Bison Meat
 

Just curious if anyone has shot a 3-4 year old bull and what the meat was like, I know it would make good burger, but I would like to enjoy the steaks and roast also. There are a few being culled from a heard i know of and want to hear from folks that have ate or harvested a 3-4 year old bull.

I killed one about a year and 8 months old. The meat is very tasty and a little chewy. The fillets were delicious cut about 2 inches thick and grilled to rare. You must make your steaks medium rare to rare. The ground meat makes the best chili I have ever made and the burgers are great on the grill with nothing added. If you go to hunt one, keep the tongue, I smoked the tongue from mine and it was delicious sliced very thin with a dab of horsey sauce.

With a 3-4 year old bull, aging will come into effect. Especially when it comes to the steaks. I think the last one Dad took was close to 6 years old. Had it hung in halves for 14 days in the cooler before cut up. It tasted dang near as good and was very close to the same tenderness as the 2 year old I took the year before. And as Oldtimr stated, it makes great chili meat though I've found Moose to be better. As far as the roasts go, it's very hard to beat the old crock pot. The crock pot is the great equalizer.

I appreciate comments, I have bison a few times a year, but have the opportunity to get a 4 yr old bull, talking to person culling herd, sounds like they should be pretty good animals, It is a smaller pasture, maybe 2 sections, fed hay, just a small herd, about 30 animals.

I wouldn't pass up the opportunity I know that! Even if it's just a small pasture, Bison is Bison and it tastes good!

-Jake

I've shot 4 bison and been in on the shooting of about 4 others. Most of the ones we took were younger heifers and bulls but I've eaten bison from older animals. Some is a little tougher than others but it is all tasty.

I'd like to take another but right now lack the freezer space.

Just buy another little chest freezer Flags. Of course I don't think you have the walking eating machines around your home like I do mine but those little freezers are fairly cheap so lack of freezer space is no reason to pass up on fine table fare like Bison.

I have had it a few times but it was farm raised here in the northeast and not a ranch wild grazing animals. It was good and the cuts I had were similar to beef.

Well, I will be getting the bull, early in Jan., I have bison a few times a year, I know it is good meat. It was raised in a pasture of about 400 acres, fed hay and cake , I am thinking it is going to be some fine fair. I will let all know what I think. My family is very excited, just brought some elk down from Montana to Nebraska for them, now they are chomping at the bit for some bison, lol.

Go get em, you should get the skull done up for your den.

Well, picked up the 4 yr old bull yesterday, on the rail it was 695#, so probably around 1200 # on the hoof. Gutting went pretty well, had a friend bring his skid steer to move bull around. Nice fat on this guy, should eat very well.

I hope you kept the tongue to smoke.

MMmm who's up for a HNI cookout?

Enjoy!

-Jake

That is not a bad idea!

I would travel for that.:barmy:

Careful what you wish for....we have already have seen temps fall to -40 actual air temp, without wind chill, lol. Last couple days, we had high's well below 0.

Did you keep the hide? I have the hide of a 2 year old bull that I got near Billings many years ago. I used it for a bedspread. You don't get cold sleeping under a bison hide. Now that I live in TX I don't use it and it is in storage. But I'm ready if the big freeze comes this way!

To answer my own question, How would a 4yr old bison eat....excellent.

Bison meat is great. A lot like moose or elk.

Bison meat is pretty good. I like elk better but we all have different tastes.