Roasting The Bison

We had a bison roast in our freezer, just waiting to be used for a special occasion. Our big birthday party for Janet and Lauren The Birthday Party was just such an occasion. It was a big roast, so we had to have enough people over to really appreciate it, since it was way to big to cook for just Larry and I.

We like bison a lot. It’s delicious, healthy and very lean, but I have to confess, we don’t eat it all that often. I had never cooked a bison roast before either. But now I have and it came out fantastic. 🙂

I do have a little bison/buffalo cookbook, which gave me some great advice and cooking tips on how to cook the roast, but you know me, and you know I “Jeannified” it too.

Bison Roast

3-4 lb bison roast

2 pieces of bacon, cut into pieces

1-1 1/2 TBSP garlic

big game spice rub

2-3 bay leaves

1 cup orange juice

salt & pepper to taste

1/2-3/4 cup port

Pat the bison roast dry with a paper towel, then coat both sides with all the seasonings. Slice slits into both sides of the roast, and insert both the garlic and the bacon pieces into the slits. Add the orange juice and port and let marinate for at least 4 hours before cooking, though overnight is better. Because bison is a very lean meat, the bacon adds some needed fat to the meat so the bison does not dry out and get to tough when cooking. And because it is big game, it often has a gamey taste. Using something acidic, like the orange juice, will help draw out some of the gamey taste.

When you are ready to cook the roast, preheat the oven to 275* F or abut 140*C.

Take the roast out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes or so prior to cooking and let set at room temperature.

Place the roast in the oven and let it cook nice and slow, about 25 minutes per pound. I cooked it in the same sauce I marinated it too. I cooked it for about an hour in the oven, but then I needed the oven for other things, and Larry already had the smoker going for all the other meats, so we finished cooking the roast in the smoker too. It was so juicy and tender and definitely full of flavor.

Again, because bison is very lean, it is best served rare to medium rare. For rare, you want the internal temperature to be about 130-135* F and for medium rare, you ant it about 135-140*F. If you overcook it, it will be tough and dry.

When the roast is cooked, let it set for about 5-10 minutes before slicing it, then slice it into thin strips. Serve it with your favorite side dishes and enjoy. Make sure you have a lot of people around to help you eat it too. This is definitely best when served for a gathering of friends and family.

Let your wild side out every now and then. You will definitely be glad you did. 🙂

Stay safe and say well Everyone. ‘Til next time.