Bonnie: I love to entertain, so I’m always inviting friends to share in sampling the myriad foods and libations that arrive at my doorstep. There are some that everyone jumps at and others where I need to use an arm twist to convince friends to come enjoy. The fresh Alaskan salmon that was no more than 24 hours out of the water fits the former description; ostrich and bison fit the latter.
I realize that it’s not dislike of a meat but rather unfamiliarity with it, as after dining on either ostrich or bison at my home, they have nothing but raves — especially after learning that both these delicious, succulent red meats are nutritional winners. So it’s red meat without guilt.
Bison (today’s FeaturedBite) is healthier than beef, with fewer calories, less total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol, as well as more protein. It’s also a good source of iron, 2.6 milligrams per 100-gram serving versus 1.9 milligrams for beef. And bison tastes like the other red meat, but with a heartier flavor and a hint of salty sweetness.
We tested both the filet and the burgers for BiteoftheBest.com, but are featuring the High Plains Bison Burgers, the more affordable of their offerings, just in time for both National Burger Day May 28, and for the first of the season’s holiday barbecues.
One caveat: Be sure not to overcook the bison (or ostrich, if you buy that), as it becomes dry and chewy. Instead, serve it rare or medium rare for a juicy, tender burger.
Happy (finally) official beginning of summer season!
Bryan: It’s become a very popular meat, especially at boutique burger restaurants and steak houses. It’s not ostrich (they’ve tried, though) and it’s not kangaroo (it couldn’t even catch on in Europe)… I’m talking about buffalo. If pork is the other white meat, then has buffalo become the other red meat? Maybe so. Ever eaten a buffalo burger? You have? Well, you probably haven’t actually, even you if you think you have. Why is that you’re asking? Well, because what you were eating wasn’t really buffalo, it was bison.
That’s right, nobody is eating buffalo, we’ve all been eating bison. If you’re confused (I was), you’re probably asking yourself “Aren’t bison and buffalo the same animal?”
I’ve seen many a menu laced with buffalo steaks, buffalo burgers, buffalo sliders… but it’s been a lie (sort of). Almost 100% of the meat labeled “buffalo” is actually bison. So let’s set the record straight. There is a difference between buffalo and bison; they are not the same animal. The bison is quite a bit larger, its coat thicker and hairier than the buffalo’s. Unlike any buffalo species, the American bison specifically has a large hump and a massive head. The biggest difference is that bison are indigenous to North America, while buffaloes come from Asia and Africa. If you’re ordering buffalo burgers from a menu in North America, odds are you’re eating bison burgers. I must say, though, all bets are off if you’re ordering buffalo in Beijing or Cape Town.
While the proper term for the animal we have all come to love (to eat) is “bison,” the term “buffalo” has become so ingrained in our American language that even the National Bison Association thinks that “buffalo” is an acceptable semantic substitute.
Wordplay aside, what’s really the difference? Well, what matters most is certainly not the difference between bison and buffalo; it’s the difference between bison and beef. Bison, unlike their cow brethren, are raised as wild animals in natural habitats and are therefore not exposed to drugs, hormones or chemicals. Bison also are only fed a natural diet, making them a sustainable, eco-friendly and, most importantly, diet-friendly beef alternative.
Bison has 22 grams of protein per 100-gram serving to beef’s 19, and an amazing 1.49 grams fat and 109 calories per serving, compared to 18.2 grams fat and 249 calories in beef. Bison meat even has less fat than chicken or salmon! The other red meat? Or the only red meat? You decide.
Eric: There are certain books that stay with you after you’ve finished reading them — the story, or information presented, is so compelling that it helps to challenge your perspective, sometimes even creating new awareness. “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan is one of those books. Providing investigative research into the American food industry, the book is for any epicurean, food aficionado or average food consumer that is at all curious about the food system in the United States. I mention “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” because of the impact it had on my choice reduce my red meat consumption. In fact, after reading the book, I took a long hiatus from eating anything cow…
Being the carnivore that I am, I needed a “clean” replacement for my red meat — a combination of iron and protein that wasn’t necessarily a vegetable, or had the added scare of mercury poisoning. For this, I turned to Bison (for the nutritional information, I’m sure you can reference my mother’s post…and if not, check my brother’s). Bison is a leaner red meat with a similar protein structure to cow — the biggest difference, especially with this product, is that the Bison are allowed to be grazers; this means they eat the grass that their bodies are designed for — not the corn that most of the cows in this country eat.
With that being stated, there is really no healthier choice for a red meat than Bison (although Ostrich is also an option — surprisingly tasting and looking nothing like chicken). So when you’re firing-up the grill this summer, keep in mind that there are other, healthier, options than the standard red meat, and even though they might have a higher cost, the cost of not trying them could be your health.
I think that you’ve been green-washed. They grain finish on pellets. That means FEEDLOT. This is not a good bison product. Shame on you for not doing your research.
I am responding from High Plains Bison to the feedlot misconception raised by Jacqueline. Our bison are NOT raised in feedlots. We pride ourselves in the humane and extremely healthy manner in which we raise our stock and prepare our meats. We offer two types of cuts: grass fed and grain finished. Grain finished applies to bison that spend the final quarter of their lives consuming grain in large open areas. Unlike traditional feedlots which cram animals in small spaces and have strict dietary protocols, our bison have plenty of space to continue to move freely and are free to eat and drink as much or as little as they want. Feedlot animals are frequently treated with antibiotics due to the close quarters and inadvertent mingling of food and waste. We NEVER give our bison antibiotics and this is in large part due to the care we take in raising them humanely. Still, if you prefer purely grass fed cuts, we offer plenty of those.
Good posting..
I will have to try these burgers for all of the reasons described above. Thanks BOTB!