Braised Bison Stew

That's right, it says "Bison."

You didn't read it wrong--I love eating bison!  Not only is is a nutritionally dense, protein rich meat, but it tastes amazing, almost like a meatier, richer beef.

I know what you're probably thinking:  "Where the heck do I buy bison?"

Many grocery stores now carry bison meat, but I actually buy mine from Lindner Bison at the Hollywood Farmers Market.  They a family owned operation that raises their animals on grass (so it's rich in Omega-3's) and without the use of antibiotics, hormones or feedlots.  Click here to visit their website!

For this recipe, I slowly braise bison stew meat for two to three hours into a tender, rich stew loaded with onion, carrot, celery, garlic and potatoes.  It's simple--once you throw it in the oven, just let it cook until the meat is superbly tender.  It makes a great, healthy meal, especially when paired with a green vegetable or salad. 

So give it a shot--I promise you'll be eating bison regularly in no time.

Short on time?  This recipe would also works for a slow-cooker (Crock Pot).

Braised Bison Stew
Serves 4 people
Cooking time: 2 to 3 hours 

Ingredients
1 pound bison stew meat, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
2 cups yellow onions, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery stalks, chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
8 fingerling potatoes, halved
1 garlic bulb, halved
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
4 cups organic beef broth
salt and pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a braising pan, add the grapeseed or canola oil over medium high heat. Then, add the onion, carrots and celery, cooking until lightly caramelized (about 10 minutes).  Add the bison, stirring it around until browned, about 3 minutes.

Next, add the red wine and reduce it over high heat until reduced in half, about 4 minutes.  Once it's reduced, add the garlic, potatoes, beef broth, bay leaf and cardamon.  Note that the broth should cover the ingredients.

Cover and place in the oven, braising for about two to three hours, or until the beef is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Source For Ingredients
grass-fed bison stew meat from Lindner Bison (Hollywood Farmers Market)

organic beef stock from Healthy Family Farms, CSA (Hollywood Farmers Market)

organic carrots, organic celery, organic onions, organic garlic from Studio City Farmers Market

ground cardamom, organic bay leaves and grapeseed oil from Whole Foods

Wine Pairing
With this rich dish, we drank the rest of the Anthill Farms 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Timber Crest Farms, Dry Creek Valley.  Not only did this wine drink better on the second night, but it complimented the bison stew perfectly. 

To read more about this wine, check out my tasting notes under this recipe.