Chambless Bison Ranch

Welcome to the
Chambless Bison Ranch
in Smarr, Georgia.

(478) 994-6986 (Ranch)
(478) 394-3072 (Cellular)

There are a few things I would like to share with you about buffalo meat. Health conscious Americans now have a choice -- a red meat source that is low in fat, cholesterol, and calories, yet high in protein, vitamins, and minerals. The buffalo meat from our ranch is healthy for you, natural, and it tastes great. No antibiotics, growth hormones, or animal byproducts are ever used.

Bison is the scientific name for the animal we commonly call "Buffalo." We refer to cuts of meat from a bison as buffalo meat. Check here for the cuts of meat currently available and their prices.

The benefits of buffalo meat lie in the basic nature and biological attributes of buffalo. Biologically, buffalo do not marble (put fat in the muscle). The result is more meat (protein) and less fat (calories) per pound. Research data on buffalo meat makes this animal even more impressive. The table below, from the National Bison Association, compares buffalo meat to other types of domestic meats in several nutritional categories.

Buffalo Cooking Tips
National Bison Association - Copyright 2002

Buffalo meat is similar to beef and is cooked in much the same way. The taste is often indistinguishable from beef, although buffalo tends to have a fuller, richer (sweeter) flavor, It is not "gamy" or wild tasting. Buffalo is low in fat and cholesterol, and is high in protein, vitamins and minerals. Fresh cut buffalo meat tends to be darker red and richer in color than many of the other red meats.

The lack of fat ensures that buffalo meat will cook faster. Fat acts as an insulator—heat must first penetrate this insulation before the cooking process begins. Marbling (fat within the muscle) aids in slowing down the cooking process. Since buffalo meat lacks marbling, the meat has a tendency to cook more rapidly. Caution must be taken to ensure that you do not overcook buffalo.

Buffalo may be used with any of your favorite beef recipes if you remember a few basic tips:

• When oven broiling buffalo, move your broiler rack away from the heat about a notch lower from where you normally broil your beef steaks. Check your steaks a few minutes sooner than you normally would.
• If you normally cook your roast beef at 325degF turn your temperature down to around 275degF for buffalo. Plan on the roast being done in about the same amount of time as with a comparable sized beef roast. To ensure the temperature you prefer, we recommend using a
  meat thermometer indicating the internal temperature.
• Ground buffalo or buffalo burger is also leaner (most ranging about 88-92% lean). It will also cook faster so precautions must be taken not to dry out the meat. There is very little (if any) shrinkage with buffalo burger—what you put in the pan raw will be close to the
  same amount after you cook it. Pre-formed patties tend to dry Out faster when grilling. (Hint: the thicker the patty, the juicier the burger.) Although ground buffalo is leaner, there is no need to add fat to keep it from sticking to the pan or falling apart.

All meat, no matter the leanness, has enough fat available to cook with it properly. The great thing about ground buffalo is you don’t need to drain off any grease from the pan!

Cooking Methods
National Bison Association - Copyright 2002

Broiling - Best for steaks cut from the Round, Short Loin, Sirloin and Rib. Start with a hot grill, cook hot and fast.

Braising - Best for roasts cut from the Round, Foreshank, Chuck or Flank. Moist heated cooking, using larger amounts of liquid and low heat.

Pan frying - Best for cubed or marinated steaks

Marinating - Best for cubed or roasts that are not from the Sirloin.

Cooking in Liquid - best for cuts from the Foreshank, Brisket, Chuck and Rib, especially for cuts with little meat and a lot of bone (Back Ribs, Short Ribs).