Say goodbye to the questionable Canadian Bacon and hello to Wild Idea’s Bison Bresaola! Our Bresaola is brine cured, aged and then slowly smoked for a moister version of this Italian favorite. The subtle tang of the cured meat pairs very well with farm fresh eggs and the buttery, lemony Hollandaise sauce! You’re going to love this rendition! Ingredients: 1 – 8 ounce pkg. Wild Idea Bison Bresaola 2 to 4 – English Muffins, split butter 4 to 8 – farm fresh or organic eggs 2 – teaspoons olive oil 1 – quart boiling water salt & pepper Hollandaise Sauce – recipe below Preparation: 1) Allow Wild Idea Bison Bresaola to rest at room temperature for an hour or two. This will make separating the slices easier. Separate into 4 to 8 piles of meat. 2) In a medium size non stick pan or on griddle, over low heat, heat the piles of Bresaola. About one minute each side. Remove from heat. 3) Toast English muffins in toaster or on griddle until slightly golden. Spread hot muffins with desired amount of butter. 4) To poach multiple eggs, pre-crack eggs into individual ramekins. 5) Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat, and add oil spreading it around. Add eggs one at a time quickly, this helps them set individually. *This method is in-between poached and basted eggs, but it works great! 6) Immediately add the boiling water and cover. Reduce heat to low, and check after one minute. Cover and cook for another minute. Eggs are done when the top of the egg white is sealed and white in color. Continue if needed or until desired doneness is established. Remove poached eggs from pan with a slotted spoon. 7) Place buttered muffins on plates, top with warmed Bresaola, and poached eggs. Season the eggs with a little salt and pepper, and drizzle hollandaise over the eggs as desired. Sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne or paprika. Hollandaise Sauce *I like my hollandaise a little on the lemony side. If you prefer less, substitute a little water for thinning if needed. If needing to reheat, place sauce in a container and place in a pan of boiling water. Stir to avoid over cooking. Ingredients: 3 – egg yolks 3 – tablespoons lemon juice 1 – teaspoon black pepper ¼ – teaspoon cayenne pepper, more if desired 1 – stick salted organic butter, melted and still hot Preparation: 1) Place egg yolks, one tablespoons lemon juice, pepper, and cayenne in a blender and blend until slightly thick. 2) Add melted hot butter through top while blender is still running. Blend to incorporate. Stop until ready to serve. 3) When ready to serve, flash blend again, adding the last tablespoon of lemon juice. Season to taste.
From Birds To Bison
Wild Idea Buffalo Company, LLC and Dan O’Brien were recently featured in the April 19th, 2015 edition of the Rapid City Journal in an article titled From Birds To Bison.The article examines the genesis of Wild Idea Buffalo Company and why Dan O’Brien shifted his focus from endangered birds of prey to bison. Click Here to read more.
Resolutions 2015
Resolution for 2015: throw out the health/diet shake meal replacement that’s occupying prime, cupboard real estate. I fell for this product when I started my indoor T-25 exercise regime last winter. Fit bodies drank it down in an advertisement before the workout began. I thought it might be a good plan for when I was in a rush or on the go, like the ad suggested. It might be a good product and it may even work, but when I became hungry I wanted to sink my teeth into food, real food, and I wanted it to taste good. An apple or banana covered in peanut butter was a lot more tasty, satisfying and convenient. I knew better than to order such an item, as 30 years ago during one of my chubby phases I tried “Slim Fast” and soon after renamed it “Slim Slow” as I found that the frothy, chocolate shakes were terrific with cheeseburgers. I know what it takes to be healthy, “eat right and exercise”. But – like many people (100 million), I was looking for a short cut, or a “jump start”. And, if I’m to be honest, I was looking for anything that would reduce the torture of the T-25 workout. Initially it was brutal, so I kept the phone close at hand, with 911 on speed dial, in case resuscitation would be needed. According to Businessweek, Americans spend over 20 billion dollars a year on diet/ weight-loss programs. 