Buffalo: The Other Red Meat that is Actually Good for You

Chicken, fish, seafood, pork and beef have been force fed to us, so to speak, for as long as I can remember. Steak, ham, baked fish and chicken that are prepared in a myriad of concoctions as a suitable protein source to compliment our carbohydrate cravings while trying to adhere to some sort of honesty in following the nutrition pyramid, day in and day out. Recently the tides have begun to change as the health kick, nutritious benefits, reducing cholesterol and fat and obesity in humans began to gain an elevated status of acceptance and awareness. Other protein sources that can offer lower fat, calorie and cholesterol have been brought to the forefront. Emu, Wild Boar, Ostrich, Donkey, Antelope and yes, Buffalo, are just a few of these newly found alternatives to your comfort meats that you have been accustomed to through all these years.

The buffalo or bison is a large hoofed mammal that is a member of the cattle family. Bison use to roam in much of North America and Canada back in the 1800's. The most abundant populations were found on the great prairies, where they would graze on prairie grasses during the warmer months, then migrate south during the winter for more plentiful food alternatives. North American Indians would hunt buffalo for their meat as well as their skins for clothing and shelter. Then came the Europeans, that decimated the population of the buffalo almost to the brink of extinction, as a result of their being shot from trains for sport or hunted for their tongues, which were considered a delicacy by the European settlers. By the early 19th century, the bison population of over 60 million had dwindled down to just two herds and were extinct east of the Mississippi River. Protective laws were enacted to reverse this devastating fate placed upon these giant mammals and allow their numbers to increase. Fortunately these laws have worked, as the bison numbers have rebounded considerably. Combining this with the fact that their is a big market for the farming and raising of bison similar to lamb, sheep and cows, just adds to their numbers increasing. A major reason for the raising of bison in farms is as a food source for human consumption, without depleting their numbers as early history would show.

Now for the good stuff regarding the new found nutritious food provided by bison. Bison meat is very low in cholesterol and fat. 50% less cholesterol and 70-90% less fat than beef, with less calories. In fact, bison meat contains only about 3% fat which is lower than chicken and most fish. Bison meat is high in iron, vitamins and minerals and is higher in protein content than beef, plus their is no chance of contacting the dreaded E. Coli virus or known human allergens. How about cancer? Bison meat contains high levels of omega 3 and 6 in the right ratio plus it also contains the polyunsaturated fat, that can not be produced by the body, known as CLA, or Conjugated Lineoleic Acid. This "good fat" offers many medical benefits such as warding off certain cancers, heart health and metabolism. It is possible that the CLA provided in bison may help to reduce body fat while maintaining muscle tissue.

Bison meat is a deep, dark red color, with little marbling in the meat. It is not a gamey meat by any stretch of the imagination. It is sweeter and more robust in flavor than beef and without the harmful attributes that beef offers. You can cook bison the same way as you would beef, however, because of the low fat content, it is best to cook the meat slower. Fat acts as an insulator, whereas the fat must be heated up before the meat/muscle can cook. Because of the reduced fat content in bison, the meat cooks quicker and therefore should be not over cooked either. Overcooking the bison meat causes it to be dry and firmer in texture. Bison steaks should be cooked to medium rare as the recommended thoroughness. Bison meat doesn't shrink like is evident with beef, since their is so little fat, but the flavor still remains. It is not necessary to dump the excess grease that is standard procedure when dealing with hamburg meat made of beef either.

More and more on line venues and retail stores are beginning to carry bison meat as well as a host of other meat alternatives, and I don't mean Tofu...Emu, Elk, Moose, Boar, Ostrich and Reindeer are becoming acceptable and more popular here in the United States as well as overseas.

http://specialtyfoodservices.com/why_buffalo.htm