Lakeview Buffalo Farm

So you just bought some bison.  How the heck do you cook it?

Knowing how to cook bison meat is extremely important when looking to enjoy bison at home.  Because bison is so lean, it is easy to overcook.  The key is LOWER temperature and SLOWER cooking time than beef.  Be very careful not to overcook bison!  For a perfectly cooked meal featuring Lakeview Buffalo Farm bison meat, follow these simple rules:
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• Grills and stoves should not be set any higher than medium heat.  If using a charcoal grill, don’t place the meat directly over red-hot coal, move it off to the side.

• Don’t flip your bison steak or burger more than once.

• Your bison is ready to be flipped when the juices start to pool on the top surface.  The meat should be taken off the heat when the juices pool on the other side.  With a small cut in the middle, check for desired doneness.  Use a meat thermometer whenever possible (140 degrees Fahrenheit is rare, 145=medium-rare, 150=medium).
• We do not suggest cooking it more than medium doneness.  If you like it more well done, remove the meat from the grill at medium doneness, and place in aluminum foil and let stand for 10 minutes.
• Letting the meat stand for about 10 minutes (only cover if you want it to cook further) before eating will help keep the juices in the meat.
• Marinating works really well, and can be done similar to beef.  If you are not marinating, only season the meat after you take it off the heat, as salt tends to draw out moisture during cooking.
• For a healthy and delicious alternative, substitute bison for any recipe that calls for beef.
• For recipes that call for braising, it is better to use lower heat and longer cooking times, but generally bison can be braised using the same method as beef.  

*Note – We did not give specific cooking times because there are simply too many variables (meat thickness, grill temp, covered/uncovered).  There is no magic number of minutes we can tell you.  Just keep a close eye on your meat and follow these rules, and you will not be disappointed.

Need meal ideas?  The National Bison Association has provided some delicious recipes!

These recipe cards are from the National Bison Associate website:  http://www.bisoncentral.com/bison-recipes/recipe-cards