20 BILLION DOLLARS! Holy molly! My contribution to the 20 billion dollars was $130.00, plus $15.00 shipping, for a 30-day supply. My two servings used from the bag cost $72.50 each. If I’d used the whole bag (I feel terrible for wasting it), each serving would have cost me $4.83. $145.00 would have bought a lot of apples and bananas. I also could have purchased a lot of ready to grill, Wild Idea Buffalo Burgers for my $145.00. To be exact, with our current annual January special price, I would receive 50 quarter pound buffalo burgers for $2.65 a serving! Now that’s something to sink your teeth into, and unlike the cheeseburgers mentioned above our 95% lean ground buffalo products are good for you, and it taste great! So tonight, I’m going to slow down and make a delicious, sustainable dinner for my family. It’s the first of the monthly family dinners, we’ve promised to make time for. On the menu, “Buffalo Ranchers Pie”, nutritious comfort food, to warm the heart and soul. Happy, healthy New Year to you all! Jill Buffalo Ranchers Pie (Shepherd’s Pie) The other morning I woke to Jamie Oliver taking on the radio about Shepard’s Pie, and I’ve been craving it ever since. He had me at “encased cheesy potato crust”. It sound so good, that I had to try it. Other than swapping out bison for the lamb, for the most part I followed his ingredient list, but changed the preparation steps. It was a huge hit with my family, and all went for a second helping. This recipe should serve 8, but for my family it served 3 regular appetites and 2 hearty ones. Ingredients: 1 – 2 pound package Wild Idea Buffalo Stew Meat, rinsed & pated dry 3 – pounds golden potatoes, washed, leave skins on 1 – large sweet yellow onion, chopped 1 – turnip, peeled & diced 6 – carrots, peeled, halved & sliced 4 to 6 – celery stalks (depending the size), sliced 1 – cup + 2 tablespoons salted butter 4 – ounces Irish cheddar, grated 2 – tablespoons olive oil …
2014 REFLECTIONS
Reviewing and sorting through a years worth of photographs to select your favorites, can be a daunting, if not impossible task. So instead, I decided to use my memory of events that stood out to me this past year and then search for the images that would help tell the story. In short, it’s been quite a year! I hope you enjoy the pictorial review. The weather as always sets the prairie stage. We started the year off covered in ice and snow, the base of which started with the freak October 3rd, 2013 blizzard. Warmer than normal winter temperatures kept the land covered in ice and water with repetitive, on and off, thawing and freezing. By May, the melting ice and spring thunderstorms had the prairie running with water, and colored in a beautiful, vibrant green. We were fortunate to escape a little winter to attend a Sustainable Symposium in CA, were we had the privilege of connecting with notable, environmental movers & shakers, such as; Wes Jackson, Yvon & Melinda Chouinard, Alice Waters and Angelo Garro. For a couple of hours we thought we were pretty big deals! We shared stories over meals and re-charged our batteries with new found support from new friends. Later in the summer Dan & I presented at the SD Green Conference with Allan Savory and I made a trip to the Rowe Sanctuary to cater their annual fundraiser. More good times and memories for worthy, necessary events. The spring brought babies, including our first grandson and 3rd generation buffalo rancher, Lincoln Hosler Jones. Wild Idea customers, friends and college students stopped by for ranch tours, to see what we’ve been up to, as well as to get an up close look at where their buffalo meat comes from. Great conversations were had over buffalo meals, and some received a special treat of Native drumming & dancing, put on by one of our own artisan butchers, Cyril White Eagle. Perhaps some of my most treasured times was being out on the prairie, either by myself or with friends, trying to catch the magic of the light, view wildlife or identify plants. Because of all of our precipitation, it made for a great grass year, with wild flowers showing off in abundance. The wild life all seemed content in the prairies bounty too. And the light, if you are patient enough, usually never disappoints. A thank you shout out to Michael Forsberg and Angela & Urle Anderson. The demand for healthy proteins continues to be on the rise and 100% grass-fed/finished, humanely harvested bison meat can’t be beat. Wild Idea Buffalo Company is second to no one in this. In addition to our fabulous whole muscle bison cuts and premium ground buffalo, our in-house artisan sausage maker Valerie Flanagan created Buffalo Bacon! It has been a huge hit with customers and is a favorite in our house. We also perfected our 100% Buffalo Hot Dog recipe – still nitrite free and now skinless! They are fabulous! If you haven’t tried them – you should. A perfect, quick fix for new years resolutions. Dan’s latest book was released, WILD IDEA. A personal memoir, layered with family and the growing of a business, to help save the American Great Plains. His first review came from Kitty Blue. Then there are the bison, the beautiful, curious and majestic bison,to which we owe so much gratitude. Our wonderful summer and mild fall kept the growing season going and going. It was finally stopped with a snowy, polar vortex that moved in in November. It lingered for a …
