If you enjoy a good steak dinner and you have never had a bison steak. It's time to try one. Here is my easy recipe for Bison Steaks. If you can cook a traditional beef steak, you can cook a bison steak.
If you can cook a steak, you can cook a bison ribeye steak. Bison meat is full of flavor and is considered a leaner alternative to traditional beef. Bison has less fat and fewer calories.
This simple recipe for pan cooked bison steaks is simple, the flavor of the meat and simple pan sauce shines through.
Table of Contents
What is bison?
- Bison is a large bovine that is native to North America (similar to cattle). They are known for their distinctive shoulder hump as well as their very large heads. Bison is the largest land mammal in North America.
- It's estimated that in the mid 1700's approximately 60 million bison roamed the continent. They were of course a large part of American Indian's way of life. From food, clothing, jewelry, shelter and more. They used every part of the animal.
- Sadly, by 1880, the combination of disease, environmental stress due to population and other factors, and hunting dwindled that number to just a few hundred.
- Conservation efforts have helped to bring their numbers back up. Today, there are thousands of bison living in protected areas throughout North America, and they remain an important symbol of the continent's wildlife heritage.
- Today, some 400,000 bison call North America home. While many herds roam free and protected and in large state and national parks, others are being grown for consumption.
- Bison are also bred for market. People enjoy bison steaks and ground bison.
Did you know? Often people refer to bison as a buffalo, which is incorrect. They are two different species. North America has never had buffalo. Buffalo are primarily found in Asia and Africa and are two different species.
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What does bison taste like?
- The taste is very similar to steak. It's tender and juicy when cooked correctly. Bison meat is often described as having a slightly sweet and rich flavor, similar to beef. It really doesn't have a gamey taste like other non traditional meat (such as moose or elk).
Is bison red meat?
- Yes, bison is considered red meat. Bison is leaner than beef which means you need to cook it less or risk it being dry. It has less fat and fewer calories. It is also higher in iron making it a popular choice for those who enjoy red meat but lean more health-conscious.
What can bison be used for?
- Bison meat can be prepared in same ways as beef. Grilling, pan frying, roasting, or stewing are great ways to cook it. Ground bison makes excellent burgers. Bison chili and bison meatballs are also excellent and can be made using all ground bison meat or a combination of ground meats.
- I have made bison steaks often in my life however I was inspired by a recent trip to Colorado where I was determined to find an American Indian restaurant to try. And I did. Tocabe was amazing and I loved their use of shredded bison on a dish I ordered. A must eat when in Colorado! So I thought I would share a bison recipe or two.
This pairs well Steakhouse Style Creamed Spinach, this amazing side dish recipe or this popular potato side dish recipe
If you have a cast iron pan, its a great time to use it. Sear the bison steaks in butter, adding smashed garlic cloves and fresh herbs towards the end.
Ingredients
- Bison steaks - grass fed and finised will have a slightly sweeter flavor vs grass fed and grain finished.
- Kosher salt & black pepper
- Butter
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh Rosemary and or Thyme (optional but lovely)
See recipe card below for quantities and instructions.
Tips
- The better your ingredients, the better the end result. Start with quality bison steaks, fresh garlic & fresh herbs.
- Butter helps give this lean protein a bit of fat as well as helps brown the steaks.
- Don't cook past 125 (medium) and allow your bison steak to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into it. If you enjoy your meat more rare, pull at 115.
- If you have a cast iron pan, pull it out for this. If not use a heavy bottomed pan. You can also cook your bison steaks on your Blackstone or grill. If you do cook on the grill, sauté you garlic & herbs in butter and baste the meat as it grills with that mixture . YUM!
Equipment
A cast iron pan is great for this recipe, however if you don't have one use a heavy bottom flat skillet or pan. You can also cook bison ribeye on the Blackstone or on the grill. See notes in the recipe card.
These ingredients do/don't stand up well to freezing for X days/weeks/months.
Top tip
Cooking bison in butter vs oil adds some needed fat to the bison steaks, forming a lovely crust. Be sure to not overcook the meat.
Steak recipes you may enjoy making
Bison Steak side dish recipes
Bison Steaks
Ingredients
- 2 Bison Ribeye Steaks
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste Don't be shy
- 4 TBS butter more or less to your preference
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, smashed
- 2 sprigs fresh Rosemary (and thyme if you happen to have some)
Instructions
- Pull your bison steaks from the fridge, pat dry and then season well with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Allow steaks to sit on the counter (on a cookie rack over paper towels if you have one) for 30 minutes or so.
- Heat your cast iron pan or heavy bottom skillet / pan over med-high heat. Once the pan it searing hot, drop 2 TBS butter and then place steaks into the pan. Allow them to sear for 4 minutes or so (depends on size and thickness of your steaks)
- Flip steaks over using tongs (not a fork) add in and other TBS butter and sear for 2 minutes without moving. Drop in another TBS butter, the garlic and herbs. Finish cooking to your desired doneness, spooning pan juices/butter overtop the steaks as you do. Place garlic atop steaks after a couple minutes so they don't burn.
- Cook to 115 to 120°F (46 to 49°C) for medium-rare, or 125°F (52°C) for medium. Pull bison steaks from pan onto cooling rack or plate and allow them to rest 8-10 minutes before cutting into them. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 115 °F
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands each time after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods of time
- Never leave cooking food unattended
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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