Name: Easy Herb-Marinated, Grilled Bison Steak
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 lb Bison/American Buffalo Shoulder Steak (or other lean cut); 2 tbsp Dijon mustard; Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon; 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 tsp Fresh cracked black pepper; 6 Branches fresh thyme (whole); 2 cloves Garlic (peeled and cracked)

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If you love red meat but want to maintain a healthy diet, you need to get to know buffalo! American bison, also called American buffalo, is one of the most nutritious red meats you can choose. I love grilled buffalo steak for its bold gamey flavor as well as all the health-supporting nutrients this red meat offers.

Table of Contents

Why I love this grilled bison steak recipe

This recipe is one of my favorites for a cookout with friends. But it’s also a solid choice for a simple, romantic dinner. With easy, step-by-step instructions from my friend and accomplished chef Annette Tomei, this sexy bison recipe takes less than 5 minutes prep and only about 15 minutes to cook and plate. It’s about as low-stress as a dinner recipe can get!

I love the intensity of flavor and I like the fact that this bison steak recipe feels lighter than beef. This is a meal that I find energizing. And it is a supremely easy marinated bison recipe.

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The only step that takes a little mastery is grilling. But follow Annette’s instructions, (she’s a former instructor at the French Culinary Institute and a fantastic cooking teacher), and you will be making bison steaks better than you ever dreamed.

And beyond great flavor, this easy grilled bison recipe has so much to offer when it comes to health. You might be surprised to learn that it’s a particularly good choice for your sexual health!

The health benefits of bison

Beyond great flavor, there’s a lot to love about bison. It may be a little more expensive than beef or lamb but if you’re looking for nutrition, it’s a superior choice.

Bison is an excellent source of lean protein. According to The Honest Bison, grass-fed bison is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have the ability to elevate mood. (In other words, grilled bison meat is a good mood food.)

In addition, this lean, red meat is rich in libido-supporting nutrients including zinc, iron, B-12 and magnesium. Bison even made our list of The 10 Best Foods for Men. This is why I say you should bookmark this recipe for your next romantic dinner.

How to make a great grilled buffalo steak

The most important thing you can do to make this recipe a success is to budget your time correctly. The meat should sit in the marinade for a minimum of one hour (up to four hours).

Then, before you start cooking, you will remove the meat from the marinade and let it rest for 15 minutes before grilling. Don’t forget to season both sides of the meat with salt.

Make sure you get your grill nice and hot before you add the steak. It should be at medium-high heat. You can use either a gas or charcoal grill to cook this bison recipe. But I like the level of control you get with a gas grill.

Resist the temptation to cut the steak as soon as it comes off the grill and rest it for 10 minutes.

If you wanted to create a mental timetable for your prep and cooking, it would look like this:

Prepare marinade: 5 minutes
Marinate steak: 1-4 hours
Remove meat from marinade and allow it to rest at room temperature: 15 minutes
Grill your steak: 8-10 minutes (being careful not to overcook)
Rest the cooked meat: 10 minutes
Slice, plate and serve!

Tips for cooking bison (or any wild game meat)

Like all wild game, buffalo steak is a little tricky to grill. That’s because the meat is quite lean. Beef, which has a higher internal fat content, is more forgiving than a bison steak. For this reason, you must use greater care and cook the meat for a shorter time than you would for a similar cut of beef.

Why should you marinate buffalo steaks?

This simple grilling recipe calls for a bison marinade made with a flavorful blend of spicy Dijon mustard, lemon, garlic and fresh herbs. The acid from the mustard and citrus in this buffalo steak marinade will work to tenderize the meat.

Like most marinades, it won’t penetrate the surface to a degree that it flavors the interior of the steak, it will flavor the exterior and add an incredible aroma during cooking. It will also heighten your senses with the aromas of fresh herbs and garlic when the finished steak is served.

Take care to prevent the meat from sticking to the grill

Standing over a hot grill trying to get a stuck steak to release is an awful task. To help avoid this scenario, brush the grill with oil before you cook bison steak. Be sure the grill is heated to medium-high before you put the steak on to grill.

Take note of the short cooking time

The bison steak marinade helps ensure that you’re starting with a moist and flavorful piece of meat. Cooking bison steak is a little bit different than cooking beef. Be sure to follow Annette’s grilling instructions carefully and note the short cooking time for a succulent steak every time.

It’s generally accepted among wild game meat aficionados that you never want to cook a bison steak past medium well. Most chefs recommend serving it medium-rare.

Even if you like well-done beef, cook bison and other game meats like venison slightly less. Otherwise, you may wind up with a steak that more closely resembles shoe leather than the centerpiece of a romantic dinner.

