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Bison Meat Questions

Mattman3969
Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
edited September 2013 in EggHead Forum
Thinkin about trying a Bison Chuckie. I would like to make pulled beeflike sammies. Has anyone done this? If so any pointers?

My wife has us on a diet and I have about all the fish, chicken & turkey I want for a bit, hence the bison questions. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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analyze adapt overcome

2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.

Comments

  • Never tried that, but I always keep the freezer stocked with ground bison.  I use it in meatloaf, chili, lasagna, Mexican, or anything that I would normally use ground beef.  Tastes great, very little fat.  For burgers, you have to mix in some pork, veal, or fatty ground beef.  Love the stuff!

  • Just be sure your Bison doesn't come with a side of Grizzly. :))



    Every time my elbow bends my mouth flies open.
  • Aviator
    Aviator Posts: 1,757
    I have tried Ground Bison and still have a pile of it in the freezer. I found it a tad gamey. How do yall cook it, temps? duration? spices?

    ______________________________________________ 

    Large and Small BGE, Blackstone 36 and a baby black Kub.

    Chattanooga, TN.

     

  • @ Aviator, IME, 'gamey' usually means overcooked, or old, but I'm a little weird with game meats.  I really love that they actually each have their own flavor, as opposed to just the texture that we are all used to with 'beef'.  AKA COW!

    Annnnywho, +1 that bison, along with most other wild meats need some fat, particularly when making burgers with them.  These animals are on the supreme paleo diet!  

    You might consider mixing in a bit of finely diced or chopped (uncooked) bacon/pancetta into your bison burger mixture prior to cooking.  Or you could be a complete sacrilege and use egg :-)  I actually like that move, but then you need some breadcrumbs too.  Pretty soon, you have meatloaf.  
  • Are you low and slowing a bison chuck roast?  If so, i'd do it the same as regular cow, just be aware it will could take about 2/3 the time to cook, also, as lean as it is, it may be somewhat dry when its done, which can easily be fixed with a little melted butter :)
    Pentwater, MI
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Bison connective tissue seems to me to be about twice as thick as cattles'. My experience w. bison chuck is that there is always some connective tissue I can't break down all the way. I always have to cut some away even after cooking.

    Typically, I will cook it at a low temp for a few hours, and then let it braise in a foil pouch.

    The bison I have had (from several different sources) have  all had a very mild, rather sweet flavor. I prefer serving the meat w. some fruit based sauces.

    There is a way to get around the lack of fat if one is doing burgers. Add gelatin. Mix 1 packet of unflavored gelatin in 1/2 C of water. Or other fluids. I puree onions, and use the juice from that. Mix w. the ground meat, adding whatever spices/herbs you like. Chill for an hour before forming the burgers.

    "Hot tubbed" seared bison steaks are just about as tender as beef, although the marbling is negligible.
  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    So you are cooking similar to a pulled chuckie? Do you have a general range for times and temp?

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    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    When I've done it, I start w. a standard lo-n-slo. Dome 250F, raised grill, indirect via a drip pan.  Cook until the meat enters the stall. Wrap in HD foil w. some broth, maybe some onion. Continue cooking till a probe in the meat reads 200. Reduce dome temp as low as possible, and let the packet sit for another 1/2 hour.

    Most of the meat should shred. There will probably be seams of still rubbery connective tissue to be cut away. If you car to, save that for making bison stock.

    I haven't tried manual pre-tenderizing w. a Jaccard, but I'm sure that would help.