Bison Cooking Tips


You can interchange Bison with almost any beef recipe if a few simple instructions are followed. It is a good idea to sear both sides of the steak over a high heat and then lower the heat setting. This will help lock in the juices inside the steak. Since Bison is lean, it cooks quicker and you are able to cook at a lower temperature. When the meat gets within 10 degrees of your target temperature pull it out of the oven or off the grill. The internal meat temperature will continue to climb towards the temperature that you want. Resting the meat 5 to 10 minutes away from the heat before cutting or serving allows the bison to stay moist and tender, keeping the juices inside. Internal temperatures should reach 135ºF (57ºC) for rare, 145ºF (62ºC) for medium rare, or 155° F for medium. Bison is best served rare to medium rare.

THAWING
Niobrara Valley Bison Products are blast frozen to freeze the product quickly, locking in the juices and tenderness. However, when you thaw the product, it should be done slowly in the refrigerator to retain the natural moisture in the meat. When you open the package, the meat will turn red due to being exposed to air. This is a natural occurrence with high quality meat.

ROASTING
Season and sear roast or cubes as per your recipe. Set oven to 260-290° F., at this lower temperature your roast will take around the same amount of time as beef cooked at a higher oven temperature. Add a half cup of wine or water or as the recipe dictates. Use a meat thermometer (if you wish) to check for an internal temperature 110-125° F. You can pull your roast from the oven at this time as it will continue to cook while it is resting. Resting the meat 5 to 10 minutes away from the heat before cutting or serving allows the bison to stay moist and tender, keeping the juices inside.

BROILING
Position your oven rack about 6” from your broiler. If you are using ¾” to 1” thick steaks, each side will take about 4 to 5 minutes.

GRILLING
Grill using low to medium heat after the initial searing. As with broiling each side may take only 4 to 5 minutes depending on how hot your fire is. Remember Bison cooks faster than beef. Watch your cooking time. Steaks are best cooked rare to medium rare. Over cooking may result in a tough steak.

BARBECUE
Barbecued bison is best when cooked using low indirect heat. This means not putting your roast or ribs directly over the flame. Place your coals on one side of your grill and your meat on the other. This way you don’t burn your bison during the long, low and slow cooking process that makes BBQ so special.

SLOW COOKER
Make sure that the bison meat is placed in 1-inch of liquid in bottom of slow cooker. Add bison meat first and put veggies on top, if desired. Cook on low heat for 8 hours for a 2.5 - 3 pound roast. (Overcooking in a slow-cooker is not an issue, as long as there is some liquid in the pot.) Remove the meat from the slow cooker and wrap in foil. Because Bison meat is so tender, allowing the roast to stand about 10 minutes will allow you to slice the meat instead of shred it.