wine tip

Buffalo was once the chief source of meat for many Native Americans before the animal nearly became instinct over two centuries ago. However
because of its many health benefits and other factors
buffalo meat is rapidly making a comeback to plates and palates today.

Private ranches are now raising buffalos in a bid to fill the growing demand for buffalo meat but the supply remains miniscule compared to the supply of beef
making it presently relatively expensive. Despite the costs however
buffalo meat has many advantages over beef which makes it an ideal meat alternative for the health conscious.

For one
buffalo meat has 70% to 90% less fat than beef and half the cholesterol. Further
because they are stronger than domestic animals
they don’t require growth hormones and artificial substances to get them to size. In appearance
buffalo meat is similar to beef except that it has a darker reddish color. Connoisseurs however say that buffalo meat has more flavor than beef and is just as tender.

Buffalo is also as versatile as beef and has similar cuts. It can be used in any beef recipe but has to be prepared and cooked differently because it cooks faster than beef due to the absence of fat within the muscle. Fat acts as an insulator which tends to slow down cooking time so with less fat content
the meat will cook faster.

To prepare a buffalo steak
experts advise putting olive oil on each side before cooking in order to keep the meat moist. The key is to go “low and slow”. One should turn the buffalo steak over often and cook at a lower heat than steak. Also use slower cooking times but avoid overcooking the buffalo as this could dry the meat out. If you are using a gas grill
experts also advise keeping the lid closed to keep the moisture in. If you are cooking buffalo meat in the broiler meantime
it is advised to move the oven rack a notch lower than what you would use to broil beef. Chefs however advise against using a broiler to cook buffalo meat. If you are using the stove
the stove should be turned to medium. Ground buffalo meat can also be used as a substitute for ground beef but it is well to remember that buffalo does not shrink in size when cooked.

In general
an 8 ounce buffalo steak will take about 10 minutes to prepare medium. Studies show that buffalo cooked at a medium temperature produces the tastiest results but if you want your buffalo steak well done
you may want to consider cooking at a very low temperature (180 – 200F) and for at least 10 hours. When cooking buffalo steak
the basic guidelines to remember are to use lower heat and to retain the moisture. One way of sealing in buffalo’s natural juices is to sear the meat on both sides. Because
buffalo cooks faster
you should expect that compared to beef cooked to the same degree of doneness
buffalo steaks or burgers will be ready faster.

Paired with onions
mushrooms or your favorite seasoning; buffalo is offering meat lovers a variety of natural and healthy ways to enjoy their meals.

Most people hear the word beef and they automatically think about steaks
especially the big four: filet mignon
NY Strip
rib eyes and even top sirloins all pop onto the grill at a great rate. And of course
beef also means hamburger
be it patties
meatloaf or hamburger helper.

However
the movement to artisan and natural foods leave most ranchers in the dust. Many ranchers trying to meet the demand for source verified
locally produced and of course
all natural beef have been smacked hard when he finds the consumer only wants steaks.

Let's take a quick view what a rancher sees when he slaughters a steer. He gets about 450 lbs of beef. Only about 100 lbs is actual steaks (if he is lucky). Yeah
ouch for him and for his consumers. So he has to figure out a way to market the rest of the beef.

The easiest way is to grind it into hamburger. And actually
350
pounds of hamburger doesn't seem all that much
but it really is. While it will easily fit into a large chest freezer
this amount of hamburger will feed 1050 individuals a 1/3 lb burger
which is a generous size. That is a lot of people. A family of three would get pretty sick of eating this much burger over the course of the year.

Let's look at other cuts. Recently
and especially in the restaurant circle
you may have heard about some other steaks such as flank
skirt
hanger and especially flatiron. The last one is the second most tender steak to filet mignon. All of these steaks are incredibly delicious
but there is not much of them. All together
maybe 15-20 lbs per animal. A couple of those steaks such as hanger and skirt
well there are only two per animal.

Those butcher steaks as they are often called don't really help much. Now we are down to about 330 lbs of beef. Unfortunately
we are now into the cuts that require a bit of time and very small amount of cooking skills. However
in many ways these cuts fill the house with delightful aromas and of course eating enjoyment.

I wouldn't touch a grocery store roast or hamburger for that matter. But artisan or locally raised beef roasts
wow. Some awesome roasts can really wow your family and friends. Artisan roasts are well marbled
almost self-marinating. I'm used to dry-aged beef and so my roasts are essentially fork tender when cooked.

Roasts
bones and some off cuts make up about 150 to 200 pounds. One of my favorite roasts is the old fashion chuck roast. There is close to 50 pounds of this mouth watering cut. The best way to cook this cut is with a simple crockpot. Yup
it will take 8 hours or so to cook and the last few
you might even nibble a bit here and there. But
you don't have to stand there for 8 hours. Put it in the morning and go have fun.

Rump roasts are also good when properly cooked and especially from quality beef. They are a bit dryer than chuck and with a tighter grain
but sliced thin and served with a mushroom gravy
just incredible.

Then we have the odd cuts
London broils
sirloin tip roasts (luxury)
fresh brisket (barbecue beef)
eye of round (poor mans tenderloin)
and a few other steaks such as bottom round.

A few of the odd cuts that even chefs like are short ribs. Braised short ribs are almost sinful for how good they can be. You would be amazed how many 5-star restaurants serve this simple but elegant treat.

While we continue to whittle the cuts down
at the end of the day
you will have about 150-200 pounds of hamburger to eat. And you thought we would eliminate it all. Sorry
can't do it. But a good meatloaf is a pretty tough dish to turn down.

The best way to help an artisan rancher including ourselves is to buy a eighth or a quarter of beef. It is also cost effective way as well and includes some steaks
some roasts and of course some hamburger.

Here is a simple and elegant dish using chuck roasts that your family will beg for more.

Mock Beef Stroganoff

Traditional beef stroganoff is made with diced tenderloin roast. Personally
any beef dish would be incredible with tenderloin
but there are actually better tasting options that take a little longer to make and are touch more economical.

6
tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons minced onion 2 pounds chuck roast
cut thin in 1 x 1 inch cubes ˝ pound mushrooms
sliced salt and pepper to taste 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1 cup sour cream
at room temperature

1
the oven to 300F. 2.Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy dutch oven with the heat on medium-high
add the beef and quickly sear all sides until the beef is brown. Add a cup of beef stock and place the lid on the dutch oven and cook until fork tender
about 2 hours. Check occasionally to make sure the meat does not dry out during cooking. 3.Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy skillet. Add the onion and cook slowly until transparent. Remove and set aside. 4.Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Stir in the mushrooms
cover and cook 3 minutes. Season with salt
pepper and nutmeg. Whisk the sour cream and add to the pan
but do not allow it to boil. Return the beef and onions to the pan and just heat through. 5.Serve over a bed of egg noodles.