Bison Basics

INGREDIENTS

• 4 lbs bison stew meat, cut into 2 inch chunks
• 2 tsp Kosher salt
• 2-4 tbsp cooking oil (peanut or grapeseed preferred)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 cups diced yellow onion
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup diced carrots
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp whole peppercorns
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 bouquet garni (3-4 sprigs Italian Parsley, 3-4 sprigs thyme, and a 3 inch section of rosemary tied together in a bunch)
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 or 2 balls beurre manie for thickening (For each ball, combine 1 tbsp flour with 1 tbsp unsalted softened butter. Refrigerate balls of beurre manie until needed.)

DIRECTIONS

• Sprinkle Kosher salt over stew meat. Toss to combine. Place salted meat in a freezer bag, draw off air, seal and refrigerated for 12 hours. Rotate the freezer bag once or twice over the 12 hours.
• Remove stew chunks from freezer bag and pat dry with kitchen towel. Brown stew chunks in two batches. Heat 1 to 2 tbsp cooking oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat for each batch. Browning will take about 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Deglaze pan using a food whip and 1/4 to 1/2 cup water after each batch is browned. Transfer browned meat chunks and deglazed liquid to 6 to 8 quart Dutch oven.
• Wipe saucepan with kitchen towel and return to burner. Melt 2 tbsp butter in pan; add yellow onion, celery, and carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften and begin to brown. Transfer saucepan contents to Dutch oven.
• Add bay leaves, peppercorns, bouquet garnis, dry red wine, and stock to Dutch oven. Stir to combine contents. Liquid should just barely cover stew chunks otherwise add more stock or water. Bring to a boil on the stove, then cover and place in a 225F oven.
• Allow stew to braise for 3 to 4 hours, or until meat is fork tender.
• Separate meat chunks from braising sauce. Strain braising sauce and vegetable solids through a sieve. Using a large spoon, press vegetable solids against sieve to get as much liquid as is possible. Discard vegetable solids. Refrigerate meat chunks and strained sauce in separate covered bowls overnight.
• The next day, remove fat layer from strained sauce. Put the sauce in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Whisk in one ball of beurre manie. If desired thickness is not reached one minute after a single ball of beurre manie has melted into the sauce then whisk in a second one. No more than 2 should be needed to reach desired thickness. Pour thickened sauce back into Dutch oven. Add meat chunks, stir to combine. Cover Dutch oven.
• Reheat in a 250F oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until heated through. Serve with vegetables of choice.