Why I made the switch from beef to bison meat

In case you haven't read my introduction/about me section, I should preface this post by flat out saying: I sell bison meat as my full time job. So that is reason number one why I made the switch from beef to bison. However, I can also tell you, that if I didn't love it, I wouldn't eat it (see #2 of my rules of the kitchen section). So, I promise to you, I have several other, much more real reasons for choosing bison meat as the primary source of protein in my diet, and I would love to share them with you now. I promise, I will do my best not to be too sales pitchy. After all, a blog with the title "The Bison Girl" probably needs a post talking about why I eat bison, as this awesome meat still hasn't gone "mainstream" quite yet.

1. Bison meat really, honestly, tastes good.

A lot of people are skeptical about how bison tastes, and some people really do give me a look of disbelief when I tell them that I honestly love the taste of bison, that it in fact does not taste gamey. And, yes, sometimes bison does taste bad. But if you've had bison that tasted dry or chewy, it was probably because of the cook. Bison takes a little more care than beef when cooking, you have to cook it low and slow because of its lower fat content. You also shouldn't ever cook bison past medium doneness --- never go well done --- never! It needs a little pink in the center... otherwise it will become dry and tough, and it won't taste any good. But when you cook bison meat just right, you'll find that not only does it taste juicy and tender, bison has a slightly sweet, rich flavor that is very enjoyable.

2. Bison is really lean.

So, it tastes good. Beef tastes good too, right? And bison is so much more expensive, so what makes bison worth that extra $$$? To tell you the truth, several things. But we're going to start with the fact that bison is so lean. The American Bison is an incredibly strong animal, and it's full of muscle, leaving it very little room for fat. Bison actually has less fat content than skinless chicken according to the National Bison Association. You can enjoy a serving of bison with less guilt, knowing that you are putting less fat, calories and cholesterol into your body. Or if you're young and still have higher metabolism, like me, you can make those bison burgers just a little bit bigger! 

3. Bison is high in protein.

So bison is super lean, that's awesome... but let me ice that cake for you. Bison is also really high in protein. Seriously. Check out that same chart from the National Bison Association. So, maybe you won't need to make a bigger burger, because bison's high protein content will fill you up faster!

4. Bison is raised naturally and humanely.

Most bison producers, especially the ones I work for, love their animals and appreciate their land. Members of the National Bison Association have all agreed to raise their herds without the use of steroids, growth hormones or antibiotics, raising these animals naturally. Bison are also handled more humanely than typical livestock, as most bison are allowed to roam the land, grazing on grass for most of their life. It's actually in the producer's best interest to minimally handle their herd, due to the massive size of the adrenaline pump in bison. Without getting too science-y, I can tell you that an agitated bison will pump that adrenaline really fast and essentially ruin the tenderness of his meat. So, bison producers minimally handle the herd (which has evolved to pretty much take care of itself anyway) to keep a calm, happy herd of bison.

5. Have I mentioned it tastes good?

Seriously. You can't beat a bison burger.

6. The growing demand for bison meat is actually helping to increase bison herds in North America.

Bison once ruled this continent. There were hundreds of thousands, if not millions and they were a perfect balance for the ecosystem of the American prairie. But Westward expansion, and the attempt to wipeout the Native Americans almost completely wiped the American Bison off the face of the Earth. Luckily, a small number of bison were saved, and a few dedicated preservationists were able to save this species. The number of American Bison is growing again, and they have been off the endangered species list for quite sometime. In fact, it's estimated that there are about 500,000 head of bison in North America today.

The consumer demand for bison meat is only going to continue to help the herd sizes grow, as more ranchers find bison ranching to be a lucrative business endeavor and work towards growing more and bigger herds.

I'm sure you probably have more questions about bison. I get asked questions quite often, and I'm happy to answer them as best I can. I really do recommend this awesome meat to anyone who's not put off by the added cost. With the benefits you get, it really makes it worth it, if you are able, and it's not all that hard to get. My company, NebraskaBison.com, actually ships bison meat all over the United States of America on a weekly basis, direct to your door!

I promise, you'll see lots of recipes on this blog featuring bison meat. You'll also see lots of recipes on this blog that don't feature bison meat. I eat pork and chicken every once in awhile too. And as much as I love meat, I enjoy some meatless meals as well.

So what do you think? Have you eaten bison before, are there any reasons I've missed as to why you eat bison?