Allow your meat to rest after cooking

Make sure to let your meat rest. Annette recommends 10 minutes for this buffalo steak recipe. As she explains it, “If you cut hot meat, the juices will run out and you’ll be left with dry meat. Allowing it to rest and cool slightly allows the juices to redistribute into the meat fibers which means you’ll get a juicer, more delicious cut.”

Cut the meat across the grain

The grain of a steak refers to the direction the muscle fibers run. When you cut across the grain, this shortens the muscle fibers and makes the meat feel more tender. This will give you a more pleasurable eating experience.

What to serve with bison steaks

I love serving it with asparagus when the slender green stalks are in season. Asparagus, as it happens, is also an aphrodisiac. So if you’re planning a romantic evening, take note of this winning combo.

But that’s not the only reason I like serving the spring green vegetable with this easy buffalo recipe. Asparagus offers a pronounced herbal note that pairs well with the char of grilling and the vaguely metallic tang of red meat.

Of course, you can serve the bison steaks with whatever vegetable is fresh and in season. You can also pair this recipe with any potato, sweet potato or whole-grain side dish you’d serve with a beef filet. My favorite side dish recipes include:
Olive Salad with Celery
Easy Grilled Fig & Arugula Salad
Meyer Lemon Quinoa with Turmeric, Black Pepper and Basil

And since every meal tastes even better with delicious wine, consider pairing this recipe with a great bottle of Malbec wine.

Easy Herb-Marinated, Grilled Bison Steak

Print Recipe

This recipe is a great substitute for a classic grilled steak for anyone looking to make healthier food choices. American bison, also known as buffalo, is highly nutritious and low in fat. But because of its low-fat content, you have to be careful not to overcook.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Cooking Style grill

Diet and Health Healthy, low carb, low fat

Seasonal summer

Ingredient American buffalo, bison

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Marinating Time 1

Total Time 20

Servings -4

Calories 418

Author Annette Tomei

Ingredients

1 lb Bison/American Buffalo Shoulder Steak or other lean cut

For the Marinade:

2 tbsp Dijon mustard
Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp Fresh cracked black pepper
6 Branches fresh thyme whole
2 cloves Garlic peeled and cracked

Instructions

Whisk together all marinade ingredients except the thyme branches and garlic.
Place the steaks in a shallow glass or steel container. Place the thyme branches on top and a cracked garlic clove on each steak. Cover with the marinade. Rub in on both sides until well coated. Cover and hold in the refrigerator for at least one hour, up to 4 hours. Remove meat from the marinade and allow it to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes prior to cooking.
Heat grill to medium-high and brush grill grates (or grill pan) with canola or grape seed oil before placing the steaks on the grill. Remove any thyme and garlic stuck to the meat; season with salt and more pepper if desired.
Grill on medium-high heat 2 minutes then turn the steak (on same side) 90 degrees to create professional-looking grill marks. Flip the meat to the other side and cook another 2 minutes then turn 90 degrees again; cook 1-2 more minutes (for medium-rare – slightly longer if medium is desired).*
Remove the steak(s) from the grill and allow to rest on a cutting board for at least 10 minutes before cutting.
Slice ½ inch slices, across the grain and present over your choice of vegetable or whole grain side dish.

Notes

*If you're not sure when to remove the meat from the grill, you can use a probe thermometer. A thermometer reading of about 120 degrees should give you medium-rare meat, which is my ideal doneness for this steak recipe. Keep in mind that the meat will continue to cook as it rests after it is removed from the heat.

A note on the provided nutrition information

The nutrition information provided has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator and is not a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Amy Reiley

Eat Something Sexy's Creator & Editor-in-Chief Amy Reiley is the award-winning author of five aphrodisiac cookbooks. She has her Master of Arts in Gastronomy, awarded by Le Cordon Bleu and The University of Adelaide. She is also a Certified Nutrition Coach awarded by the International Sports Sciences Association and she is a California Certified Massage Therapist.

Amy is considered a leading authority on aphrodisiacs. Her work in aphrodisiacs is quoted in publications including National Geographic, The New York Times, Epicurious, Wine Enthusiast, Health and Playboy magazines. She speaks internationally on aphrodisiac foods and has brought her knowledge of aphrodisiac history and science to national television shows including The Today Show and CBS Early Show. She is a frequent guest on relationship and lifestyle radio and podcast shows and has been interviewed by BBC and NPR radio, Cosmopolitan radio and popular podcasts including My Dad Wrote a Porno.

Amy is also a freelance food, wine and health researcher and writer as well as a wine competition judge. Her work has appeared in publications ranging from Variety to The Daily Meal. She is an MSN content provider. And she is also a former wine editor for Gayot.com and wine & spirits editor of Las Vegas magazine.

Fun fact: Amy was the creator of the first ever comprehensive food and wine apps, Amy Reiley's Pocket Gourmet and Amy Reiley's Pocket Vineyard for Palm.

Grilled Bison Steak Recipe with an Easy Herb Marinade