Help with Bison Tenderloin

SkySaw · Sep 12, 2009

After hearing a lot about how healthy and delicious Bison can be, I picked up some nice looking tenderloin steak yesterday. I plan to cook it today or tomorrow, and I was wondering if anyone has a few tips on getting the most out of it?

I usually do steaks on my Green Egg by searing them at around 650 degrees for 90 seconds a side, then roasting with a bit of smoke at around 400-450 until rare. Steaks are usually treated simply with some S&P, occasionally with a mustard slather first.

Given that Bison is so lean, is my usual steak strategy likely to be successful? This tenderloin was surprisingly expensive - each 2-inch piece wound up costing about $18, so I don't want to get it wrong.

Mark

thirdeye · Sep 12, 2009

You are correct about the leanness of bison and it's hard to keep it moist too. In most cases I prefer an end sear, (reverse sear, aka The Finney Method)..... I cook my steak a low temps until it is about 100 degrees internal, then remove and rest while the cooker ramps up. Then it goes back on for a quick flip or two.

With tenderloin, I do like additional fat in the form of bacon and the reverse sear method does not work well for that. So I use a griddle, carefully holding the steak with tongs to start cooking the bacon. Then I sear the main surface of the steak. At this point I have taken the griddle off and finished the steak on the grate, or closed down the vents on the Egg and finished it on the griddle. Each finish has it's own merit. I think I get a little more flavor when finished directly over the coals. But the griddle finish is easier to control the doneness of the fillet. In your case with the bison, the one thing you don't want to do is over cook it. Eat it as rare as you can personally stand.

Grillman · Sep 12, 2009

Thirdeye is right on with cooking Bison...AKA- Buffalo.

Don't let it get away from you and get "over cooked" or you will end up
with some expensive coasters.

Even if you normally eat BEEF cooked "Well Done"...don't cook Bison
past Medium...it's so lean it will get tough real fast.

Try it at the "RARE" side of "Medium Rare"....if it is to Rare for you...
you can put it back on and cook it a bit longer...but; you cant
"Uncook" it if you go to far.

Redwingsfn31 · Sep 12, 2009

I eat Bison all the time, and you really have to watch the temp. Try cooking it at a lower temp, and take it off the heat medium to account for carry-over temp.

SkySaw · Sep 12, 2009

Wow, beautiful post Thirdeye! Great info too.

I see some information that seems to conflict: some suggest cooking hot and fast, another cooking medium-hot.

I think my plan is going to be as hot as I can manage for a minimum amount of time. I will probably warm the steak to room temp, and then do a hot sear (650-ish) for 2 minutes per side. Rather than roast with smoke, I will close down the Egg and let it coast until an internal of the mid-to-low 120's.

I only eat steaks rare (I mean rare), and this Bison is about 2 inches thick. So I'm aiming for a nice crust or colour on all sides, and deep ruby red on the inside.

Thanks again for all the help - I'll post results.

Mark

Help with Bison Tenderloin

SkySaw

Knows what a fatty is.

thirdeye

somebody shut me the fark up.

Grillman

is Blowin Smoke!

Redwingsfn31

Full Fledged Farker

SkySaw

Knows what a fatty is.

Similar threads