Equipment
Ingredients
Bacon Clove Wild Rice
- 60 g smoked bacon, finely diced
- 150 g wild rice, rinsed well
- 3 whole cloves
- 450 ml chicken broth, low-sodium preferred
Seared Bison Steaks
- 2 bison strip steaks, room temperature
- 6 g kosher salt
- 3 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 15 ml avocado oil
Pomegranate Red Wine Pan Sauce
- 1 red onion, finely minced
- 120 ml dry red wine
- 120 ml beef broth, low-sodium
- 15 ml pomegranate molasses
- 30 g unsalted butter, cubed and very cold
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place the diced smoked bacon in a cold medium saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy. Pour off the excess fat, leaving about one tablespoon in the pan.
Add the rinsed wild rice and whole cloves to the saucepan with the bacon. Pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently until the rice is tender.
While the rice cooks, thoroughly pat the bison steaks dry with paper towels. Wash hands and all surfaces after handling raw meat to prevent cross-contamination. Season the steaks generously on all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the avocado oil. Once the oil shimmers and just begins to smoke, add the bison steaks. Sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms and the internal temperature reaches 54°C/130°F for medium-rare.
Transfer the cooked bison steaks to a clean cutting board and loosely tent with foil. Allow them to rest while you prepare the pan sauce. Do not wipe out the skillet.
Reduce the heat under the cast iron skillet to medium. Add the finely minced red onion to the residual bison fat and sauté until softened and translucent, scraping up any browned bits from the steaks.
Pour the dry red wine into the skillet to deglaze. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half. Add the beef broth and pomegranate molasses, and continue to simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Remove the skillet entirely from the heat. Add the cold cubed butter and whisk vigorously until the butter is completely melted and the sauce becomes glossy and emulsified.
Remove and discard the whole cloves from the cooked wild rice, then fluff the rice with a fork. Slice the rested bison steaks against the grain. Plate the warm wild rice alongside the sliced bison, and generously spoon the pomegranate red wine pan sauce over the meat.
Chef's Notes
- Because bison lacks the intramuscular fat (marbling) of beef, it is significantly less forgiving. Target a slightly lower internal temperature than you normally would for beef steaks.
- Pomegranate molasses is a powerful ingredient; it provides intense acidity and fruitiness that cuts through the rich, savory depth of the bacon and game meat. If you cannot find it, a reduction of pomegranate juice with a dash of lemon juice works as a substitute.
- Bacon provides the missing fat element that bison lacks, making it the perfect complementary ingredient in the side dish.
- When mounting the sauce with butter (monter au beurre), ensure the butter is fridge-cold. This allows it to melt slowly and form a stable emulsion rather than simply melting into an oil slick.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store sauce, steak, and rice in separate airtight containers.
Reheating: Reheat rice gently in the microwave with a splash of water. Gently warm steaks in a 120C oven until just heated through to avoid overcooking. Reheat sauce on the stovetop over low heat, whisking constantly to prevent the emulsion from breaking.
