Bison

[NeilV]

Continuing with the meat theme . . . .

I read a little too much about feed lots and decided to try to find some pastured beef that did not go to a feed lot. Could not find much locally, but my local grocery store does carry bison meat. I have discovered I like it a lot. It has a good taste and, even though its not marbled, it cooks up tender when braised or made into stew. It's much healthier than grain fed beef.

It is a little more per pound, but when you consider that there is not nearly as much fat, it's not that much more in reality. I like the stew meat, ground bison (hamburger), roasts and short ribs. I think it braises/stews better at a slightly lower temp. than beef. I like to put a stew or roast in a cast iron dutch oven in the oven at 290 degrees and cook for 2-3 hours.

I have not tried steak, but we don't eat much steak anyway.

Anybody else try/like/not like this meat? Anybody raise the critters?

Neil

[Bizzybee]

I had a burger somewhere on time. Tasted fine to me, but that's about all for me.

There was a guy about a mile up the road from me that kept about 50 of them up until a year ago. I don't know if they were just relocated or if he got rid of them? A friend of a friend that knew the guy said that there were problems in keeping them, but I don't recall what it was about?

I remember from many years ago the cross between cattle and bison, coined "beefalo". It was to be the next big thing but it never seemed to materialize. No idea what may have happened to that. Maybe it went the way of Emu? I forget how many millions of those birds are in the states, but supposedly they had to reach a certain mass before they would be common place at our markets. I haven't seen it yet around these parts. That's not a bad tasting meat either.

Interesting subject though Neil, maybe we'll have someone here that knows more about it.

[alpha6]

Bison are hard to keep in that they can run through most fences so you have to have a really tough high fence to keep them in.

We have a guy that keeps them around here and two friends and I went in on one together. Split three ways and processed it came out to about 5$ per lb. We walked away with about 70 lbs each of everything from steaks to burger to roasts. We love it or did..its all gone now as it was eaten rather quickly. Since its deer and elk season I suspect we will be eating on that for awhile...talk about free range meat. Yummy.

[papar]

I've been eating grass-fed beef for a number of years now. The health benefits of beef raised and finished on grass are incredible. You can check out the web site www.eatwild.com which gives you all the details.
FYI - many people are labeling grass-fed then finishing the beef on grain which negates many of the benefits of grass-fed. Know your source.

[Ravenseye]

I've had bison a number of times. Very good meat as far as my taste buds go. No other experience beyond that though.

[NeilV]

"FYI - many people are labeling grass-fed then finishing the beef on grain which negates many of the benefits of grass-fed. Know your source."

I have found that to be true. There is a new butcher shop that opened near me, and they advertise the meat as grass fed. Meat looks good and at a good price. But I asked the butcher about the source and process for the grass fed beef and he said that the cows go to feedlots, but where they get grain and some alfalfa. Well, that's no longer grass fed, and the probably fed a mix of alfalfa/grain when they are switching over to grain.

I don't think there's such a thing as a bison feedlot (somebody correct me if I'm wrong -- I'd like to know), so that's why I've started eating it, in addition to the taste.

neil

[Sundance]

Bison is fantastic stuff!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Quite a few people raise them around here. Keeping
them in is not as hard as often heard. As long as you
keep them in feed and water they don't like to wander.

Round up is another story.....

Elk is great too and many folks raise them here as well.
I thought about raising a half dozen.

[Sundance]

I don't think there's such a thing as a bison feedlot..

neil

They do have them here but they are not like the massive
beef feedlots. They are corralled and fed mostly hay. But
many will put them on grain before butchering.

[cow pollinater]

There aren't many animals of any kind that don't get flushed out with grain or a similar quality feedstuff before they are butchered for commercial use. You eat what they eat so grass fed means it tastes grassy. My strong hunch is that you are being miss-led into thinking that you are buying a superior product when you are really only paying a premium for a novelty item.
If you want strait out of the pasture beef, buy hamburger. You get all of the lesser cuts of meat from the best animals but you also get the best meat from the animals that never got finished out on grain.

