Naturally higher in protein, while lower in fat and cholesterol than most modern day meat, including chicken and even fish, bison could be set for a renaissance at a time when people are looking for healthier food as well as something a little different.

 

Per 100g of cooked lean meat, bison contains 2.42g of fat compared to beef at 9.38g and chicken at 7.41g, while its calorie content is 143, lower than both beef and chicken and even most fish. It is also said to be easier to digest, yet being a dense meat it can satisfy the appetite more quickly.

 

“The health benefits of bison is one of the main reasons we got into it in the first place,” says George Wakeling, who started farming bison at his farm in rural Leicestershire 10 years ago. “Around 10-15 years ago red meat was considered

bad for you and this was a result of intensive breeding programmes, with cattle bred for fat yield.”

 

Along with the onset of BSE and having become tired of what he calls “the rat race of cattle farming”, Wakeling and his wife Ruth started looking for an alternative.

 

“There was a study about US park rangers who had a diet of nothing but red meat, yet they had the lowest cholesterol levels. This was because they were eating the wild bison and red deer, whose meat was still how nature had created it – not like the animals that have been bred for production over the last 100 years,” he explains.

 

Responding to an advertisement for bison stock, the Wakelings jumped in with both feet and bought six bison plus a bull. Today they have around 80 in total, which are kept along with approximately 100 red deer in 110 acres of farmland near Melton Mowbray.

 

“It was a very big gamble, but so many farmers were going under anyway, it was worth trying. People thought we’d lost it. But we survived while others didn’t. “Our income is half and half on venison and bison. We thought the bison would need a lot of promotion but in the Bison meat is not only healthy and delicious but offers food developers something new and unusual for their menus end it sold itself on the novelty value. Once people have tried it they come back for more.”

 

On a recent farm visit organised by the Craft Guild of Chefs, a group of chefs ventured out to the farm known as Bouverie Lodge, where the majority of the bison were enjoying winter shelter. “It’s a very wet site here so we keep the bison under cover for the wet months. They are born in the spring, and we would  usually kill them at about 30 months, in September or October time.”

At present however, the farm isn’t killing its own bison because of an astounding mix of EU regulation and bureaucracy, says Wakeling. “The ironic thing is we got into bison to get away from the bureaucracy of cattle farming. It’s certainly been an expensive learning curve.”

 

The main problem is that the animals are classed as bovine [cattle], so have to come under EU cattle regulations when they are processed. “The problem is bison need to be shot on the farm, so because they don’t walk off the farm they are classed as a casualty.”

 

This means that when they reach the abattoir, hygiene officers are inclined to pull them out for inspection which, says Wakeling, often triggers a test on the animal before and after in the line as well. This causes the abattoirs a lot of headaches and makes bison an unpopular customer. “We can’t find an abattoir within 100 miles that wants to know us.”

 

Bison was classed as game before being put into the bovine category by the EU. However when this happened it was never actually removed from the game  category and, as a result, the animals can go from being categorised as bovine by the vet on the farm, classed as ‘casualty’ when shot, but also termed as ‘farmed game’, then by the time it reaches the abattoir it’s classed as bovine again. Wakeling even had to apply for a wild game licence initially.

 

“In Canada bison are loaded up and treated just like cattle but here that wouldn’t be acceptable due to the stress and welfare of the animal as well as health and safety issues,” he says, adding that stress levels of bison are considerably higher than cattle or even deer. “In a cow that was pretty upset, cortisol levels – which measure the stress of an animal – would be around 20-90. A bison that is stressed measuresup to 140. They really don’t like being handled.”

 

As well as dealing with issues unique to bison – from a low calving percentage of around 80% to their susceptibility to a fatal virus carried only by sheep – an exhaustive catalogue of legislative obstacles and red tape has been thrust in Wakeling’s path over the years. However with steely determination and seemingly endless good humour, he continues to campaign the Government and European legislators to make it possible for his bison to get to market.

 

“It could have been so easy to just say ‘let’s pack up and forget it’, but we won’t, we’ll beat it. If politics could just work with us, there’s a tremendous opportunity for bison in this country.”

 

To meet demand and remain in business, the Wakelings currently import their bison meat from Ireland and Belgium. “A lot of people are bringing in bison meat now but much of it is reconstituted steaks. In a lot of places you may see bison

medallions but they are made from reformed cuts,” explains Ruth, who oversees the sales and orders for both consumers and chefs. “We’ve been out to Ireland and Belgium and seen how it is farmed there, so we know it is good and are happy to source our bison from there.

 

“We get the whole animal sent over from Ireland, and from Belgium we get most of the forequarters and steaks.” As well as sirloin, rump and fillet steaks, they sell mince and braising meat for casseroling, and Ruth’s speciality is bison burgers. “We use forequarter meat and throw away what most people use to actually make their burgers. The process of making them can be laborious, so we once tried to buy burger meat from Canada, but it was made with trim – it was finely ground so they could put everything in it. We quickly went back to making our own and have established a very good name for our burgers.”

 

After a tour of the farm, the group of chefs were treated to a tasting lunch with bison prepared in a number of different ways including cuts of roast meat, sirloin steak, burgers and even smoked bison.

 

When cooking bison, a few pointers must be followed, says Ruth. “There’s no fat at all so don’t dry it out. You need to baste the meat and be careful not to overcook it.”

 

When roasting bison, a temperature of about 140ºC is recommended for about the same time as an equivalent beef joint. Burgers need brushing with a little oil to prevent drying and will cook quicker than beef burgers as they are much leaner. There is also said to be virtually no shrinkage with bison and smaller portions often suffice, she adds. “If you would normally serve an 8oz beef steak you only need a 6oz bison steak as it fills you up quicker.”

 

The chefs were unanimous in their opinion of the meat, which they described as “sweeter and smoother than beef”, “very tender” with “more flavour than beef while not being a gamey meat like venison”.

 

After tasting the sirloin steak, Phil Bowen, development chef at Underwood Meat, said: “I can’t imagine what a fillet would be like if the sirloin tastes as good as this does.” Similar positive feedback is received from customers when they sample bison for the first time at farmers’ markets and food fairs, says Ruth, but it is getting over that initial reluctance to try something new that is sometimes difficult.

 

“Once people try it the feedback is phenomenal, but the biggest hurdle for us is that people are ignorant of the meat, and often they are frightened of it because it’s different.”

 

The price, for some, could also be a problem. At around £35 a kilo, it’s not cheap. “Bison costs about 70% more than the price of good beef.” However it can add a real point of difference to a menu, and Ruth believes with growing consumer demand there’s still room for chefs to make a profit from it.

 

“A high class, well known restaurant in the area took our fillet steak. Their cheapest main course was £35, yet they said they couldn’t afford the £4-£5 for a bison steak. With the margins they are making I don’t see how that’s right.”