“Eat bison to restore bison” is the motto of the National Bison Association. And for good reason: There once were as many as 60 million bison in the North American herd, according to the NBA. But by 1900, the number dwindled. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimated that in 1889, “only a f ew hundred wild plains bison remained in the Texas Panhandle, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and the western Dakotas, as well as a small number in captive herds.” Today, through the concerted efforts of ranchers and conservation groups, there are nearly 200,000 bison on private ranches and farms in the United States, according to a 2022 USDA census, with another 30,000 on tribal lands. The total estimated herd size in North America today is 400,000, the NBA reports. The group and its rancher members reason that by eating buffalo meat, consumers are helping maintain herds on North American grasslands while supporting regenerative agriculture. We can do our part at the grocery store. Bison is a healthy choice, containing 2.4 grams of fat per 100-gram serving compared to 10.2 grams per serving of beef, according to the NBA. But there are a few things you need to know before slapping a patty on your backyard grill. Tips on cooking bison Here are some tips on cooking bison, from buffalogroves.com: You can substitute buffalo meat for beef in just about any recipe, says Colorado rancher Marlene Groves, who raises buffalo near Kiowa. Her advice for cooking: Ground buffalo is lower in fat than most ground beef, and can overcook quickly. For hamburgers, move your grill or broiler rack one level away from the heat, lower the heat, and when you flip ’em don’t squish ’em. Buffalo burgers are done when they are medium and not more than medium-well. (Hint: The thicker your burgers, the juicier they will be.) Buffalo steaks are also very lean and should be cooked rare to medium. Buffalo steak should still be pink when done. Cook 1-inch steaks 6-8 minutes for rare, 10 to 12 minutes for medium. Cook 1 1/2-inch steaks 10 to 12 minutes for rare, 14 to 18 minutes for medium. Buffalo roasts are great in the slow cooker all day on the low temperature setting, or cook them in the oven at 200 to 225 degrees for 6-8 hours. Either way, add some type of liquid – soup, broth, salsa, wine or water – to the pot. Just remember to cook them “low and slow.” Bison Pot Roast With Hominy Bison Pot Roast With Hominy. (Marcus Nilsson for The New York Times) When it’s slowly braised, the lean, mild bison becomes fork-tender; hominy brings substance and a subtly sweet, nutty corn flavor. Serve this dish alone or pair it with roasted turnips and winter squash. Soaking the hominy overnight before adding it to the pot helps it cook faster, so the dried corn kernels are ready in the same amount of time as the bison. Leftovers are terrific served over corn cakes or folded into tortillas. A small branch of foraged white cedar adds a woodsy note, but juniper berries achieve a similar effect. — Sean Sherman, The New York Times INGREDIENTS Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1 cup dried hominy (see TIP) 1 (3- to 4-pound) bison chuck roast Coarse sea salt 3 tablespoons sunflower oil 3 to 4 cups bison or vegetable stock 2 fresh sage sprigs, plus more sage leaves reserved for garnish 1 (4-inch) branch wild white cedar, or 2 teaspoons dried juniper berries ¼ cup light agave nectar 1 packed cup sliced dandelion greens (or other dark greens, such as spinach or kale) DIRECTIONS Add the hominy to a large bowl and cover with 3 inches of water. Let soak overnight at room temperature. Drain, discarding the soaking liquid. 2. Heat the oven to 250 degrees. Season the bison generously on all sides with 2 tablespoons salt. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high. Add the bison and sear it until browned on all sides, rotating the meat when it releases easily from the pot, about 15 minutes total. Transfer the meat to a plate, then add the drained hominy, stock, sage sprigs, cedar or juniper, and agave to the pot. 3. Bring to a simmer over high heat, scraping the bottom of the pot. Return the meat to the pot, cover, transfer to the oven and bake until the meat is very tender, 3 to 3½ hours, turning over the bison about halfway through. Remove and discard the sage sprigs and cedar, if using. (If using juniper berries, you can discard them, but it’s not necessary: They add surprising flavor and texture when eaten with the meat.) Stir in the greens until wilted. Season the liquid with more salt to taste. 4. Slice the meat into 1-inch-thick slabs and divide among shallow bowls. Spoon some of the sauce, hominy and greens over the slices, and garnish with whole or torn sage leaves. Tip: Dried, soaked hominy is crucial for this dish, as it lends more substance and body to the sauce than canned varieties would. Traditional Native American recipes use dried heirloom Pima corn, which is smaller and more flavorful than most commercial hominy. You can order it online from Ramona Farms or Native Seeds Search, or substitute dried commercial hominy, if need be. Bison Kabob Intersperse a variety of veggies with marinated bison onto skewers for kebabs. (Getty Images) Serves 4. Source: nationalbison.org INGREDIENTS For the kabobs: 1 pound bison sirloin 2 medium zucchini or yellow squash 1 large red bell pepper 1 large onion, quartered 8 mushrooms 8 cherry tomatoes For the marinade: 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 cup dry white wine 2 cloves garlic, minced DIRECTIONS Cut bison sirloin into 1 1/2 inch cubes and place in a glass bowl. Combine marinade ingredients and pour over cubed bison. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and marinate refrigerated for 8-24 hours. Or, place cubed Bison and marinade in a zippered plastic bag to marinate. Cut squash and red bell pepper into 1/2 inch slices. Alternate meat, squash, pepper, onion and mushrooms on each of eight skewers, ending each skewer with a cherry tomato. Grill covered 4-6 inches above medium-hot coals for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally and brushing with the remaining marinade mixture. Serve on a bed of rice. Bison Burgers A buffalo burger. (Glenn Asakawa, The Denver Post) The late Sam Arnold, owner of The Fort restaurant, was known for using novel recipes and techniques, such as adding vanilla for depth of flavor and cracked ice to keep the meat moist. Here’s an adapted version of the one published in “The Fort Cookbook.” (Note: This recipe was first published in The Denver Post in 2008.) Makes 6 burgers. INGREDIENTS 2 pounds ground bison 1/3 cup finely minced white onion 2 tablespoons  Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon seasoned salt (your favorite blend) 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional) 1 egg, beaten Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Blue cheese or feta (optional) 6 whole-grain hamburger buns DIRECTIONS Clean and oil grill, and heat to high. 2. Lightly knead all ingredients into the meat, except salt, pepper and cheese. Divide mixture into 6 equal portions to form patties. 