Half the bad stuff, plenty of the good stuff and lots of flavor. Have you tried bison?
On a daily basis, I handle the cooking around our house. I enjoy it, get home earlier than Mr. Whipped and have a big enough repertoire to churn out tastey weekly meals efficiently. Though the kitchen is mostly my domain, it is NOT because Mr. Whipped can’t cook. I like to juggle a thousand things, improvise and usually leave the counter top looking like a hurricane just came through. When Mr. Whipped cooks, he hones in on something with precision, planning and executing in a methodical, neat manner.
A few weeks ago, the man of the house announced that he was going to make some Bison Ragu. I was intrigued by his proclamation as bison is not something we have prepared before. Mr. Whipped had enjoyed some succulent bison short ribs on a business trip to Canada and had subsequently learned that bison has significantly less fat and calories than beef or pork while still being high in protein and nutrients. Sounded like a perfect after-holiday-gluttony kind of ingredient!
After a day of planning, researching and shopping, Mr. Whipped set about preparing his mise en place early last Sunday morning. The ragu cooked for hours filling our house with a rich and enticing aroma. We were treated to a Sunday supper of hearty, flavorful ragu atop a bowl full of pasta. Best of all, thanks to our new nutritional knowledge, this satisfying super was not one that we need feel guilty about.
Though this was a first and we ate it all in the following days, I would bet that this recipe would freeze well. We found the bison at a local butcher in Chicago. I’m not sure how hard it is to find in a regular grocery store. If you are feeling extra ambitious, make your own pasta while the ragu simmers!
Bison Ragù
Adapted from this Foodie Reflections recipe
makes 10 servings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 large carrot, peeled and minced
1 pound ground bison
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup red wine
2 cans petite diced tomatoes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste (about 10 tablespoons)
1 cup tomato juice
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound fresh or dried wide pasta (fettuccine or tagliatelle), cooked and drained
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish)
Fresh basil, thinly sliced (for garnish)
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and carrot and sweat until soft, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Stir in the ground bison and use a wooden spoon to break the meat apart. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes, then stir in the minced garlic. Cook for 1 minute then pour in the red wine.
Simmer the wine for for 5 minutes, then stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato juice, thyme, bay leaf and basil. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer the sauce for 2 hours, stirring once every 30 minutes.
Uncover the pot after 2 hours and season the sauce with sugar, salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package instructions if using dried or for 2 minutes if using fresh pasta. Drain the pasta and top with the bison ragù, garnish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
January 10th, 2011 at 4:20 pm
Methodical and neat cooks are rare in these parts… I don’t suppose you have the last one in captivity, do you?
January 10th, 2011 at 5:34 pm
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January 10th, 2011 at 6:18 pm
Bison is a wonderful meat and this preparation totally did it justice. Itt looks delicious.
Nisrine
January 10th, 2011 at 8:42 pm
I love bison. This recipe looks awesome; I think I’ll hand the recipe over to my husband! :)
January 11th, 2011 at 3:09 am
[...] Bison Ragu The ragu cooked for hours filling our house with a rich and enticing aroma. We were treated to a Sunday supper of hearty, flavorful ragu atop a bowl full of pasta. Best of all, thanks to our new nutritional knowledge, this satisfying . Simmer the sauce for 2 hours, stirring once every 30 minutes. Uncover the pot after 2 hours and season the sauce with sugar, salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar. Adjust seasonings to taste. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package . [...]
January 11th, 2011 at 6:16 am
I LOVE bison! Not only is it lean, but it has an extremely beefy flavor! We get some good local grassfed bison here, and I use it frequently! Great recipe!
January 11th, 2011 at 3:46 pm
I’m so glad you posted this! People are BIG on bison out here (Greg is big on bison burgers) but I never think to make anything else with it. Going to try this weekend. XO
January 11th, 2011 at 4:24 pm
Interesting! I’ve never tried bison, but it sounds great, and your ragu looks amazing. Might have to give it a try!
January 11th, 2011 at 7:28 pm
Ragu is on my short-list before the winter’s done. Even better that it’s made with bison.
January 11th, 2011 at 10:09 pm
[...] Bison Ragu [...]
January 12th, 2011 at 11:15 am
Bison is such a lovely protein to work with, the ragu looks phenomenally tasty.
Dinner making duties work much the same in our house!
January 12th, 2011 at 9:15 pm
[...] Bison Ragu [...]
January 14th, 2011 at 10:43 pm
Sounds yummy, and it’s so beautiful. Love the deep red color and the gorgeous photo.
January 21st, 2011 at 7:30 pm
[...] Bison Ragu [...]
January 27th, 2011 at 11:51 am
This looks amazing! Would you mind sharing which butcher you go to in Chicago?
January 7th, 2012 at 11:49 am
A nearby NorthCenter neighbor, we love BISON! Whole Foods has decent ground bison and their Ulitmate Bison Burgers are a great shortcut for summer grilling!
September 6th, 2012 at 11:06 am
Delish! If bison isn’t readily available do you think ground beef would make for a decent substitute?