Bored With Ground Meat? Try Bison.

I first tried ground bison in an effort to switch up the usual grind of beef, pork, and chicken. But I was surprised how much I took to the product—it boasts a natural sweetness and is incredibly juicy despite its lean reputation. The meat has quickly become a versatile staple in my dinner rotation, just as welcome piled into lettuce wraps as it is tossed into a quick stir-fry.

I’m not the only one who has added ground bison to their cooking repertoire. Whole Foods Market, one of the largest commercial bison retailers, has almost doubled yearly sales of 100% grass-fed bison since 2020—without active intervention, notes senior manager of meat merchandising, Victoria Fitzgerald.

The meat’s lean makeup (90% meat to 10% fat) and environmental perks could be part of the reason why. Bison are a keystone species, which has a major influence on the way its ecosystem works, so historically, when they’ve shown up on land, other plants and animals follow. Their grazing patterns promote soil health and biodiversity as well. At least for now there are also fewer bison and fewer, smaller ranch suppliers when compared to the beef or chicken industries, so the options at the supermarket tend to skew higher quality.

You can buy ground bison in the refrigerated and frozen meat sections of most supermarkets or at your local butcher shop. For a fresh, ready-to-cook option, I like Great Range. The bison are raised without any antibiotics or growth hormones, which translates to richer flavor. To stock my freezer, I grab Force of Nature (a regenerative, grass-fed meat brand). They freeze the meat at peak freshness with two different ground options: straight bison or an ancestral blend with bison liver and heart added in for extra nutrients without drastically altering the flavor.

Grass Fed Ancestral Blend

Bison can be swapped in for most recipes that call for ground meat. Just remember that since it’s significantly lean, you may need to add a bit more fat during the cooking process (similar to ground turkey or chicken). Plus, it may cook up faster than recipes that call for fattier proteins like beef and lamb. Try it in Grilled Arayes with Creamy Cucumber Salad, and spiced taco bowls, loaded onto sweet potatoes, or spooned into creamy eggplant.

Lately, my favorite way to use it is in burgers. While the meat is great seasoned simply and tossed on the grill, I like to shake it up. Encrusting patties with paprika, garlic, and cumin ensures they’re wonderfully savory. And gussied up with mounds of cucumber and a swoosh of citrusy mayo, it’s a respite from typical cookout fare.

Juicy Bison Burger With Cucumber–Red Onion Slaw

Upgrade any cookout—or keep the cooking on the stovetop—with these smashed cast-iron bison burgers, then stack with lemon mayo and a crisp cucumber-onion slaw.

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