3. Place burgers on oiled grill. Season with salt and pepper while grilling. Don’t be tempted to turn the patties over more than once or press on the meat because the moisture will seep out. Don’t grill them to death: buffalo is lean and overcooks easily. 4. Top with crumbled cheese, if desired. Seared Bison Carpaccio Bison steaks (now widely available at most grocers) are extremely lean and tender. (Associated Press) Here’s a recipe for a steak that preserves the essence of carpaccio, but adds both the texture and taste of a light sear to the exterior. For sweetness, I give the steaks a brief bath in mirin, a sweet Japanese cooking wine (available in the grocer’s Asian aisle). A bit of salt and coarsely cracked pepper, and you’re good. How to serve this? Keep it simple. Some fresh baguette, a bit of cheese and a fresh salad really are all it takes to turn this into a meal. Also, I like to make this with bison steaks (now widely available at most grocers) because it is extremely lean and tender. That combination — plus its generally more assertive flavor — makes it an ideal candidate for this sort of minimalist cooking. But feel free to substitute your preferred cut of beef steak. (Note: This recipe was first published in The Denver Post in 2013.) — J.M. Hirsch, The Associated Press Makes 2 servings. INGREDIENTS ¼ cup mirin Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper Two 6-ounce bison steaks 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil 1 lemon, cut into wedges DIRECTIONS In a medium bowl, whisk together the mirin, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add the steaks, turning to coat evenly, then refrigerate for at least 20 minutes and up to an hour. 2. When ready to cook, in a large skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until very hot but not smoking. Add the steaks and sear on each side for 1½ minutes. Transfer the steaks to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes. 3. Once the steaks have rested, thinly slice them across the grain. Fan the slices onto 2 serving plates, then seasoned with salt and pepper. Squeeze 1 or 2 lemon wedges over each. Serve immediately. Colorado Buffalo Meatloaf Wrap your bison meatloaf with bacon to increase the fat content and moisture. (Getty Images) Recipe from chef Bob Holloway, Colorado Chefs Association. Serves 4-6. (Note: This recipe was first published in The Denver Post in 2006.) INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 cup chopped onion 2 celery ribs, cut 1/4-inch dice 1 carrot cut 1/4-inch dice 1 tablespoon minced garlic 3/4 cup fine bread crumbs 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 tablespoon ketchup 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano 2 teaspoons sea salt 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper 1 3/4 pounds ground buffaloDirections DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. In a sauté pan add oil, onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent. Remove from heat to cool for about 5 minutes. Combine vegetables, parsley, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire, oregano, sea salt and pepper. Combine bread crumbs, and onion mixture to buffalo and mix until incorporated. Avoid overmixing or the meat loaf will be tough. 3. Place loaf mixture into a 10-inch-by-4-inch oval pan, but do not pack in too tight. Place this pan on a cookie sheet with sides to catch juices that spill. 4. Bake for approximately 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to stand 5-10 minutes. Remove loaf from pan and slice. Serve with sautéed mushroom and onion gravy or more ketchup. Ground dark turkey can substitute for the bison in this Texas Chili recipe. (Evan Sung for The New York Times) Texas Bison Chili Chili tastes are highly personal, often inflexible and loaded with preconceptions — the political party of culinary offerings. “I don’t disagree with anyone’s chili,” Robb Walsh, a Texas food historian, the author of “The Tex-Mex Cookbook” and a restaurateur, told The Times. “If you are making a one-pot meal and you want to put beans in it, that’s fine. If chili is part of your cuisine, like Tex-Mex, there are other things you will want to do.” This recipe is an amalgam of styles, with coffee and chocolate for complexity, hot sauce for kick and beans just because. — Jennifer Steinhauer, The New York Times Yield: 4 to 6 servings (about 8 cups) INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound ground bison or ground dark turkey 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 12-ounce bottle of beer 1 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes ½ cup strong brewed coffee 1 tablespoon tomato paste ¼ cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon chili sauce 1 tablespoon cocoa powder Half a serrano or other hot pepper, seeded and finely chopped, or to taste 1½ tablespoons ground cumin 1½ teaspoons ground coriander 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste 2 15-ounce cans kidney beans 1 15-ounce can cannellini or other white beans DIRECTIONS Place a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the meat and sauté until browned, then transfer to a plate. 2. Add the onion to the pot and stir for 1 minute. Take two large sips from the beer, and pour the rest into the pot. Stir in the tomatoes, coffee and tomato paste. 3. Add the brown sugar, chili sauce, cocoa powder, hot pepper, cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt and kidney beans. Return the meat to the pot. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partly covered, for 1 hour. 4. Add the white beans to the pot and simmer over very low heat, partly covered and stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 more hours. (Longer cooking improves the flavor.) Adjust salt and cayenne pepper as needed and serve.   ...read more read less