Alberta Bison on the Silk Road

Alberta bison on the silk road

This recipe is courtesy of Karen Anderson, CBC Radio Food Columnist, and owner of Alberta Food Tours Inc. She loves the scent of this stew as our native Albertan bison simmers the day away in a slow cooker filled with the warmest flavours spices can impart.

Recipe

Olive Oil 2-3 Tbs
 Bison Round or Cross Rib Roast  3 1/2 – 4 Lbs
 Finely Chopped Onion  1 Full
 Finely Chopped Celery Ribs  2 Sticks
 Finely Chopped Carrots  3 Sticks
 Mushrooms, Stemmed & Halved  2 Cups
 Finely Chopped Garlic  4 Cloves
 Ground Cinnamon  1 Tsp
 Ground Cloves  1/2 Tsp
 Ground Allspice  1/2 Tsp
 Star Anise  1 Flower
 Fresh Ground Black Pepper  1 Tsp
 Bold Red Wine, Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec or Zinfandel  2 Cups
 Canned Tomatoes  796ML, 1 Can
 Salt & Pepper  To Taste
 Chopped Parsley  1 Tbs

Instruction

  • Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add the oil.
  • Add the meat and cook turning until all sides are browned for about 10 – 15 minutes
  • Transfer the meat to a slow cooker
  • Add the onions, carrots, celery and mushrooms to the frying pan and cook until lightly browned (you may need a bit more olive oil)
  • Add the garlic and cook until fragrant then add the cinnamon, cloves, allspice, star anise and pepper and stir to distribute them evenly
  • Pour the red wine into the pan, stirring until all the brown bits on the bottom come loose (this is known as deglazing the pan – it’s how you get ALL the flavour)
  • Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil then transfer the liquids in the fry pan over the meat in the slow cooker
  • Refrigerate overnight at this point or begin cooking on low for about 8 hours
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste once the meat is falls apart easily when tested with a fork
  • Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with parsley
  • Serve over polenta, pasta or mashed potatoes
  • Enjoy with more of that bold wine

Click below to find more great bison recipes

http://bisoncentre.com/consumers/recipes/
http://canadianbison.ca/consumer/On_The_Menu/recipe-archive.aspx