Why should I eat buffalo (ie, bison) meat?
...a primer on the many reasons why buffalo meat should become part of your diet,
and on how to select, prepare and store your meat

Table of Contents
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Taste

It tastes great! Many people feel buffalo is the most flavorful meat they have ever tasted with a sweeter and richer flavor than beef. It is not "gamey" or wild tasting. Buffalo meat is just naturally flavorful and tender. It tastes great by itself and will enhance your favorite recipe.
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Value

On a cost comparison, buffalo falls into the gourmet category at your supermarket or meat market. The value of buffalo is not what you pay, but what you get in return. Nutritionally, you are getting more protein, more nutrients, and less fat, less calories, less cholesterol. A value that you can figure into your budget for a balanced, healthy diet.
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Buffalo Nutritional Facts

Buffalo is an excellent red meat source low in fat, high in protein, rich in flavor. Research done by Dr. M. Marchello, University of North Dakota, has shown that buffalo is a highly nutrient-dense food because of the proportion of protein, fat, minerals and fatty acids to its caloric value. Comparisons also show that buffalo has a greater concentration of iron as well as some of the essential fatty acids.

Species	Fat Grams*	Calories	Cholesterol
Buffalo	2.2	148	61
Beef	6.5	180	72
Pork	4.9	165	71
Chicken	7.4	167	62
USDA Handbook 8-5; 8-10; 8-13; 8-17 *  Per 100 grams of meat

A long time ago the Indians and frontiersmen who ate mostly buffalo had great endurance, agility and stamina. Research is currently being conducted on buffalo to help us better understand the reasons for this. Due to their independent natures, buffalo are handled as little as possible. They spend their lives on grass, much as they always have, and very little time in the feedlot. Because of this, there is no need for artificial growth stimulants or sub-therapeutic use of antibiotics.

Comparisons of the nutritional values of buffalo have shown that buffalo meat is low in fat and calories and high in protein and nutrients. In short, with buffalo you are paying for a red meat source that is high in protein, low in fat, low in calories, and a red meat that fits into the federal government's dietary recommendations. This allows you to enjoy more by eating less!
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Purchasing Buffalo Meat

Be knowledgeable in the cuts of meat and how to prepare them. The muscle structure of a buffalo is very similar to beef and the cuts of meat are very similar. By knowing the proper method of cooking for various cuts, you will be more satisfied with the final outcome of your meat; i.e., tenderness and texture. Take for example the difference between a tenderloin steak and a pot roast. These two cuts of meat come from a different muscle structure which require different cooking methods to bring out the qualities of each cut.

The quality of the meat will depend on two important factors: the age of the animal and the condition of the animal prior to processing. As the animal gets older, the muscles become stronger and more coarse resulting in a tough, stringy piece of meat. When the animal is in good condition, strong and healthy, the meat will reflect it in tenderness and flavor. This is a good point to be aware of because not every animal is the same and not all meat is the same. When you have had a tough steak, chances are it was from an older animal in poor condition.

Noticeable visual characteristics of buffalo meat are the dark red color of the muscle and lack of marbling. buffalo contains high levels of nutrients such as minerals and vitamins. The high level of iron in buffalo gives the appearance of a dark red and rich color. At the meat counter, you will be able to notice this coloration when compared to other red meats. The dark color does not reflect the quality of the meat. The metabolism of buffalo is such that the fat is not deposited in great quantities within the muscle (marbling) under normal conditions. This is true of the young bulls that are harvested for meat and is noticeable when comparing with other red meats.
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Buffalo Cooking Tips

The lower content of fat insures that buffalo meat will cook faster. Since fat acts as an insulator, heat must first penetrate this insulation layer before the cooking process of the protein begins.

Marbling (fat within the muscle) aids in slowing down the cooking process. Buffalo meat contains very little marbling and the meat has a tendency to cook more rapidly. Caution must be taken to insure that you do not overcook buffalo. With this in mind, you can substitute buffalo in any of your favorite red meat recipes. Listed below are a few more basic cooking tips:

• When oven broiling buffalo, move your broiler rack away from the heat about a notch lower from where you normally broil your beef steaks. Check your steaks a few minutes sooner than you normally would. To retain more juices and lessen the chances of overcooking, some prefer to have the steaks slightly frozen when cooking.

• If you normally cook your roast beef at 325°F, turn your temperature down to around 275°F for buffalo. Plan on the roast being done in about the same amount of time as with a comparable size beef roast. To insure that your roast is cooked to the degree you prefer, we recommend using a meat thermometer indicating the internal temperature.

• Ground buffalo or buffalo burger is also leaner (most ranging about 88-92% lean). It will also cook faster so precautions must be taken to not dry out the meat. There is very little (if any) shrinkage with buffalo burger -- what you put in the pan raw will be close to the same amount after it's cooked. Pre-formed patties tend to dry out faster when grilling. (Hint -- the thicker the patty, the juicier the burger.) Although ground buffalo is leaner, there is no need to add fat to keep it from sticking to the pan or falling apart.

All meat, no matter the leanness, has enough available fat to cook it properly. There is no need to add additional fat when cooking with buffalo, this only defeats the nutritional purpose of buying buffalo!
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Care and Storage

The care and storage of buffalo meat is very much like beef. How long it was aged and how it is packaged will affect the storage life of a product.

• Refrigeration:
  Store in the coldest part of the refrigerator... steaks and roasts unopened -- up to four days; ground buffalo -- no more than two days.

• Freezing:
  To keep buffalo as fresh as possible, wrap and seal it tightly in moisture- and vapor-proof material such as freezer paper, aluminum foil and polyethylene films. Label packages, noting the date, cut and weight or number of servings. You can store ground buffalo and cooked buffalo as long as three months; other fresh buffalo up to 12 months.

• Defrosting:
  Several methods may be used to defrost buffalo. The best method is to defrost in the refrigerator in its original wrapping. A second method is to defrost during cooking. However, you should allow one-third to one-half more cooking time, depending on the size of the meat cut. A third way is the use of the microwave oven. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's directions.
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