Moving Buffalo
This past June we moved the Buffalo from one pasture to the next. Buffalo are roamers and have come to understand what an open gate means – new digs to roam and fresh grass. We believe in a gentle approach of simply opening a gate, offering a little incentive with cake (a small cube of pressed alfalfa with some minerals), and having a subtle presence on the back end. When babies are little we are very careful to guide in a very slow manner. The lead herd cow is usually the first to approach and once she has moved through the herd will start to follow. The babies stay close to their mothers and instinctively shoot to the outside. The wind was blowing on the day we moved them, which added extra excitement for the babies who frolicked, leaping through the air, bucking and kicking. A few stragglers held up the back end with the largest herd bull completing the move. They quickly joined up with the herd, and found their way to their new pasture. They other day we moved the buffalo again. What struck me, was not only their calmness with the babies now two months older, but the beautiful healthy pastures, still green and plentiful with grass, thanks to continued summer rains. The baby buffalo are now kids, in a varying stages of golden to black, with sprouting new horns. They are gaining independence, but will stay close to their mothers and remain in the family group until they are two years of age. They vocalized their happiness with their soft grunts and grazing noises. Listening to 300 buffalo eating grass is pretty amazing! We wrapped up our task under a pink sky of a setting South Dakota sun.
Grilled Basil Shanks
Grilled Basil Shank Steaks with Pesto Pasta and Cucumber Tomato Salad Serves 4 (Active time: ½ hour) Shank Ingredients: 4 Buffalo Shank Steaks, rinsed and patted dry and tied with butcher string (this helps to keep the shank form falling apart). 1 Tb. olive oil 1 tsp. salt 2 tsp. black pepper 4 cups organic apple cider 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves *pasta, cooked el dente Basil Pesto Ingredients: 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves 1 clove garlic (adjust to your liking) 2 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. salt ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan ¼ cup pine nuts (optional) 1 cup olive oil Mix all ingredients together until well incorporated. Set aside until needed, refrigerate leftovers for later use. Preparation: 1.) Preheat grill to 500*. 2.) Rub shank steaks with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. 3.) Mix apple cider with fresh basil leaves in blender and pour into Crock Pot on high setting. 4.) Place shank steaks on hot grill and sear for two minutes with grill lid shut. 5.) Turn shanks and brush grilled side with 1 Tb. each basil pesto. Close grill lid and sear other side for 2 minutes. 6.) Turn again, and brush newly grilled side with additional pesto. Close lid and grill for one minute. Turn and repeat. 7.) Place grilled shank steaks into hot basil cider in Crock Pot and cover with lid. You will want to braise for 4 hours on medium to medium high heat. *Small bubbles should break the surface. Or set on low to medium heat and cook for 8 hours. 8.) Turn steaks and allow to soak in juices if steaks for a few minutes if steaks were not fully covered in juices. 9.) Remove shank steaks from juices and brush again with pesto and sear one minute each side on hot grill. *Optional. 10.) Toss warm pasta with ½ cup basil pesto and divide between plates. Top with shank steak and drizzle with additional pesto. Accompany with garden fresh Cucumber Tomato Salad tossed with Sweet Basil Vinaigrette. The perfect taste of summer! Sweet Basil Vinaigrette Ingredients: 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves ¼ cup sugar 1 Tb. Black pepper 1 tsp. salt 1 cup rice vinegar ¾ cup olive oil Salad Ingredients: 4 cups leafy greens, divided between plates 1 cucumber, diced 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved ¼ red onion, diced ½ tsp. each salt and pepper 1.) Mix all ingredients in blender, except olive oil until well incorporated. Slowly drizzle in oil with blender running. Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate any leftovers for later use. 2.) Toss cucumber, tomatoes and onion with ½ cup basil vinaigrette and spoon over leafy greens. Drizzle with more dressing if desired.
