Bison Ribeyes

A few weeks ago, I received a very special treat - my good friend the Blind Monkey arranged to have several flash frozen, grass fed bison ribeyes steaks overnighted to me in a carefully packed styrofoam box.

I'd been waiting for the appropriate time to give one a taste test and it just so happened that today was the day - at lunchtime no less!

After a quick thaw, I prepared the ribeyes with my favorite simple steak seasoning of freshly ground pepper, a dusting of garlic powder, and a generous coating of coarse kosher salt. Although more lightly marbled than most cuts of ribeye, I noted the uniquely deep, dark, reddish purple hue of the bison meat.

I preheated my infrared grill and put a quick sear on the steak - perhaps 2-3 minutes per side flipping once, and served it with a double carb side of quinoa and pesto pasta, and a glass of 2007 Chateau Paradis Terres des Anges. (If you're going to have a ribeye for lunch, why hold back?)

Although I was really looking forward to enjoying this cut of bison, I actually wasn't quite sure what to expect, and was secretly preparing myself for potential disappointment. I've had 'locally grown, grass fed, organic, yadda yadda' cuts of beef before and frankly, while for the most part tasty, I've found that the texture and flavor can vary greatly, typically leaning toward the gamey,tough side.

Well - it turns out my fears were completely unfounded. I am certain my simple words cannot do this cut of steak justice but all I can say is that I'm a true believer in bison now. The flavor was excellent - well balanced and not too gamey. The texture was fantastic. Although this cut was fairly lean, it was perfectly tender and juicy- I would put it somewhere in between the tenderness of a good dry aged ribeye and NY strip - absolutely delicious. Thank you Blind Monkey! I'm lucky to have a few more of these stashed in the freezer.


You're hungry now aren't you? Uncork a nice bottle of wine and get your sear on!