Bison is a delicious, lean meat that is regularly used as a substitute for beef. Because of its lower fat content, bison has a deep red color with minimal marbling. Cooking with bison is very similar to cooking with beef, with the exception that bison cooks much faster. Join D’Arcy’s as we discuss some bison cooking tips and methods that will be sure to impress your family and friends at your next dinner party.
Tips for Cooking Bison
- Don’t overcook it. Cooking bison takes about ⅓ less time to cook than beef. Bison tastes best when prepared rare to medium. Overcook it and you’re giving up a lot of the tenderness and flavour. Bison is high in iron, which gives it a rich, full taste but overcook it and you’ll end up with it something resembling liver.
- Let it rest. Let your bison steaks rest for about an hour at room temperature before cooking and for five minutes after cooking. The hour before will encourage an even cook, and the five minutes at the end will let it finish cooking internally.
- Check the temperature. Bison that is cooked to medium rare will have an internal temperature of 145°F (275° if it’s cooked to medium). Temperature is the most accurate way to make sure your meat is cooked properly, so don’t rely solely on the number of minutes it’s been on the grill!
3 Ways to Cook Bison
Stove Top
Frying using a stovetop skillet is a quick and easy way to prepare bison. Simply heat some oil in your skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes and then add your steak!
Oven
Preheat your oven to 500°F as you prepare your bison with your favourite recipe. Place the meat in a roasting pan and roast the meat. How long you’ll need to roast the bison will depend on the size, thickness and whether or not it is bone-in or bone-out.
BBQ
Bison cooks great on the barbeque. When grilling bison, stick to a simple recipe of salt and pepper. On a charcoal grill, arrange the briquettes on one side of the grill. Once the coals are covered in a grey ash, you’re ready to start grilling. If you’re cooking on a gas grill, you’ll want to preheat your grill to between 475°-500°F before placing your steaks on. Don’t forget to brush the grill grate with oil to prevent sticking!
Local, Albertan Bison
D’Arcy’s Meat Market offers top quality, locally sourced meat. Stop by and check out our selection of bison and other meats today!