bison

ground bison

a.k.a.

buffalo meat

what is it?

The meat of the iconic animal of the American West, no-longer-endangered bison has become a leaner beef alternative for health-conscious cooks.

Since bison tends to be raised on grass-based feed more than grain-based feed, it has many of the qualities of grass-fed beef: a deeper red color, a stronger "meaty" flavor and lower fat content (2.42 grams of fat in a 3.5-oz. serving of bison compared to 18.54 grams in choice beef).

don't have it?

substitute ground beef.

how to choose:

Bison is available in many specialty and natural-foods stores. You may see it sold as steaks or ground.

how to prep:

As with grass-fed beef, take care not to overcook bison. Because it is leaner than regular beef, it can quickly become dry if overcooked.