BISON MEAT: A HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE TO ORDINARY RED MEAT

Serving healthy and delicious food on the table is one of the top priorities of parents. One of the main categories of food is meat in its different varieties such as steak, burgers, roasts, tacos, and meat loaf.

If you are a consumer who is conscious of your family’s health, you should try cooking and serving bison meat. There are lots of bison meat available in the market that is hormone free and grass-fed. Bison meat is also the healthiest choice between different kinds of red meat.

Why Bison Meat Is Better Than Regular Beef

Bison meat production is strictly regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture and federal law. Also, referred to as buffalo, bison must be raised free from growth hormones and steroids. According to government protocols for the bison industry, there must be a limit on using antibiotics when raising bison as commercial meat. Many bison ranches avoid using antibiotics entirely to ensure that the bison is naturally grown and free from chemicals. Bison, like cattle, are ruminants, which means their stomachs are designed to digest grass. The specie is a native of North America, evolving with their natural landscape. Much like cattle, bison do not require shelter and are mostly raised in pasture in small to larger herds or units.

Bison meat has a high protein proportion and varying amounts of unsaturated fat compared to saturated fats. Bison meat is known for its iron rich properties and essential proteins that are good for the heart. Since bison mainly eat grass, they do not store fat and are high in nutrients like protein, zinc, and vitamin B12.

Compared to regular red meat, bison meat has lower cholesterol and fat contents. Buffalo or bison meat is tender, juicy, and has a unique taste. The meat is commonly made into Buffalo burgers, a popular burger made from bison meat. The taste is sweeter and is tenderer compared to cattle beef burgers, which might account for the slight price difference. Bison meat, with the lower fat content and tastier offering is costlier compared to ordinary beef.
Due to bison meat’s low fat content, it cooks faster than ordinary beef. This means you need to cook bison meat in slowly in low heat to retain the meat’s natural tenderness. Grilling is one way of cooking bison meat as you can regulate the heat and cooking time as you grill it.
Eating properly cooked bison meat is a treat for you and your family. Bison meat is tender and sweet enough to feed for your young ones. You can also grind bison meat and season it with herbs and spices to come up with a buffalo burger right at your own kitchen.

Where to Buy Bison Meat

Most supermarket and grocery stores sell bison meat. There are meat shops that sell grass-fed or grain-fed bison meat directly from the rancher’s farm. Due to bison meat’s leaner and sweeter taste, it is slightly pricier than ordinary beef. However, most grocers often put up bison meat on sale especially if you are purchasing online or from a bison farm outlet.

Bison meat is cut in the same proportions as cattle beef and come in various cuts like T-bone, tenderloins, roasts, steaks, and briskets. Just keep in mind to cook bison meat slowly in low heat to retain the tenderness and moisture of the meat.