Have you ever bison meat? What does bison taste like and did you like it?
Whether you’re trying to find a healthier alternative to red meat or you’re simply curious about tasting more ‘exotic’ meats, you’ve probably heard of bison meat before. I'm sure you will wonder "what does bison taste like?".
Bison meat has been experiencing a popularity growth in the last couple of years, thanks both to its peculiar taste and its health properties.
Yes, bison meat offers a variety of advantages so it’s no wonder that more and more people and making the change.
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Health Benefits of Bison Meat?
- Bison meat is more likely to be grass fed, thanks to the fact that it doesn’t enjoy the same popularity as cow meat. This means that bison are bred in smaller quantities and most slaughterhouses are not equipped to handle them, so they’re more likely to be bread in farms in conditions that closely resemble their natural habits.
- Bison meat is an excellent source of lean protein, as it has a high protein-to-fat-ratio and a relatively low calorie count. Not only that, but bison are often more muscular than cows, thanks to their status as wild game, which means bison meat also has less cholesterol than other types of meat.
- Bison meat is just plain healthier, thanks to its high content of selenium, which can help prevent cellular damage; zinc, which helps your immune system; niacin, which boosts your energy levels; iron and B6 vitamin complex, which has been shown to be beneficial for mental health.
- Bison meat has a much stronger flavor than cow meat, which not only will give your palate something new to enjoy but is always a plus for the meat lovers out there. Plus, while the flavor is stronger, it’s also delicious, which brings us to our next point…
What Does Bison Tastes Like?
Let’s be honest, not everyone is willing to jump into a new trend and start eating a meat they’ve never had before just because they heard good things about them.
Some people are just less willing to experiment with their food, and that’s perfectly fine.
So what does bison taste like?
Texture
Buffalo meat has a coarser texture than cow meat, though it’s nowhere near as coarse as game meat.
Since it has a lower fat content, it doesn’t marble nearly as much as cow meat does. This means the meat is leaner. Kind of like a sirloin tip steak.
See the below video for Bison Sirloin Roast recipe by the BBQ Pit Boys:
Flavor
Long story short, bison meat tastes a lot like cow meat, but it has a sweeter yet stronger flavor.
Though bison is still considered game meat by some, it doesn’t leave the same strong aftertaste other game meats have. Instead, it floods your mouth with a taste similar to what you’d expect from a high quality steak, yet different enough that you’ll know you’re not eating cow.
Perhaps the best way of describing it is ‘a damn good steak’. The flavor is similar enough to cow meat that we guarantee you’re going to like it, but it tastes more natural, thanks to the fact that bison isn’t raised in the same conditions as cow.
Have you ever gone with your boss or your in-laws to your city’s best steakhouse? A good bison cut, even when cooked at home by you, would be right at home in their menu.
So don’t worry, you won’t have to retrain your palate in order to get used to bison meat. In fact, after trying bison meat, you’ll probably have trouble going back to your regular beef cuts.
Things to Consider
If we’ve convinced you to try bison meat at least once, allow us to give you a couple of tips to enhance your experience.
After all, even though bison is similar to cow it’s a completely different animal, so there are certain differences in the cooking process you need to keep in mind:
- Buffalo is leaner and doesn’t marble nearly as much as cow meat, so the cooking time is considerably shorter.
- Avoid overcooking buffalo, as this kind of meat is better enjoyed medium rare. This might be bad news for the ‘well done’ crowd but, believe us, overcooked bison just has no taste.
- If you absolutely need to eat your meat ‘well done’, then use a slow cooker and cook it at a very low temperature, which will help preserve the moistness and the flavor.
- If you plan on making burgers, make an effort to preserve as much moisture as possible. You can do this by cooking the patties only to the point where the pink has just disappeared. Again, avoid overcooking.
- If it’s your first time eating buffalo, season it lightly. In fact, we’d suggest to use only salt and pepper if you have to season it at all. After all you want to experience the flavor to decide whether you like it or not, so don’t disguise it with herbs and seasoning the very first time you try it.
In Conclusion
We hope this article was able of solving your doubts about what does bison taste like.
Have you eaten bison meat? Share with us your idea!
Thanks for reading!