Bison Chili

We’ve all got burning questions in life. Some philosophical, some silly, some random, some nagging, some deep. Today, I’d like to address one of mine. Is a buffalo the same as a bison? It’s one of those questions that’s so innocuous that you never really bother to find the answer, and then one day you realize just how woefully uninformed you are—infinite childhood trips to zoos and all. We would probably all say that buffalo are majestic creatures that roamed the open plains and amber waves of grain. But actually these are American *Bison*, and the most common species of “buffalo” are actually found in Africa and Asia. So, that’s one less burning question to keep me tossing and turning at night. Since they were almost hunted to the brink of extinction, the American Bison has made a nice little comeback and is actually raised for the sake of good eats. What’s more, they’ve also been cross-bred with domestic cattle to create the “Beefalo”! However, our focus today is the former—bison or you could say, American Buffalo.. Before you write us off as a few alt hippie types, bison is really, really good. It has a certain richness and depth of flavor that your standard beef just doesn’t quite have. During a recent cross-country trip, my parents enjoyed the revelation that was the delicious bison steak and brought home a small cachet of ground bison. The next logical step from my visions of the great open plains, life on the range, cowboys, and other general Oregon Trail vibes was a solid pot of spicy, peppery, hearty chili. When I was a kid, one of my few specialties in the kitchen was making huge pots of chili. My mother would get a craving, make the request, and we’d soon be elbows deep in huge amounts of the stuff, because even at the tender age of 12, I didn’t get out of bed for anything less than a double-batch. (See my recipe for XO Sauce and some of our readers’ hopeful requests for halving and halving again. Heh. Sorry, guys.) Luckily, I’ve retooled my classic chili recipe to be a bit more manageable, and this bison chili recipe serves 6 to 8. So enjoy this delicious, spicy bison chili while it lasts!

Bison Chili: Recipe Instructions

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground bison and let it brown, breaking it up with a wooden spatula (you can add a couple tablespoons of oil if there isn’t enough fat in your bison to prevent sticking). When the bison is browned, add the onions and garlic. Saute until the onions are translucent. Next, add the bell peppers and jalapeno peppers. Cook for 5 minutes to let the peppers cook. Add the chilis in adobo sauce, tomato paste, cumin, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, pepper, and sugar. Stir to combine. Add both cans of beans, the crushed tomatoes, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, stirring to combine. Turn the heat down to low, and let the Bison chili simmer for an additional two hours. Before serving, add salt to taste, and finish each bowl with a sprinkling of grated cheddar cheese, sliced avocado, and a side of tortilla chips! Enjoy this Bison chili or if you prefer, American Buffalo Chili!