Taking Time For Summer
We are having a glorious summer. The rains have been very kind to us and as a result the prairie is vibrantly green, dotted with bouquets of wildflowers. It’s the kind of summer where you can’t get enough of the great outdoors. There is so much to do, so much to enjoy, leaving little time for writing a newsletter story and barely time to cook. That’s why this month’s story is short and this month’s recipe is for a simple summer meal! A couple of months ago I posted my first “Crock Pot” recipe, this is my second. Although you start and finish by searing shank steaks on grill, which gives the meat a nice smoky, sweet, char flavor, the braising process is done in a Crock Pot (which I set up outside to keep the house cool), allowing you time to enjoy your summer! If you are a gardener, most all of your other ingredients for this recipe should be ready to be harvested. If not the farmers markets are really starting to have a nice selection of fresh garden vegetables. Hope you are all having a wonderful summer. Cheers! Jill Grilled Basil Shank Steaks with Pesto Pasta and Cucumber, Tomato Salad Serves 4 (Active time: ½ hour) Shank Ingredients: 4 Buffalo Shank Steaks, rinsed and patted dry and tied with butcher string (this helps to keep the shank form falling apart). 1 Tb. olive oil 1 tsp. salt 2 tsp. black pepper 4 cups organic apple cider 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves *pasta, cooked el dente Basil Pesto Ingredients: 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves 1 clove garlic (adjust to your liking) 2 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. salt ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan ¼ cup pine nuts (optional) 1 cup olive oil Mix all ingredients together until well incorporated. Set aside until needed, refrigerate leftovers for later use. Preparation: 1.) Preheat grill to 500*. 2.) Rub shank steaks with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. 3.) Mix apple cider with fresh basil leaves in blender and pour into Crock Pot on high setting. 4.) Place shank steaks on hot grill and sear for two minutes with grill lid shut. 5.) Turn shanks and brush grilled side with 1 Tb. each basil pesto. Close grill lid and sear other side for 2 minutes. 6.) Turn again, and brush newly grilled side with additional pesto. Close lid and grill for one minute. Turn and repeat. 7.) Place grilled shank steaks into hot basil cider in Crock Pot and cover with lid. You will want to braise for 4 hours on medium to medium high heat. *Small bubbles should break the surface. Or set on low to medium heat and cook for 8 hours. 8.) Turn steaks and allow to soak in juices if steaks for a few minutes if steaks were not fully covered in juices. 9.) Remove shank steaks from juices and brush again with pesto and sear one minute each side on hot grill. *Optional. 10.) Toss warm pasta with ½ cup basil pesto and divide between plates. Top with shank steak and drizzle with additional pesto. Accompany with garden fresh Cucumber Tomato Salad tossed with Sweet Basil Vinaigrette. The perfect taste of summer! Sweet Basil Vinaigrette Ingredients: 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves ¼ cup sugar 1 Tb. Black pepper 1 tsp. salt 1 cup rice vinegar ¾ cup olive oil Salad Ingredients: 4 cups leafy greens, divided between plates 1 cucumber, diced 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved ¼ red onion, diced ½ tsp. each salt and pepper 1.) Mix all …
What is Grass-fed
The term “grass-fed” is being used more and more often now days when discussing how certain animals are raised. Unfortunately, there is a lot of ambiguity with the use of this term and what it actually means for consumers. In addition to loose official standards around the use of the term, many ranchers also have different opinions as well on how it should be used as well. Grass-fed: Traditionally – grass-fed means: an animal that has been raised their entire life feeding strictly on a diet of natural grass and forage. However, this is not currently the standard use of the term grass-fed and as a result has created a fair bit of confusion for consumers. Many producers use the term grass-fed, but then go on to “finish” them on grain in order to increase the animals overall weight. Finishing: the concept of “finishing” an animal is when a producer raises their animals on a particular diet until a certain date at which point the animals are finished on grain for the last few months to help fatten them for slaughter. This has led to the use of terms such as grass-finished vs. grain-finished. An animal that is grass-finished feeds on a diet grass and forage right up until slaughter and is not fed grain during that time. 100% Grass-fed: A few producers, including Wild Idea Buffalo, choose to use the phrase 100% Grass-fed. This phrase is used to help distinguish animals that are 100% Grass-fed, because they feed exclusively on, natural grasses and forage. While 100% Grass-fed is not a universally adopted term, it is meant to help clarify exactly what the animal has consumed during its life up until the date of slaughter. Animals that are raised strictly on a natural all grass and forage diet not only live a healthier and more humane life, but also pass on significant health benefits to the consumer. For more information about the benefits of a grass-fed diet please refer to the following article discussing the impacts in our buffalo: Wild Idea Grass-fed Buffalo vs Feedlot Buffalo.