Bison stew warms our bellies on the coldest of days. While winter recedes and spring emerges across most of the northern hemisphere in the high country, it continues to snow. Spring doesn't show her face until early June. I did see my first purple-flanked crocus emerge from the earth a few days ago, though crusty ice still clung to its petals and sharp, green leaves. Winter doesn't leave the mountains quite so easily.
So while spring dances in blossoms and green across much of the country, we settle inside for the cold, snow, mud and wind that marks off-season in the mountains. We rely on warming foods, heavy and robust, like thick Bison Stew. Bison is a lovely meat, like beef, only stronger, saltier and more pronounced. I like to pair it with other robust flavors - tomato, red wine, thyme, rosemary and sweet bay.
Laura says
I just made this for my family and they loved it! I used sweet potatoe instead of regular and added carrots, aubergine and peas. Excellent
Tracy says
Surprisingly snarky replies to Bryan (who was also snarky, yep), but then I may be biased seeing as I'm someone who also can't afford pastured meats at the moment, other than now and then. Being able to prioritize that is a lucky thing! Sometimes, it simply isn't possible - and you know, that's ok. It's not something to feel bad about. You do the best you can with what you have. When 2lbs of grass-fed stew beef is $30 and you can't budget that in, your priorities aren't messed up if you decide to buy conventional instead. I mean, really. It's enough to feel bad about your current financial situation without someone else suggesting that your priorities aren't up to snuff... have a bit of kindness.
Bryan Maloney says
All well and good, but what about those of us who are not rich enough to afford to special order grass-fed beef? Is all this sort of stuff really just like Marie Antoinette playing at peasant in a custom-build fake village on palace grounds?
Jenny says
It's not my responsibility to cater to your budget. If you can't afford grass fed bison stew meat, buy less, re prioritize your budget or eat less expensive items like liver and marrow.
melissa says
I would just like to politely point out that that is what this website is all about. Its about healthy and nourishing eating. It's not meant to be pretentious (though Jenny does love to wax poetic- who doesn't? If you don't like that, read another blog), it is the way our grandparents ate beef and other meat after all. The reason for eating grass-fed/Pastured meats isn't to sound cool, but is based on the actual evidence-based difference in the meat to your health (and also humane-ness to the animals). For your information, our family is on a tight budget. We have a single income and my husband is in school. We choose to prioritize our budget towards wholesome foods for our health and our children's and sacrifice in other ways, because we believe our long-term health and quality of life is worth it. We do all we can to make it more affordable such as buy through a buying club, buying bulk, buying less expensive cuts of meat and making many things homemade. I truly believe it is all about priorities. What are yours?
chris says
There are lots of sites and blogs for cooking on a budget, you could try those. it isn't the author's fault you can't afford bison so you shouldn't take it out on her. I am lucky enough to get bison at a reasonable price but lobster? Not so much. I don't spend my time looking at lobster recipes online so i can feel crappy about it. Find out what delicacies you can get locally and work with what you have. There are no bad ingredients, just bad chefs.
Meg says
I got a pound of bison stew meat at King Soopers on sale for $8.99 for this recipe. It's not always super expensive if you know where and when to shop for it. The author also did mention you can use beef as well.
Rowena says
Do you think this would work with goat meat? I have ready access to free range goat meat and wonder if it would work as well as bison - which we don't have here in Australia.
Winnie says
This is gorgeous, Jenny! I am going to make it tonight with grass-fed beef. Hope you have a wonderful weekend 😉
Mitch says
This looks unreal. I think the local supermarket here only has ground bison. I will have to add stew meat to my next US wellness order. Thanks for the recipe.
Kendahl @ Our Nourishing Roots says
Okay this just looks amazing. I love a good stew, and even though it's warm here I am still craving nice warming bowls of stew like this one. Thanks, Jenny!
Bethany says
My husband is sensitive to nightshades so we are avoiding them while we work on healing his gut. Are there any substitutes for tomato paste? Or could I just skip it? I miss stews and chills and this looks delicious!
Jane says
Serving how many?
Frances says
Any suggestions for wine alternatives. I'm sober.
Chuck says
You do realize all the alcohol will be gone by the time the stew is done cooking? However, you can also buy cooking wine in the grocery store that has no alcohol in it. I'm sure the stew would be just as tasty if you omitted it entirely...
Stephan R says
Do you see any downsides to cooking the stew in an iron dutch oven with no enamel coating?
Jenny says
With the acidic nature of this stew, using a cast iron, but not enameled, Dutch oven will likely cause the pot to leach iron.
Fawn at Cowen Park Kitchen says
In my experience braising in non-enameled iron, only a little bit of iron flavor comes through (which I like) and it actually adds to your daily iron intake! Win.
As long as you remove the food from the pot before stashing leftovers away and reseason it nicely, it's no biggie.
Sam says
That's why I only cook in pure clay pots. I got them from Miriams Earthen Cookware (online) Unglazed clay pots made from natural clay not ceramic clay. they're 100% inert, perfect for cooking healthy food because the pots ingredients don't react and leach in like with metals. Iron from the pots is no good, the body cannot assimilate or use this iron, only iron from plants, so I don't bother with cooking in metals anymore. Regained my health and vitality since i started eating food cooked from scratch in these pots.