bison burger/sausage
The only thing that separates a burger from a sausage mixture is that sausage is a mixture of spices and other flavorings and ground meat, while a burger is ground meat sprinkled with salt and sometimes spices. If you want to turn this mixture into a full-blown sausage then consider stuffing it into a sausage casing and twisting it into links. This is easily accomplished by slipping a sausage casing over the broad tip of a pastry bag. If you are the proud owner of a meat grinder, then use it to stuff the sausage mixture by purchasing a sausage horn that fits over the end of the grinder. For cooking links on the grill, follow the instructions for grilling patties, turning the links frequently over medium heat. It should take 10-12 minutes to cook the links to the medium well stage.
Mexican sandwiches called tortas inspire this burger/sausage sandwich. Tortas are usually made from roasted meats or chicken, but what makes these sandwiches really special are the layers of condiments including avocado or guacamole, salsa, chili mayonnaise and shredded lettuce or cabbage. Yes, they are messy to eat, but worth every stain on your shirt, blouse or pants!
Bison burger/sausage sandwiches
1 1/2 pounds ground bison burger 750 g
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 7 mL
2 tablespoons chili powder 30 mL
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 5 mL
1/2 cup chopped cilantro 125 mL
1/4 cup diced fire-roasted mild green chili, canned or fresh, about one whole 60 mL
2 teaspoons minced garlic 10 mL
1 teaspoon grated lime zest 5 mL
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion 30 mL
1 pickled jalapeño chili, finely chopped (optional)
1 avocado, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
4 slices Jack cheese (optional)
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
4 slices red onion
4 sweet Italian rolls (6 inches/15 cm) long or Mexican bolillo rolls
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce or cabbage 500 mL
– Recipe courtesy Bruce Aidells, Founder of Aidells Sausage
Jalapeño lime mayonnaise
1/2 cup mayonnaise 125 mL
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 30 mL
2 teaspoons grated lime zest 10 mL
1 tablespoon finely chopped pickled jalapeño chili 15 mL
In a medium bowl combine bison with salt, chili powder, black pepper, cilantro, green chili, garlic, lime zest, green onions and optional jalapeño. Form into four oval patties roughly the size of the rolls and about 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick. Set aside.
Make jalapeño-lime mayonnaise by whisking together all the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium high heat and grill burgers for four minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer to a warm plate and lay Jack cheese on top of each patty.
To assemble the sandwiches, spread mayonnaise blend over the top and bottom half of each roll. Place burger cheese side up on bottom half of roll. Layer slices of avocado over each burger and then slices of tomato and red onion. Cover with a thin layer of shredded lettuce or cabbage and add top half of roll. Cut each sandwich into halves and serve at once.
Makes four servings.
Note: To fire roast green chilies, place under a broiler or directly over a gas flame and cook until the skin is charred, turning frequently. Place in a plastic bag for 15 minutes to steam. Scrape off the charred skin and seed, stem, and chop.
Blackberry port sauce — the ultimate serving sauce with grilled bison
1 tablespoon minced shallots 15 mL
1 tablespoon olive oil 15 mL
1/2 cup vintage character or ruby Port 125 mL
1/2 pint blackberries 250 mL
1/4 cup demi glace (suggested: “More Than Gourmet” instant demi glace) 60 mL
1-2 teaspoons brown sugar or honey 5-10 mL
Sauté minced shallots in olive oil until soft. Add port and simmer five minutes.
Add fresh berries (reserving a few for garnish) and demi glace, simmering and smashing with a fork for about 10 minutes. Balance acidity with brown sugar or honey. When sauce tastes rich and thick, strain and reserve.
Variation: For a creamier sauce, whisk in one tablespoon (15 mL) fat free sour cream into cooled sauce. Serve at room temperature.
– Recipe courtesy Tony’s Market, Denver, CO – Chef Michaelangelo (Mick) Rosacci
Bison strip-steak with a spicy red onion marmalade
8-10 ounce bison strip steak 237-284 mL
salt and pepper, to taste
Season bison strip steak with salt and black pepper generously on both sides.
Place on heated grill; cook each side for about five minutes to achieve a medium rare to medium or to about 130 F (55 C) internal temperature.
Red onion marmalade
3 tablespoons olive oil 45 mL
4 medium red onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic 15 mL
1 1/2 cups sugar 375 mL
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons red curry paste 30 mL
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 15 mL
In a sauce pot add olive oil and sauté onions, garlic till translucent.
Add sugar, coconut milk and curry paste (if you do not like spicy food then do not add curry paste or cut in by half) and whisk until paste is dissolved.
Reduce until you have a thick glaze consistency, fold in fresh chopped rosemary.
Place steak on plate and top with the red onion marmalade and serve.
– Recipe courtesy Blue Canyon Kitchen and Tavern, Cleveland, OH – Chef Brandt Evans
