Buffa-loaf

By Jennifer Kantola, Student of Human Dietetics and Nutrition, Metropolitan State University of Denver
January 13, 2014

Whats big and brown and roams around, and

while its size distinct, its nearly extinct? Why, its the
North American Bison, of course. This massive land
mammal is known to have been a major part of the
Native American diet and is re-gaining popularity as a
beef-alternative here in Colorado. Nearly every good
burger joint in the Denver area offers up a buffaloburgerbut arent bison endangered? The answer isnot really. There is no longer a wild-bison population in
Colorado; however there is plenty of farm-raised bison
to be purchased. In fact, the enormous success of
controlled bison populations have officially removed the
animal from the endangered species list, so theres
plenty for all of us!
So should we choose bison instead of beef?
That can depend on many factors including nutritional
content, price, availability and taste. Bison is a very
healthy choice. When compared to a same-size portion
of 80% lean ground beef, using the USDAs Super Tracker Food-A-Pedia, ground bison contains
fewer calories by 40%, less total fat, and has more protein per
serving. Whats even more exciting is that even when
compared to chicken, bison is still the healthier option,
containing less calories and total fat than a same-size portion
of boneless skinless chicken breast (see nutrition data below).
Thats great news for those of us who tend to get into a
chicken-rut when planning meals around a lean protein. There
are a few drawbacks however, bison is far more expensive
than beef or chicken. It may not be readily available at ones
favorite grocery store, and when it is available, its likely
frozen, not fresh. Another reason it is not a more common
purchase is that a lot of us have a fear of the unknown (cue
scary music). Many people have never had it before and may,
understandably, fear that it is too gamy or that it tastes bad
compared to beef.
Having never cooked it myself, I decided to give it a
try. I acquired a 2 lb portion of ground bison from a work
acquaintance that had the unique opportunity to hunt buffalo
in one of South Dakotas national parks, where a large herd is
maintained and hunting licenses are issued as a necessary
population control measure within the ever-growing herd. I

was excited to have the chance to cook with

all-natural wild bison instead of farm raised
because an animals environment plays a
large role in the quality and flavor of the
meat. While farm raised animals are often
fed a regimented diet based on nutritional
requirements and feed costs, wild animals
graze freely eating from instinct and
availability. The bison I am using is entirely
wild, not grain fed or grain finished.
However store bought bison meat is a
perfectly delicious choice as well.
Having the meat in my kitchen, I
was met with the fun task of deciding how
to prepare it. Wanting to do something more interesting than a burger, or a typical ground-meat
dish, I considered a traditional meat loaf with mashed potatoes and gravy (I know, I know, I said
something interesting however I was pretty sure I could make a meatloaf). Not being one to
serve meat as the center-piece of every meal, I shifted toward a meatloaf sandwich on toasted
dark rye with Muenster cheese and a tangy spread of mayonnaise, horseradish and dry mustard.
Meatloaf is pretty easy- ground meat, eggs,
breadcrumbs, a little creativity, and anybody can throw
one together. For those who are afraid of the creativity
aspect however, Ive included my original recipe for
Rocky Mountain Buffa-loaf (see below). The bison meat
was easy to work with having a finer texture than ground
beef. It is also much darker in color than beef, appearing
more like a game meat (since it is a game meat I wasnt
surprised by this at all), and it is also very lean. Once
mixed and placed in the oven, the meatloaf took much
longer to cook than I anticipated. For nearly two hours, I
continually checked the buffa-loafs temperature awaiting
the goal of 165 degrees. Finally after being plated and
served to my family (who were about to turn cannibal) I
realized it was nine p.m. on a school night, I was left
wondering if it would be worth the wait. Luckily, it turned
out beautifully and there seemed to be no drawback to
using the lean bison instead of beef. It was sweet and
delicate, and paired nicely with the bitter rye, mild cheese
and tangy sauce. With the success of this experiment, and undeniable health advantages, I will be
incorporating more bison into my future meal planning. Give it a try.
Q: What did Mama Buffalo say when her youngest went off to college? A: "Bison!"

Rocky Mountain Buffa-loaf

2 lbs ground bison
1 medium onion (minced)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tsp fresh dill (chopped)
1 1/2 tbs fresh parsley (chopped)
1 tsp fresh thyme (chopped)
3 eggs (beaten)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black ground pepper
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp powdered mustard
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbs white vinegar
1 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add all liquids, herbs,
spices, onion and garlic. Mix well. Add meat and breadcrumbs. Begin mixing by hand (I
recommend removing jewelry first, otherwise the result is quite icky) and continue until
completely combined.
Line a standard bread loaf pan with parchment paper and drop meat into pan, smooth out surface,
but do not pack the meat in. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove cover and bake for
an additional twenty minutes. Check temperature; remove once the internal temperature at the
center of the meatloaf reaches 165 degrees. Allow to stand for 15 minutes, remove from pan, and
place on cutting board and slice into desired width.

Bison Nutrition Facts:

Values based on 3 oz (85.1 g) serving of bison, roasted. Calories 122, protein 24 g,
carbohydrates 0 g, fiber 0 g, unsaturated fat 1 g, saturated fat 0.8 g, cholesterol 70 mg, calcium 7
mg, iron 2.91 mg, magnesium 22.1 mg, phosphorus 178 mg, potassium 307 mg, sodium 49 mg,
zinc 3.1 mg, Vit A: 0 RAE, Vit C: 0 mg, Thiamin: 0.09 mg, Riboflavin: 0.23 mg, Niacin: 3.16
mg, Vit B6 0.34 mg, Vit B12 2.43 g, Vit E 0.3 mg, folate 6.8 g.
Super Tracker: Food-A-Pedia. United States Department of Agriculture. Supertracker.usda.gov
Bison vs. Beef. 10 Jan 2014. Web. 10 Jan 2014.
<https://supertracker.usda.gov/foodapedia.aspx?CatgoryID=-1&FoodDescription=>
Thompson, Janice and Manore, Melinda. Nutrition, An Applied Approach. San Francisco:
Pearson Education, Inc., 2009