Braised Bison Stroganoff

Braised Bison Stroganoff

  • Duration

    5 hours

  • Serves

    6
Chef’s notes

Most stroganoff recipes will direct you to sear slices from a tender cut of meat like a ribeye. But I grew up eating a low and slow-cooked version using a roast such as a chuck or round. Using the braising liquid as the base of the sauce creates a phenomenal extra layer of deep flavor. Plus, I'd much rather save the nice cuts for another use.

This stroganoff may be more time-consuming, but the extra effort is well worth the wait. Fire up the crock pot or braise the meat in the oven a day ahead by following the steps below. The sauce will come together quickly after taking the time to pre-cook the meat.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. bison roast, braised
  • 16 oz. extra wide egg noodles
  • 16 oz. sour cream
  • 8 to 12 oz. crimini mushrooms, quartered
  • 2 cups braising liquid
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced
  • 1 stick butter, halved
  • ½ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
  • 4 tbsp. garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp. Worcestershire
  • 2 tbsp. Sherry vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • Coarse Kosher salt
  • Cracked black pepper

For The Bison

  • 1 qt. game stock
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 1 cup carrot, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup celery, roughly chopped
  • A few sprigs of fresh thyme
  • A few bay leaves
  • 2 tbsp. Juniper berries
  • Coarse kosher salt
  • Cracked black pepper

Also works with

Any roast

Preparation

  1. Braise the bison. Cut the bison into roughly 5- to 6-ounce chunks. Season the meat with salt and sear them in a screaming hot pan until browned on all sides. Toss in the rough-cut vegetables and seasonings in the pan, and let them get a quick sear for 30 seconds or so. Deglaze with the red wine and add the stock. Season very lightly with salt and pepper, bring to a simmer, cover, and braise in a 300ºF oven for about four hours or until pull-apart tender.
  2. Remove the bison and strain the braising liquid. Discard the vegetables and spices and add the braising liquid back over the meat. Let the meat cool in the liquid, preferably overnight.
  3. Prep the bison. Remove the meat from the braising liquid, scraping off the fat that has settled on the top. Carefully cut the bison into one-inch pieces. They'll break up a little in the sauce but hold their size if you stir slowly and gently when reheating.
  4. Slice the onions, quarter the mushrooms, and chop the garlic and parsley. Have the rest of your ingredients ready and available within arms reach.
  5. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. At any point during the stroganoff cooking process, boil the noodles until your desired tenderness. Strain and toss with a couple of knobs of butter and set aside.
  6. In a deep-sided pan on medium-high heat, add half of the butter. Start by sauteeing the onion and garlic until the onions are translucent and begin to caramelize on the edges. Now add the rest of the butter and the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and saute until the mushrooms are cooked through. Add the Worcestershire and the sherry vinegar, and cook for a minute or so. Add the flour, stir well, and cook for a minute to remove the flavor of the raw flour.
  7. Add the braising liquid, heavy cream, and dijon. Stir until smooth, and the liquids are fully incorporated. Check for seasoning, bring to a slow simmer, and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Put the bison back in and simmer for a few more minutes until the bison is tender and heated all the way through. Carefully stir in the sour cream so you don't break up the meat too much. Bring back to a simmer. Stir in the chopped parsley, check the seasoning, and remove from the heat.
  8. Serve over warm buttered noodles and finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon and freshly chopped herbs like chive, dill, green onion, and parsley. An extra dollop of sour cream and a chunk of crispy bread to sop up the sauce wouldn't hurt.

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Braised Bison Stroganoff

Recipe by: Lukas Leaf
Braised Bison Stroganoff
  • Duration

    5 hours

  • Serves

    6
Chef’s notes

Most stroganoff recipes will direct you to sear slices from a tender cut of meat like a ribeye. But I grew up eating a low and slow-cooked version using a roast such as a chuck or round. Using the braising liquid as the base of the sauce creates a phenomenal extra layer of deep flavor. Plus, I'd much rather save the nice cuts for another use.

This stroganoff may be more time-consuming, but the extra effort is well worth the wait. Fire up the crock pot or braise the meat in the oven a day ahead by following the steps below. The sauce will come together quickly after taking the time to pre-cook the meat.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. bison roast, braised
  • 16 oz. extra wide egg noodles
  • 16 oz. sour cream
  • 8 to 12 oz. crimini mushrooms, quartered
  • 2 cups braising liquid
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced
  • 1 stick butter, halved
  • ½ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
  • 4 tbsp. garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp. Worcestershire
  • 2 tbsp. Sherry vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • Coarse Kosher salt
  • Cracked black pepper

For The Bison

  • 1 qt. game stock
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 1 cup carrot, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup celery, roughly chopped
  • A few sprigs of fresh thyme
  • A few bay leaves
  • 2 tbsp. Juniper berries
  • Coarse kosher salt
  • Cracked black pepper

Also works with

Any roast

Preparation

  1. Braise the bison. Cut the bison into roughly 5- to 6-ounce chunks. Season the meat with salt and sear them in a screaming hot pan until browned on all sides. Toss in the rough-cut vegetables and seasonings in the pan, and let them get a quick sear for 30 seconds or so. Deglaze with the red wine and add the stock. Season very lightly with salt and pepper, bring to a simmer, cover, and braise in a 300ºF oven for about four hours or until pull-apart tender.
  2. Remove the bison and strain the braising liquid. Discard the vegetables and spices and add the braising liquid back over the meat. Let the meat cool in the liquid, preferably overnight.
  3. Prep the bison. Remove the meat from the braising liquid, scraping off the fat that has settled on the top. Carefully cut the bison into one-inch pieces. They'll break up a little in the sauce but hold their size if you stir slowly and gently when reheating.
  4. Slice the onions, quarter the mushrooms, and chop the garlic and parsley. Have the rest of your ingredients ready and available within arms reach.
  5. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. At any point during the stroganoff cooking process, boil the noodles until your desired tenderness. Strain and toss with a couple of knobs of butter and set aside.
  6. In a deep-sided pan on medium-high heat, add half of the butter. Start by sauteeing the onion and garlic until the onions are translucent and begin to caramelize on the edges. Now add the rest of the butter and the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and saute until the mushrooms are cooked through. Add the Worcestershire and the sherry vinegar, and cook for a minute or so. Add the flour, stir well, and cook for a minute to remove the flavor of the raw flour.
  7. Add the braising liquid, heavy cream, and dijon. Stir until smooth, and the liquids are fully incorporated. Check for seasoning, bring to a slow simmer, and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Put the bison back in and simmer for a few more minutes until the bison is tender and heated all the way through. Carefully stir in the sour cream so you don't break up the meat too much. Bring back to a simmer. Stir in the chopped parsley, check the seasoning, and remove from the heat.
  8. Serve over warm buttered noodles and finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon and freshly chopped herbs like chive, dill, green onion, and parsley. An extra dollop of sour cream and a chunk of crispy bread to sop up the sauce wouldn't hurt.