I don’t know about you, but I LOVE game and wild meat. In fact, I can honestly say that game is quickly becoming my favorite lean protein source. My father hunted ever since I was a little girl so I always grew up eating it. I took a long break from it, but recently I’ve been back and loving it more than ever. Not only is eating game a nice change from typical traditional proteins available at your conventional supermarkets, but it’s typically much better for you as well. In fact, one of the healthiest red meats you can consume is grass-fed or wild bison.
What’s so HOT about Wild Bison?
Wild Bison meat is an excellent source of Iron, Vitamin B6 and Niacin, while being also being rich in Vitamin B12, Selenium, Zinc and Phosphorus.
Bison is not only nutrient dense, but lower in fat than it’s similar counterpart, the cow. Bison meat contains more omega-3s than most conventional red meat. Additionally, it contains higher levels of fat-blocker conjugated linolaic acid. Yep, CLA the stuff that they bottle then sell on the shelf at your local health food store in the weight-loss supplement section.
Below is my recipe for my delicious Bison Chili.
PROCESS:
PREP AND COOK VEGGIES.
PREP AND COOK MEAT.
COMBINE TOGETHER.
ADD BEANS & TOMATO JUICE.
SIMMER WITH EXTRA HERBS.
ADD YOUR CHOICE OF TOPPINGS & ENJOY.
#ChefElle TIP:
Due to the fact that bison meat is so lean, it cooks quickly and becomes tough if you cook it too long or at too high of a temperature. Bison is a great substitute for beef in most recipes—as long as you don’t overcook it and the dish is not asking for too much extra fat.
THE RECIPE:
- 2 lbs ground bison meat (grass-fed)
- 4 Tbsp. of grass-fed butter
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 6 garlic cloves, minced roughly
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 roughly chopped zucchini
- 1 diced red pepper
- 1 can of organic tomatoes
- 1½ cups of water (or stock)
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2 cups of black beans, rinsed and soaked
- 1 Tbsp. dark balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
- 1 cup cilantro, fresh and minced
- 1 Tbsp. thyme
- 1/2 Tbsp. rosemary
- Avocado slices (topping)
- salt and pepper to taste
- Heat a large pan to medium and melt 2 tbsp. of grass-fed butter
- Add ground bison meat, thyme, salt, pepper and paprika sauté until slightly browned.
- While meat is being cooked, add remaining 2 tbsp. of butter in larger soup pot and sauté onions & garlic slowly on low-medium heat until they become caramelized brown.
- Add remaining ingredients (veggies and herbs) and stir until mixed (OR all ingredients can be thrown into a slow cooker)
- Add meat to soup pot and stir to combine.
- Taste at this point and adjust seasoning as necessary.
- Simmer on your stove top for 90 minutes on low-medium heat, or set slow cooker to low and cook overnight for up to 8 hours.
- Top as you wish.
- Enjoy.
I’m Elle! A Toronto-based Holistic Nutritionist. I’m a multi-passionate woman, but nutrition and understanding how the body works is really my passion. Through my own personal journey, I have trained my body to heal itself using strategic, natural tools and techniques. Now I’m ready to help others!
As a new Mom, I understand that wellbeing is a journey. I hope my expertise will inspire other parents to choose nutrient-rich foods and the right products to create a happy, healthy and sustainable home. Click Here to Continue Reading