[okiequeenbee]

At the Farmers' Market here in Stillwater you will find Buffalo, home-raised beef (finished on grain for that wonderful marbling) and non-confined pork. None of this meat goes into a feedlot. In fact, all the animals are bred, born and raised by the producers. Have any questions, just ask.

[JPK]

We have 2 Bison Farms in the immediate area and buy different products from time to time.

Have not yet had any steaks but the burger and sausages are very good.

One of the locals sells all of his stuff flash frozen in heavy vacuum bagged plastic...the stuff keeps forever.

[Barry Digman]

A friend got a bison off of the Armendaris this year. You can hunt or you can just buy. I suspect they're using the word "hunt" rather loosely.


http://www.tedturner.com/enterprises/ranches_Template.asp?page=ranches_armendaris.html

[Scott J.]

Take one pound of it and spread it out thin on a plate, drizzle your favorite honey, add a dash of Worchester sauce, then sprinkle with minced onions. Mix it all up. Put the burgers on the grill on "LOW" heat and cook it slow.

I have a cousin who raises buffalo in New Rockford ND that we buy ours from. Buffalo is almost as good as elk in my opinion. Yum!

[Sundance]

I have a cousin who raises buffalo in New Rockford ND that we buy ours from. Buffalo is almost as good as elk in my opinion. Yum!


Hey........ He's a neighbor then. There are quite a few that
raise them in that area. Maybe he'd trade some bison meat
for garage door work???? I did that once before for a hind
qtr of bison...... mmmmmmmmmmmm

[Eaglerock]

I like ELk, although I haven't had it in two years. Elk County in PA is where I had it. Never had Bison.

[walking bird]

Wow, my mouth's watering. I've never had bison--- we don't have a whole lot of 'em running around down here.

But given the amount of cattle in the San Juaqin, there's gotta be somebody raising bison. I've never seen the meat in the store--- maybe have to order?

Any Californians know where I could get some?

[Scott J.]

Wow, my mouth's watering. I've never had bison--- we don't have a whole lot of 'em running around down here.

But given the amount of cattle in the San Juaqin, there's gotta be somebody raising bison. I've never seen the meat in the store--- maybe have to order?

Any Californians know where I could get some?

If anyone is looking for Bison, my Cousin will ship. Pm me if your interested and I can forward your info to him. Scott

[Michael Bush]

>Anybody else try/like/not like this meat?

I've had it many times. I've butchered bison probably 20 times or so. The hides are a LOT of work to tan and the skulls a lot of work to clean up. :) The meat is wonderful.

[Scrapfe]

I've had bison a number of times. Very good meat as far as my taste buds go. No other experience beyond that though.
Yea, I ate it a number of times also, but our Kroger's closed and no one else I know of carry it here. Makes really good chilly, and the fat or like of doesn't get in the way of the spices. Makes really good meatloaf to if you mix it with some hamburger for moisture.

[Scrapfe]

A friend got a bison off of the Armendaris this year. You can hunt or you can just buy. I suspect they're using the word "hunt" rather loosely

They weren't the most wary or self aware animal on the ark from what I heard. Someone 'round' here had a few or a half dozen some years back, but I don't think they still keep them. All the grass buffalo eat and therefore dietary iron in bison flesh makes the term "red meat" really mean something. I would like to try a nice fresh bison steak Tartar style :thumbsup:. Anyone know how bison is with a little salt and pepper and nothing else?

[Scrapfe]

>Anybody else try/like/not like this meat?...The hides are a LOT of work to tan...The meat is wonderful.

I like it also. "The hides are a LOT of work to tan...:scratch: ...." Makes sense to me since buffalo leather was the leather of choice for the power transfer belts in the mills and factories of the industrial revolution in America. 'Sposed' to be tough stuff.