Cooking Bison
No need to be buffaloed when cooking bison!
Use these general guidelines when cooking bison:
Ground bison meat should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 160°F and the juices should be clear, not red. Roasts and steaks should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F (medium rare) or 160°F (medium). The oven should be set at around 275°F.
• Oven broiling, move your broiler rack away from the heat about a notch lower than where you normally broil beef steaks. Expect a buffalo steak to cook one-third faster than a beef steak. Bison steaks are best when cooked rare to medium to maintain the moisture and flavor of the meat. It is not recommended to cook buffalo meat past medium. If you prefer your steak to this degree of doneness, be aware that your buffalo steak may loose some of its desirable attributes.
• Turn your oven temperature to around 275°F for bison. Plan on the roast being done in about the same amount of time as with a comparable size beef roast. We recommend using a meat thermometer indicating the internal temperature of 145°F for medium rare.
• Ground bison is also leaner in general. Check the package if purchasing bison retail. You can ask your meat processor for the fat percentage you prefer if you purchase bison in bulk. Medium-rare to medium is best for a juice burger.
Bison Brine
1/4 cup Salt
1/2 tbsp Rosemary
1/2 tbsp Thyme
1/2 tbsp Ground Black Pepper
1/2 tbsp Minced Garlic
1 tbsp Allspice Berries
Add ingredients to 1/2 gallon of water and 1 cup red wine. Refrigerate for 12 hours. Cook with above guidelines and ENJOY!
Why Brine??
The chemistry behind brining is pretty simple. Meat already contains salt water. By immersing meats in a liquid with a higher concentration of salt, the brine is absorbed into the meat. Any flavoring added to the brine will be carried into the meat with the saltwater mixture. Because the meat is now loaded with extra moisture, it will stay that way as it cooks.
