BUFFALO POT ROAST
NOTE: “Buffalo” and “bison” mean the same thing and are used interchangeably.
COMMENTS: One of the nice things about our butcher shop is that it offers items not usually sold in a supermarket. That includes a variety of cuts of buffalo. We were at Cutting Edge Meats (Rapid City, SD and Piedmont, SD) and saw bison shank in the freezer so we bought a package of two shanks -- about 1.5 pounds. This recipe also can be used for other cuts of bison such as crossrib roast or round roast. Likewise, it will work well with beef. Shank can be tough, whether you cook lamb shank (for osso bucco), beef shank, or bison shank. However, if you use a slow, wet cooking process, the meat eventually becomes tender. Buffalo is leaner than beef or lamb. Consequently, there is no need to include a step to remove grease.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 bison shanks
- Tomato sauce (about 12 ounces, either canned or homemade -- see Homemade Tomato Sauce in the Ingredients Chapter)
- 1 yellow onion, chopped into inch-long pieces
- 1/2 cup of red wine
- 2 carrots, cut into one-inch pieces
- 1/2 pound of potatoes, cut into one-inch pieces
- Spices: table salt, garlic or granulated garlic, dry spice mix or rub for red meat
- Optional: 2 celery stalks cut into one-inch pieces
STEPS:
Place the bison shanks, frozen or thawed, in a medium size crock pot. We add a package of homemade tomato sauce (we make this during harvest season from fresh tomatoes roasted with garlic and onion and then frozen). Canned tomatoes (we prefer peeled and diced) work nearly as well; try to use a “no sugar added” product. To the crock pot add the onion and red wine. Cook at least 10 hours on the “low” setting. Then add the carrots and potatoes (and celery if desired). We also add some spice: about a tablespoon of table salt, a tablespoon of granulated garlic, and a tablespoon of dry spice mix that is intended for red meat. Continue cooking on “low” for another two hours.
TOTAL PREP TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL COOKING TIME: 12 hours
OTHER THOUGHTS: Fortunately, this recipe makes enough for four portions, so we are able to enjoy it for two dinners. The consistency is somewhere between pot roast and beef stew. It produces some of the best tasting gravy we have ever savored (there is no need to add flour).
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