Bison is the New Chicken
It took me about a year to complete Operation Ass Lift and now I’m on a new mission: Operation Incredible Bulk. I have eight months until my next figure competition and I’m pretty excited to be putting on some lean muscle mass.
Periodically my trainer gives me a new meal plan with at least one bizarro food item that leaves me scratching my head and a little bit nervous. Last season it was cream of rice. (You can read about it here: Trainer Hazing.) This season it’s bison meat. Moo?
I’m not sure why this culinary option seems so scary to me. Maybe because it just sounds like something a hardcore, over-the-top type person would eat. “Yeah, Ima badass bodybuilder. I bench press a wild bison and then kill and eat it.”
Ground bison (aka “buffalo”) is really quite easy to find; it was in the first HEB I tried. Granted, I had to ask the butcher to show me the secret location where it was hidden, but that’s part of the hunter/gatherer fun, right? Then I had to figure out how to cook it. Here’s what I did:
Lisa’s Bison Burger
- Cut up a few onions and brown them slightly in a pan with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray. Then put them in a bowl with the ground bison.
- Add salt, pepper and a little sage. (I would give you measurements of these herbs and spices, but I just threw them in because I’m not really a formal cook.) Mix and turn them into four burger patties.
- Put some more butter spray in a pan and grill them up to desired taste.
*Note: If you are my trainer reading this, just skip the next part
I put the burger on two slices of whole wheat bread (not on my meal plan) and put some ketchup on it (totally not on my meal plan either, but if you’re losing your bison consumption virginity can you really use mustard as the condiment?) and tasted it to discover…
IT WAS DELICIOUS!!! Why have I been avoiding this meat for so long? Bison is grass fed, has no antibiotics, and is a lean source of red meat. Red meat, by the way, is great for adding lean muscle mass because it has creatine in it. Hurray for bison burgers!
How about you? Have you ever tried bison? If so, do you have any cooking suggestions?
Lisa
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I’ve only had bison a few times, but I really do like it (and my wife adds a little butter to the patties for extra flavor).
Butter….yum!!
I had bison last week in my pasta instead of beef at a restaurant. It was delicious. I think I was afraid to try it because it is something outside the box for me. Your burgers look goooood!
I was so scared of it too! Just about every new “health” food seems scary to me, like it’s going to taste awful, and 9 times out of 10 it tastes great. I guess I buy into the junk food marketing.
Love bison. It’s a tad on the pricey side so, I don’t always get it.
At almost $9 for 16 oz it’s a total indulgence – but cheaper than eating out at a restaurant. 😉
I only had buffalo filet mignon once and it was amazing.
Wow – I didn’t even know that was an option. Will have to look into it – thanks!
I can’t believe that I’ve never thought of it as edible until *right now*. Youve planted the seed now… Will have to see if NZ butchers stock it…
It’s so delicious. I never would have guessed!
My favourite is bison tenderloin, unfortunately it’s hella expensive! So glad you like it 🙂
Who knew there were so many bison options? LOL
I’ve been trepidatious about it too, but need to try it. Thanks for dipping your fork in there for us!
I took one for the team 😉