If you’re thinking to yourself that the above photo looks like a very rare steak on top of some greenery, you’d be just about right, and that is what it looks like, only that’s not steak, that’s American bison in all it’s rare glory perched happily atop a salad of spinach, mushrooms and grape tomatoes that have been touched ever so gently with just a  bit of vinaigrette and a sprinkling pf Parmesan cheese. The bison itself is unadorned as any new thing should be when first tried, so that it’s true flavors shine through.

If you’ve never tried bison, I urge you to go ahead and splurge a little for a good cut of this wonderful meat.  you won’t be disappointed, I assure you. The flavor is much like beef, but mild and slightly sweet, without much of the fattiness that an inexpensive cut of beef can (and should) have.  bison is naturally lower in cholesterol and saturated fats as well, making it the perfect choice in red meats for anyone who needs to watch these components in their diet.

This combination was good.  Very good. Unfortunately I found that the salad fought the flavor of the meat slightly and I’ll be looking for other accompaniments in the future.  A mild addition is needed for this, as the bison’s flavor is subtle and easily overshadowed by other flavors.

In the end, I love this meat.  I’m glad that it’s stocked at our commissary and will be buying it again (slated for the grill this time) before we leave Texas.  I should have no problems finding it in California either, so I’ll continue to muck with combinations well into the future.  this was good, but this could be great, and I’m looking for that recipe.

Yield: 8 servings

Braised Bison with Spinach, Mushroom and Tomato Salad Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 – 3lb. bison chuck roast
• 2 cups (or two handfuls) baby spinach, washed and dried
• 12 grape tomatoes, quartered
• 4-6 buton mushrooms, sliced paper-thin
• 2 tbsp. Italian Dressing or your favorite vinaigrette
• 2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese, grated or shaved
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Water or beef stock, for braising

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
2. Heat a large oven-proof skillet over a medium-high flame. Liberally season all sides of bison roast with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to skillet and swirl to coat. Place bison in pan and sear well on all sides. (About 2 minutes per side.) Remove skillet from heat.
3. Insert a probe thermometer in thickest part of roast. Add 1/2″ stock or water to skillet and cover with aluminum foil or a tight fitting lid. Bake at 275 degrees for approximately 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the bison is 135 degrees (for rare) or 145 degrees) for medium rare). Remove bison from pan and place on a board, covered loosely with several layers of aluminum foil. allow to rest at least 20 minutes.
4. While bison is resting, place spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes and Parmesan cheese i a large bowl. Add vinaigrette of choice and toss gently until leaves are well coated. Do not over dress the spinach!
5. To serve, place 1/2 of the spinach mixture in the center of a serving plate. Slice the bison into thin strips and arrange over the top of the salad. Drizzle with reduced pan juices if desired.
6. Share and Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 502Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 151mgSodium: 358mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 46g

it’s kind of hard to say, really.  The flavor of the bison is so mild that it is going to be a challenge to find suitable sides or compliments for this wonderful meat.  I’m thinking of trying it with a bit of arugula (rocket lettuce) or watercress the next time just to see how the peppery leaves go with the sweet and understated taste of the bison itself.

Links to other recipes like this:

Actually, this is so new to me that I really can’t give an honest comparison, but there are a lot of recipes on FoodBlogSearch, so go check those out.