Is Bison Still De Rigeur? (healthier, humane, expensive, buy)

[rodentraiser]

I used to buy it back in the 80s and really didn't notice a difference in taste. But what has happened now is the price has gone up to the moon. It used to be about the same price as hamburger back when. I just saw it for sale in Whole Foods and they wanted $8.99 a pound for it. Dream on. Never buying ground anything at that cost.

[mike1003]

Originally Posted by Calvert Hall '62

Around 20 years ago, this meat was highly touted over the radio and there were posters in the grocery stores alleging its superiority over "beef." I don't hear or see much about it these days.


Are the animals "free range" or treated as domestic cattle by the providers?


For those who have sampled it, what's your opinion vis-a-vis "beef."

We eat it all the time. Great taste and low cholesterol

A little more expensive than beef

[tnff]

We're in Tennessee and pretty much all the groceries around here carry it. Surprisingly there are actually a few bison herds on farms in the area too, so there must be a demand.

[Dogboa]

Here its like lamb, you can only get ground in 1 lb prepackage size. Unlike lamb, you can't get a cut and grind it or prepare it yourself. Never seen steaks nor roasts.

[evening sun]

I only see ground bison for sale, I do buy it sometimes, I like it. It is also the better meat for the environment, as the animals as indigenous to North America, & cattle were brought here by the European settlers. So the Bison can survive on less water, IIRC, better adapted to the climate.

[kyle19125]

I can only find it in 1lb ground packaging here in FL and buy it often at Whole Foods. The key to successfully cooking Bison (like any lean meat) is to not overcook it, so nothing past medium.

[Sonic_Spork]

I can tell the difference between bison meat and regular beef, and I prefer bison meat a LOT. It's got its own distinct flavor and a different texture due to how lean it is. I've been to Ted's Montana Grill twice here in the north side of the Springs and both times ordered a bison ribeye. Paid for a bison ribeye. But I am quite sure it was no bison ribeye, but a regular beef steak I was served. I think they bank on people not knowing the difference.

I prefer to get uncooked steaks from a local meat shop and cook it at home. I cook a pretty mean steak. Only time I ever had a problem, I had a guest visiting and she distracted me with conversation with I was trying to cook dinner and I sadly overcooked the bison. You really have to watch it carefully, it doesn't take long for it to dry out.

When I make it at home I tend to use a marinade, to get extra moisture into it, then I broil it, while carefully checking and flipping multiple times.

Some places have good bison burgers, too. I've had them with a fried egg and cheese and bacon, that's the best!

[Praline]

I have never tasted bison. I see it at the supermarket for an unreasonable price, which makes me hesitant to spend money for it. What if I hate it? I guess I could make bison burgers because all I see are the ground packages of meat.

[Northrick]

I've had store bought and restaurant bought and I like it. However, much better was the meat off a wild bison a friend shot last year. It spent it's life wondering around the wilds on the west side of the Alaska Range. I'm down to just the heart, which I have to decide how I'm going to cook.

[Teak]

Local brewpub serves locally raised bison meat as sliders, very good. Also, shop in town sells ground bison and bison jerky. I LOVE the bison jerky, and it isn't all that more expensive than beef.

It would make sense to let some of the Great Plains go back to native prairie and raise bison on it. The native grasses sent roots deep and could be cropped by the bison without destroying it or exposing the soil to wind and water erosion. Native grasses could also get by with less water and no fertilizer or herbicide inputs.