Buffalo, the Beef alternative!

On Saturday, my husband and I visited a local butcher shop that carries everything from Venison to homemade Italian Sausage.  We were on a mission to try something new, and they happened to have grass-fed Buffalo Hanger Steak in stock.  If you are trying to eat a "heart healthy" diet, and fear that all red meat is now "off the table," Buffalo is here to save the day!  Much leaner than beef, Buffalo has a slightly sweeter taste and is a bit chewier than your typical cut of beef.

Having never cooked Buffalo before, I was unsure how to prepare this cut of meat.  I knew it contained less fat than beef, and decided to try braising it with vegetables in a tomato based sauce in order to tenderize the muscle fibers without drying it out.

Here is the process in pictures:

Three cheers for grass-fed meat!

Juicy!

Dry rub = salt, pepper, parsley, sage, rosemary, & thyme.

Saute garlic, onion, carrots, & celery in olive oil.

Create a 'hot spot' in which to sear the steak on both sides.

Sear meat for 2-3 minutes per side.

Add a large can of San Marzano tomatoes to the pot.  

Let simmer for 4 hours over low heat until the meat falls apart.

Not very pretty in pictures, but it was very flavorful!

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I learned that this cut of Buffalo is a great candidate for marinating prior to cooking.  Recipes I found (after the fact) call for a long marination process, followed by a quick, high-temperature searing/grilling of the meat on both sides.  Since we were making this for dinner the night we bought it, we did not have the time to devote to marinating this steak.  Next time, we will give this cut some more TLC and a chance to reach its full potential :-)

That said, the flavor that this Buffalo steak had was outstanding!  The vegetable sauce did not overpower the meat and served to keep it very moist.  Although the meat was chewy, I would not describe it as being "tough."  After 4 hours of braising, it fell apart like the best beef roasts do when cooked for long periods of time.  What little cartilage and fat it did contain fell right off the meat as well.  

If you are looking to switch things up in your kitchen, give Buffalo a try tonight!  If you have tried it, I'd love to know how you prepared it :-)

Librarian turned Foodie