The Difference in Bison Meat & Beef

A bison, or buffalo, is a huge and shaggy animal, sometimes standing taller than 6 feet and weighing over a ton. They are indigenous to North America and once roamed the Great Plains and mountainous areas of the United States. They almost became extinct in the 1600s. However, bison are now making a comeback and bison meat is becoming a popular food item. While bison are a part of the bovine family, bison meat is slightly different from traditional cow beef.

  1. Taste

    • Bison meant tastes very similar to beef, but it has a richer and sweeter flavor. Bison is slightly less tender than beef, but lacks the greasy feeling that beef sometimes leaves in your mouth.

    Color

    • Bison is a much deeper red color than beef. It lacks marbling, or small flecks of fat embedded in the muscle. The color may turn some people off as it looks like beef that has been left out for too long.

    Nutrition

    • Bison meat is much lower in fat, cholesterol and calories than beef. It is also richer in protein and vitamins and has a higher percentage of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. The better nutritional value is largely due to the fact that bison are grass fed and more organically farmed than cows.

    Cooking

    • Bison meat takes much less time to cook than cow's meat. Only cook bison to rare or medium rare temperatures. The low fat content leads the bison to become dry the more it is cooked. It will lose its flavor if cooked past medium rare.

    Price

    • Bison meat is far more expensive than beef due to the way the bison are raised. Grass feeding bison takes time and is costly. It is also harder to find. You may need to go to a butcher's shop to purchase a cut of bison.